How prevalent is catching wild fish in the pet trade?

Question
Hi Ron,

I've always been under the impression that most if not all fish in the aquarium trade come from farms or breeders, but it seems that taking fish from the wild is still a common practice. I know that most species of saltwater fish are wild caught. What species of freshwater fish are generally wild caught, and how common is the practice? I have a 26 gallon tank with a few 3 spot gouramis, a rio de para pleco, a gibbiceps pleco, and a few kribensis cichlids. Are any of those possibly wild caught?

Answer
Hi Issac,
  The freshwater hobby has a mixture of sources. Certain species like gourmais are almost always captive bred, either here in the US, or increasingly in South East Asia on fish farms.  Plecos may be captive bred, but many are wild caught.  Kribs are often captive bred though occassionally you see wild caught ones coming from West Africa.  

 In case you are worried, wild caught freshwater fishes is one of the most eco-friendly products you can purchase.  With few exceptions, such as certain African cichlids and certain rare catfishes, aquarium fishes can be successfully harvested from the wild at little to no environmental cost. In fact, the opposite is true.  Operation Piaba, in Manaus Brazil, encourages us to buy their wild-caught fishes because it encourages local people to maintain and conserve their ecosystems intact, rather than cutting down the trees and selling them as wood.   I can tell you from personal experience in the Amazon, that catching a few or even hundreds or even thousands of fishes is not going to hurt the Amazon.  Cutting down trees will hurt it instantly and irrevocably.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
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