Public aquariums range from accredited conservation facilities with high welfare standards to tourist attractions where fish and invertebrates are housed in inadequate conditions, with visitor behaviour significantly affecting animal welfare.
Public aquariums sit in a complex welfare position: at their best, they contribute to conservation, education, and welfare research while housing animals in well-designed environments. At their worst, they subject fish and invertebrates to inadequate housing, visitor contact stress, and conditions driven by display aesthetics rather than animal needs. The welfare of aquarium fish has received less attention than the welfare of marine mammals in the same facilities — in part because fish are less charismatic and their stress responses less visible to visitors. Visitors can positively influence welfare by choosing accredited facilities, avoiding touch tank participation, and behaving quietly near exhibits.