From ocean to screen: Data gaps, conservation concerns, and sustainability challenges in Germany’s online marine ornamental fish trade

Traditional pet stores have moved online to reach a wider customer base, expanding access to exotic pets, including marine ornamental fish. Germany, the third-largest global importer of marine ornamental fish, mandates that retailers comply with the German Animal Welfare Act, particularly regarding the provision of species-specific information. Despite these regulations, concerns remain about the trade’s transparency, animal welfare, and overall sustainability. To investigate these concerns, we collected data from eight major German online aquarium shops using web scraping tools to analyze species diversity and trade volumes of marine ornamental fish sold, as well as the legally required species-specific information provided by those retailers. Our analysis revealed that 767 species from 59 families were available, with only 12% of the 2,467 ornamental fish products declared as captive-bred, while the majority (88%) were from unknown-source. Prices ranged from 8.90€ to 4,899.00€, with captive-bred products being, on average, 29.3% more expensive than from unknown-source. Additionally, our study revealed that globally threatened fish species (13 spp.), are openly sold in the German aquarium industry, potentially harming their wild populations. Despite legal obligations, most retailers provided minimal or no species-specific information, lacking key details on care, conservation status, or trade documentation. We underscore the urgent need for stricter enforcement of the German Animal Welfare Act for marine ornamental fish, and highlight the importance of comprehensive monitoring and research into the marine ornamental fish trade, along with increased consumer awareness, as crucial tools for sustainable international trade, among other policy recommendations.