Aquarium and Pond Industry/Hobby and the Environment

Our planet is under siege and its environment is being changed, possibly irrevocably, in such a way that species diversity is being lost at an unprecedented rate. The aquarium hobby has been, and can be expected to continue to be, a target of various animal rights and environmental groups. Aquarists are some of the most ardent environmentalists and conservationists. The ranks of prominent environmentalists and conservationists surely are replete with former and current aquarists. To suspect that aquarists are not supporters of animals’ rights is equally wrong headed. Aquarium hobbyists are not likely to be seen dressing animals in pants so the animals’ genitals are hidden from view, but they certainly should be aware that the animals they keep are worthy of the utmost respect.
As the aquarium hobby comes under increasing pressure from organized groups with great power, concerned aquarists must make ever effort to keep our hobby alive. We must protect the sustaining populations of fishes (even those which are of little or no interest as aquarium inhabitants) and other animals and plants to foster a wider understanding of our hobby and to become better global citizens. We as aquarists must, as the old saying goes, think globally but act locally. These practices will accomplish what is needed for proper aquarium and pond care while promoting re-use, recycling, minimizing impact on fragile natural resources, conservation, species survival or minimizing air and/or water pollution.

In aquariculture the problems start at the sites where our fishes and other aquatic animals are collected. That is, where they are removed from their natural environments. About two-thirds of the freshwater fishes entering the aquarium hobby world wide are raised on farms or in hatcheries and are often many generations away from their original, wild-caught parental stock. Conversely, the majority of marine species are wild-caught and the majority of those are from so called Third World countries. Collecting habits in the industry, in some of these countries, are often as primitive as they were 50 years ago. There is still a persistent problem with the use of cyanide collecting of marine reef fishes. Regardless of the collecting methods used to acquire wild fishes and other aquatic animals, the treatment of the collect animals after collecting is possibly the worst part of the collecting process. The holding and transport of the collected animals is recognized by scientists and hobbyists who have studies the problems to have the largest effect on the ultimate survivability of the animals. A target of 1% loss, or less, on a world-wide basis for wild-caught fishes is an achievable goal, but the industry, especially in the US, has essentially refused to try to achieve such a goal. Few even acknowledge that the goal is desirable.

At the second International Aquariology Congress (IAC) in Monaco in 1989, I presented the first public report on the research I had done on the product ClorAm-X, and its importance to the conservation of fishes. My presentation before the gathered professionals, primarily from public aquariums and zoos, took very little notice. Meanwhile, the aquarium industry and hobby quietly incorporated use of the product into their standard practices and now there are few public aquariums which do not, or have not, used it. At the first IAC, 20 years before, Jacques Cousteau had sounded the alarms I reprised in my paper. I presented a practical way to stop the losses of which Cousteau originally spoke.
I'd like to hear from you about the problems, and their solutions, associated with the collecting, holding and transporting fishes and other aquatic animals for the aquarium and pond trade and hobby. Please comment of what steps you're taking and what research you're doing.