Aquarium fish in zoological settings often receive less welfare scrutiny than mammals and birds, despite evidence that fish are sentient and capable of experiencing stress and pain.
Aquarium fish occupy a paradoxical space in public consciousness: they are displayed to foster conservation awareness, yet their own welfare is often overlooked. The scientific consensus that fish are sentient and capable of experiencing pain and stress has grown substantially, yet welfare standards in public aquariums lag behind those applied to mammals and birds. Key concerns include wild capture practices, transport mortality, inappropriate stocking density, inadequate environmental complexity, and insufficient attention to species-specific social needs. Progressive aquariums are beginning to apply welfare indicators to their fish collections, recognising that the welfare of display animals is as important as conservation mission. Consumer awareness and institutional accountability are both needed to drive improvement.