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Research by Shedd's Conservation Department in the Amazon Basin

"Ecological impact of the Amazon home aquarium fish trade."
Principle Investigator: Dr. Cindy Gerstner
 
  • Keeping home aquarium fishes has become very popular over the past 50 years.
  • Amazon home aquarium fishes are collected and exported by communities within the countries of Brazil, Peru and Colombia, and sent to destinations in the United States, Europe and Asia.
  • The United States imported over 12 million dollars worth of ornamental fishes in 1999 from Peru alone (declared customs value, US International Trade Commission database).
Why is Shedd studying Amazon home aquarium fishes?

There are signs that Amazon home aquarium fishes may be over-fished:
  • Anecdotal reports from fishers in region indicate that the number of species caught is declining, and fishers have to travel further to catch the same numbers of fishes.
  • We don't have any scientific information about the conservation status of most Amazon fishes.
  • If the fisheries are managed properly, the trade in wild-caught home aquarium fishes has the potential to be one of the few sustainable resources to come from the Amazon basin.
  • A sustainable resource is an important resource that can ?end of sentence goes here
  • Many popular Amazon home aquarium fishes have a short life span and high egg production, which makes them less vulnerable to over-collection.
  • Low-impact collecting methods and seasonal extremes in rainfall may limit the exploitation of this resource.
Shedd scientists will study the abundance and distribution of Amazon home aquarium fishes, in order to properly conserve the fishery
  • Shedd scientists will assess the ecological impact of the Amazon home aquarium trade, by conducting field surveys of fishes, in order to estimate and compare fish population abundance, distribution, and species diversity among areas of differing fishing pressure.
  • By providing ecological information to pro-actively conserve the fishery before it is in trouble, local Amazonian communities may be able to continue making their living from the trade, and thus may not need to harvest other rainforest products.
  • By assessing the conservation status of the trade, the Shedd Aquarium will be able to make ecologically-informed decisions in the acquisition of our Amazon ornamental fishes, and make similar recommendations to the public.
  • Shedd collaborates in these studies with Instituto de Investigationes de la Amazonia Peruana; Museo de Historia Natural, Lima; ProNaturaleza; Project Amazonas; The Nature Conservancy (links to web sites).
What are Amazon home aquarium fishes?
  • Anyone who has had a freshwater fish tank at home has probably included some fish that are caught right in the Amazon basin.
  • Some popular species include; neon tetras, bleeding heart tetras, corydoras catfish, hatchetfish, and cichlids.
Where do Shedd scientists study Amazon home aquarium fishes?

Shedd scientists work in areas of the Peruvian Amazon. Iquitos is the main center of export for home aquarium fishes in Peru. The trade is very important in providing much-needed income for local communities, comprising some 3,000 families and 100,000 people in the Peruvian Amazon.
  • The Nanay River is sampled because it is very heavily fished, and is close to the main population center of Iquitos.
  • The rivers of Pacaya-Samiria National Park are sampled because they are fished very lightly or not fished at all.
  • The Apayacu River area is sampled because it is of intermediate fishing pressure.
How do Shedd scientists study Amazon home aquarium fishes in Peru?

Shedd scientists use several types of nets in order to sample fish in the Amazon. Two people drag seines through the water on the side of the riverbank, in order to catch small fishes. Trap nets and hoop nets are set overnight. Trap nets are baited with small pieces of dog food to catch small fishes and hoop nets have a larger mesh to catch bigger fish like angelfish.

How is the trade in freshwater Amazon home aquarium fishes different from the trade in marine (saltwater) and coral reef fish species?
AMAZON MARINE- CORAL REEFS
Amazon fishes have life history traits that make them less vulnerable to over-collection, such as a short life span and very high egg production. Many coral reef fishes have life history traits that make them more vulnerable to over-collection, such as delayed reproductive maturity and longer life span, but have high juvenile deaths.
Many Amazon fishes are caught with hand nets and traps, which do not damage the environment. Many coral reef fishes are caught using destructive methods, such as cyanide to poison fish.
Amazon fishes face destruction of their habitat, due to deforestation and pollution. Coral reef fishes face destruction of their habitat, due to global warming, pollution and destructive fishing methods.
Amazon fishes may be over-collected:  We do not know yet. Many coral reef fishes are over-collected.

So, not all home aquarium fishes are conservation-friendly.


Once Shedd scientists gain information about the conservation status of Amazon fishes, they may be able to participate in establishing a similar council for freshwater fishes.


What can you do?

Be an informed consumer!
  • Ask your pet store where their fish were imported from and if they were caught in a habitat-friendly way, especially if you have a marine fish tank.
  • The Marine Aquarium Council was established to create collection standards and certify those collectors that use conservation-friendly practices. See their web page: www.aquariumcouncil.org
 
 
 
 

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