Home-Aquarium Trade
Introduction
The Aquarium Trade involves all of the fishkeepers, fisherman, and regulations of marine life that go into the collection and purchasing of marine, or reef, aquariums. This can include the purchasing of home saltwater aquariums.
In the eyes of fisherman, the aquarium trade is a relatively new one. Within the last 20 years the idea of fishing for marine aquarium species has expanded and introduced a new target for fisherman and a new hobby for fishkeepers. (4)
In the eyes of fisherman, the aquarium trade is a relatively new one. Within the last 20 years the idea of fishing for marine aquarium species has expanded and introduced a new target for fisherman and a new hobby for fishkeepers. (4)
Most Popular Home Aquaria Fish
Due to the great success in the Disney-Pixar animated movie Finding Nemo, it brought about a distinct favorite species in the marine aquarium trade. According to the television show Tanked, on Animal Planet, these are the top 5 household marine aquarium species:
1. Clownfish
2. Blue Tang
3. Triggerfish
4. Damselfish
5. Aquarium Shark
(Click here for other common home aquarium species!)
1. Clownfish
2. Blue Tang
3. Triggerfish
4. Damselfish
5. Aquarium Shark
(Click here for other common home aquarium species!)
RPI (Reef Protection International) Reef Fish Guide
-Reef Fish that are OK to be captured from their natural environment
Fishing Techniques: Cyanide Poisoning
Just like fish are caught by using many different techniques to supply the world with food, marine fish in the aquarium trade are also caught using multiple approaches. However, with multiple fishing techniques around, there can be controversy over which techniques are better for the environment.
Currently, the use of smaller fishing nets are becoming more common to use in this fishing industry, yet the use of Cyanide is still in practice although illegal in most fishing areas. Cyanide is a chemical that when sprayed into an ecosystem, such as a thriving coral reef, the marine life within it is stunned and floats out of the ecosystem in an unconscious state. This allows for the collector to then bag any fish that could be sold in the marine trade. Unfortunately cyanide cannot be sprayed on the fish being collected alone, and will affect the non-target species surrounding it.
Fish that are sprayed with cyanide do not always survive. Often times they will die when they first come in contact with the chemical. Other times, the fish appear in good health but then die shortly after they are sold due to liver failure.(7)
Currently, the use of smaller fishing nets are becoming more common to use in this fishing industry, yet the use of Cyanide is still in practice although illegal in most fishing areas. Cyanide is a chemical that when sprayed into an ecosystem, such as a thriving coral reef, the marine life within it is stunned and floats out of the ecosystem in an unconscious state. This allows for the collector to then bag any fish that could be sold in the marine trade. Unfortunately cyanide cannot be sprayed on the fish being collected alone, and will affect the non-target species surrounding it.
Fish that are sprayed with cyanide do not always survive. Often times they will die when they first come in contact with the chemical. Other times, the fish appear in good health but then die shortly after they are sold due to liver failure.(7)
Tank Bred vs Wild Caught
When searching for a perfect fish to fill any marine aquarium tank, it is important to know what you are purchasing. An import fact to know is if the fish is tank bred or caught in the wild. Some fish have been successful reproduced in tanks,
which keep them from ever being in contact or taken out of the wild and keeps the fisherman from harming the ocean (5).
Other fish can only be caught in the wild due to a lack of success in
captive breeding. Knowing which fish is being purchased can aid in what to expect from the fish and what any differences there may be. (6)
TANK BRED
| WILD CAUGHT
-Some can not be grown in captivity
-It is a longer process between when the fish is caught to when it is delivered to its permanent marine tank. -May have a stronger gene pool. This could possibly promote better coloring and markings. |
Proper Disposal
One environmental issue in the marine habitat that has, in the past, been brought on by the aquarium trade is introduced species. Introduced species can occur on land and in the water, both fresh and marine, and can be introduced in many ways, the improper dumping of marine aquariums being one of them.
Improper disposal of marine life can lead to a new settlement of that species in an area that they naturally would not exist. This can lead to a decrease in the common marine life from the ecosystem these marine fish have been introduced into. Introduced species even have the strength to modify an entire ecosystem (3).
To avoid this, it is beneficial to not dump any tank-life (including dead or alive plants, fish, coral, etc.) into any open water. It is also strongly encouraged to not dump any marine aquarium life down any drains to avoid any possible aquarium tank to wild-life contamination.(3)
Improper disposal of marine life can lead to a new settlement of that species in an area that they naturally would not exist. This can lead to a decrease in the common marine life from the ecosystem these marine fish have been introduced into. Introduced species even have the strength to modify an entire ecosystem (3).
To avoid this, it is beneficial to not dump any tank-life (including dead or alive plants, fish, coral, etc.) into any open water. It is also strongly encouraged to not dump any marine aquarium life down any drains to avoid any possible aquarium tank to wild-life contamination.(3)
Works Cited
JOURNAL ARTICLES
1. Holthus P. 1999. The Marine Aquarium Council, certifying quality and sustainability in the marine aquarium industry. SPC Live Reef Fish Information Bulletin #5.
2. Rubec PJ, Cruz F, Pratt V, Oellers R, McCullough B and others. 2001. Cyanide-free Net-caught Fish for the Marine Aquarium Trade. Aquarium Sciences and Conservation. 3:37-51.
3. Semmens BX, Buhle ER, Salomon AK, Pattengill-Semmens CV. 2004. A hotspot of non-native marine fishes: evidence for the aquarium trade as an invasion pathway. Marine Ecology Progress Series 266:239-44.
WEBSITES
4.http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=332&ArticleID=4269&l=en
5. http://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/National-Wildlife/Green-Living/Archives/2007/Conservation-and-Pet-Fish.aspx
6. http://www.fishchannel.com/fish-exclusives/fama/aqua-cultured-tank-raised-fish.aspx
7. http://www.fishchannel.com/fish-exclusives/fama/wild-caught-ocean-aquarium-fish.aspx
1. Holthus P. 1999. The Marine Aquarium Council, certifying quality and sustainability in the marine aquarium industry. SPC Live Reef Fish Information Bulletin #5.
2. Rubec PJ, Cruz F, Pratt V, Oellers R, McCullough B and others. 2001. Cyanide-free Net-caught Fish for the Marine Aquarium Trade. Aquarium Sciences and Conservation. 3:37-51.
3. Semmens BX, Buhle ER, Salomon AK, Pattengill-Semmens CV. 2004. A hotspot of non-native marine fishes: evidence for the aquarium trade as an invasion pathway. Marine Ecology Progress Series 266:239-44.
WEBSITES
4.http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=332&ArticleID=4269&l=en
5. http://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/National-Wildlife/Green-Living/Archives/2007/Conservation-and-Pet-Fish.aspx
6. http://www.fishchannel.com/fish-exclusives/fama/aqua-cultured-tank-raised-fish.aspx
7. http://www.fishchannel.com/fish-exclusives/fama/wild-caught-ocean-aquarium-fish.aspx