Knowra Aquarium trade Aquarium trade The commercial collection, breeding, transport, and sale of aquatic organisms for display in aquariums. It supplies both freshwater and marine species to public institutions and private hobbyists.
Ornamental fish : Fish kept primarily for their visual appeal in aquariums and ornamental ponds. These fish are among the trade’s most familiar products.
Coral reef fish : Fish that inhabit coral reef ecosystems, including many species sold for marine aquariums. Collection for aquariums can add pressure to some reef fish populations.
Captive breeding : The reproduction of animals in controlled environments rather than in their natural habitats. It can replace wild collection for species that reproduce reliably in captivity.
Fishkeeping : The practice of keeping fish in aquariums or ponds as pets or for study. Private fishkeeping creates much of the retail demand for aquarium organisms.
Animal welfare in fish : The study and practice of protecting fish from avoidable suffering and poor living conditions. Capture, handling, transport, and sale raise welfare questions specific to traded fish.
Aquaculture : The farming of aquatic organisms, including fish, plants, and invertebrates. Captive production supplies some aquarium species and can reduce collection from the wild.
Cyanide fishing : The use of cyanide to stun fish, sometimes for capture in the live aquarium trade. The practice can injure target fish and damage coral reef habitats.
Sustainable aquarium trade : Aquarium commerce managed to limit harm to wild populations, habitats, and animal welfare. It sets the conservation goal against which collection and supply chains are assessed.
Public aquarium : An institution that maintains aquatic animals and plants for public display, education, or research. Public collections acquire organisms through many of the same supply networks.
Wildlife trade monitoring : The collection and analysis of data on the international commerce of wild species. Incomplete records make the scale and conservation effects of aquarium trade hard to measure.
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