Preservation

Preservation concerns all aquarists for a variety of reasons. Love of the hobby means love for the fish themselves and this cannot but lead to an active interest about the existance of various species in their natural habitats.

Overfishing is considered to be one of the main threats of survival in the wild. In this respect, providing wild caught individuals of some species for the hobby can be seen as threatening these species in their natural habitats. From a purely ethical point of view, and in addition to any academic interest they may have on the topic, aquarists need to know which species they should and which they should not try to obtain for aquarium use. Similarly, owners of rare, endangered, or extinct species would benefit from information regarding, and could contribute to, initiatives to preserve these species.

Finally, there are also practical considerations involved. Current legislation in a number of countries dictates confiscation and destruction of illegally imported specimens belonging to "protected" species. Aquarists need to be well informed about legislation in their country to avoid the unnecessary death of animals and any other consequences that owning such animals may have on themselves.

Photo by George J. Reclos