Assessing the Species in the CARES Preservation Program and the Role of Aquarium Hobbyists in Freshwater Fish Conservation

Abstract

Freshwater fish represent half of all fish species and are the most threatened vertebrate group. Given their considerable passion and knowledge, aquarium hobbyists can play a vital role in their conservation. CARES is made up of many organizations, whose purpose is to encourage aquarium hobbyists to devote tank space to the most endangered and overlooked freshwater fish to ensure their survival. We found the CARES priority list contains nearly six hundred species from twenty families and two dozen extinct-in-the-wild species. The major families were typically those with the largest hobbyist affiliations such as killifish, livebearers, and cichlids, the latter containing half of CARES species. CARES included every IUCN threatened species of Pseudomugilidae and Valenciidae, but only one percent of threatened Characidae, Cobitidae, and Gobiidae species. No Loricariidae in CARES were in the IUCN red list as they have not been scientifically described. Tanzania and Mexico contained the largest amount of species, with the latter containing the most endemics. Many species were classified differently than the IUCN, including a third of extinct-in-the-wild species classified as least concern by the IUCN. This vast disconnect exemplifies the importance of future collaboration and information exchange required between hobbyists, the scientific community, and conservation organizations.

Centers of Endemism and The Potential of Zoos and Botanical Gardens in Conservation of Endemics

“…However, holdings of fish in zoos and aquaria increased between 1960 and 2018 [197]. Aquaria and zoos only hold about 7% of all threatened fishes, and this highlights the important role that hobbyists play in the conservation and breeding of endemic and threatened taxa [202]. Hobbyists make up 99% of the global ornamental fish trade and may play a vital role in fish conservation.…”

Evaluation of Various Filters in Recirculation Aquaculture Systems on Survival Rate, Cortisol, Growth and Osmotic Performance in Channa Marulioides as Domestication Effort

“…Increasing market demand in the world fishing industry requires practitioners to be able to classify several species that have the potential to increase the diversity of aquaculture products, which has an impact on the stability of the aquatic environmental ecosystem as an economic source for locals (17,26,53). Freshwater fish represent half of all fish species and are the most threatened group of vertebrates (51). One of the causes of reduced availability of species in inland waters is the reduced environmental carrying capacity of natural habitats, and exploitation of fish along the river flow (8,22).…”