Wildlife

Coral Reef Fish Welfare: Cyanide Fishing and the Aquarium Trade

Millions of coral reef fish are collected for the aquarium trade using cyanide poisoning, causing mass mortality and welfare harms.

Key Facts

An estimated 20-30 million reef fish are collected for the aquarium trade annually
Cyanide fishing stuns fish for easy capture but causes internal organ damage
Up to 80% of collected fish may die before reaching retail
Clownfish, tangs, and angelfish are among the most popular species
Many aquarium fish cannot breed in captivity and require wild collection

Welfare Considerations

Cyanide poisoning causes acute cellular toxicity, organ damage, and delayed mortality. Fish surviving initial capture experience transport stress, exposure to fresh water (which removes skin mucus), inappropriate salinity, and incompatible tank mates. Most aquarium fish have complex social and spatial needs that cannot be met in home tanks. Mortality rates are extremely high.

What You Can Do

Choose only tank-bred fish for aquariums
Look for MAC-certified (Marine Aquarium Council) fish
Avoid impulse fish purchases - research care requirements thoroughly
Support campaigns to ban cyanide fishing
Never release aquarium fish into natural water bodies