Millions of fish are kept as pets in conditions that fall far short of their behavioral and physiological needs. Understanding minimum standards helps owners provide appropriate care.
Fish are among the most poorly understood and most neglected of common pet species. The perception that fish are low-effort, low-welfare-need pets leads to chronic under-provision of space, filtration, and social conditions. Research increasingly demonstrates that fish have more sophisticated cognitive and potentially emotional lives than previously believed. The Five Domains welfare model applies to fish as to any other animal, yet the gap between actual fish keeping practice and welfare-positive keeping is often enormous. Better consumer education is urgently needed.