RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—You already stock up on the safest fish to eat, but what about the colorful fish swimming around in your home's tropical fish aquarium? According to a new report published in the June issue of Marine Policy, the United States imports more ornamental fish and live coral than any other country. And unfortunately, most of the 1,500 species of fish and 500 species of living rock come from sensitive coral reefs, which are already being killed off due to climate change.
Here are a few of the best fish to buy, and tips on finding others that you may enjoy:
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#1: African Cichlids #2: Clown Fish #3: Banggai Cardinalfish # 4: Damselfish # 5: Sailfin Tang # 6: Peppermint Shrimp |
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#1: African Cichlids. The best way to avoid problems with endangered coral-reef species is to fill your aquarium with freshwater fish. They're easy to set up and maintain, and, according to the book 50 Ways to Save the Ocean, 90 percent of freshwater fish are raised in captivity, not captured from lakes, rivers, or streams. Colorful African cichlids look very similar to tropical saltwater fish, as do tetra fish, Brazilian discus fish, and loaches, some varieties of which have pink and purple stripes. |
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#2: Clown Fish. Fortunately for Nemo-lovers, there are ways to stock a tropical fish aquarium with clown fish without endangering coral reefs. Unlike freshwater species, saltwater fish are captured in the wild, usually by dousing them with the toxic chemical cyanide, which stuns the fish and makes them easy to catch. Barely 10 percent of tropical saltwater fish like clown fish are bred in captivity, according to the Reef Protect International, a nonprofit devoted to preserving coral reefs and the species they support. There are only a few saltwater species that can be raised in captivity, and fortunately, Nemo is one of them. Your local pet supply store should be able to tell you whether the fish they sell were bred in captivity or captured wild. |
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#3: Banggai Cardinalfish. Case in point, the Banggai cardinalfish is one of the most endangered tropical fish on the market. Its popularity soared during the 1990s, but now populations of this fish, which is native to Indonesia, have been overharvested to the point of virtual elimination. However, like clown fish, the Banggai cardinalfish is one of the few saltwater species that can be raised in captivity (not all species can be). So if you enjoy this zebra-striped curiosity of nature and want to buy one, make sure it was captive-raised, not wild-caught. |
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#4: Damselfish. Of course, not all wild fish are endangered or captured with cyanide. Some species, like this Chrysyptera damselfish, are abundant and entertaining to watch. Reef Protect International has compiled a list of the best fish to stock—those that will thrive in a home aquarium, aren't overharvested and aren't captured in ways that damage coral reefs—and fish you should leave alone. If you're setting up a home fish tank, download their pocket-size fish guide before you visit the pet store. |
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#5: Sailfin Tang. Sailfin tangs are another wild-caught species on Reef Protect's "Take It Home" list; they have a quirky appearance with lots of color. Finding Nemo fans may prefer blue tangs (like Dory), but those have been overharvested due to their popularity and they're also one of the species frequently captured with cyanide. |
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#6: Peppermint Shrimp. Looking for something a more exotic for your aquarium? Rather than go for something popular like living coral or eels, try a peppermint shrimp. Raised in captivity, these little creatures look like peppermint candies, and will help keep your aquarium clean by eating detritus and certain types of tank pests. In the event that you need to clean your aquarium yourself, always do it inside your house, never with a hose in your yard. Cleaning it outside could introduce non-native or invasive species into nearby waterways that can wreak havoc on local aquatic ecosystems, whereas inside, you can toss any deceased fish and old plants or aquarium rocks that could be harboring invasive bacteria in the land trash. |