Marine or freshwater: the role of ornamental fish keeper’s preferences in the conservation of aquatic organisms in Brazil

Abstract

Background The use of ornamental fish as pets has important implications for the conservation of the species used in fish keeping, particularly in relation to overexploitation. Understanding ornamental fish keepers’ relationship with the hobby can provide important information for assessing the potential impacts of the activity. Here, we analyzed the profile of Brazilian ornamental fish keepers and evaluated their preferences and the implications of their choices. Methods Information was obtained by applying questionnaires to 906 ornamental fish keepers participating in fish keeping groups in a social network. The questionnaire contained questions about the species of fish kept (freshwater and marine), techniques used, socio-economic aspects, and associated conservation perspectives. Results Most ornamental fish keepers were young men (20–40 years old), with higher education and monthly income above US$ 530.00. Participants predominantly kept freshwater fish (86%), but marine fish only (5%) or both marine and freshwater hobbyists (9%) were also recorded. A total of 523 species of ornamental fish were kept, most of which comprised freshwater (76% of the total) and exotic species (73%). About a third of the fish species recorded were under national trade restrictions. In addition, about a third of ornamental fish keepers declared that they also had invertebrates. Marine aquariums require a greater financial investment, especially at the beginning, than freshwater aquariums and are also almost entirely based on exotic species. The aesthetic factor is the main motivation associated with practicing this hobby, being color and behavior key factors in choosing fish. A total of 10% of hobbyists have already released fish into the wild, highlighting concerns about potential biological invasions. There is an urgent need to enforce regulations towards restricting ornamental fish keepers’ access to threatened native species and potentially invasive species, as well as measures aimed at informing and raising hobbyists’ awareness of conservation measures related to the hobby.

Drivers of species knowledge across the Tree of Life

“…Finally, colorfulness and phylogenetic proximity to humans correlated exclusively with societal attention. Colorfulness is an important proxy for the aesthetic value of biodiversity (Langlois et al, 2022) and has been shown to often match cultural and economic interests—for example, it was recently shown that colorful birds and fish are more frequently targeted in wildlife trade (Borges et al, 2022; Senior et al, 2022). Phylogenetic proximity to humans seemingly correlates with a range of traits including the degree of empathy and anthropomorphism toward species.…”

Drivers of species knowledge across the tree of life

“…Finally, colorfulness and phylogenetic proximity to humans correlated exclusively with societal attention. Colorfulness is an important proxy for the aesthetic value of biodiversity ( Langlois et al, 2022 ; Santangeli et al, 2023 ) and has been shown to often match cultural and economic interests—for example, it was recently shown that colorful birds and fish are more frequently targeted in wildlife trade ( Borges et al, 2022 ; Senior et al, 2022 ). Phylogenetic proximity to humans seemingly correlates with a range of traits including the degree of empathy and anthropomorphism toward species.…”

Impact of Prophylactic Antibiotic Use in Ornamental Fish Tanks on Microbial Communities and Pathogen Selection in Carriage Water in Hong Kong Retail Shops

“…The ornamental fish trade, a significant subsector of the aquaculture industry, is valued at up to USD 15–30 billion annually [ 1 ]. Ornamental fish are the third most popular pet choice, and approximately 14% of households in Hong Kong keep ornamental fish [ 2 , 3 ]. With the limited local supply, ornamental fish are often imported from different producing countries, and Hong Kong is ranked as the 14th largest importer in 2022 [ 4 ].…”