The majority of freshwater fish for the aquarium trade have been bred in aquariums. All of the fish we provide for our freshwater systems are aquarium bred fish. This ensures that we are not putting pressure on wild populations and minimizes our environmental impact.

Liquid Habitat works with ethical and sustainable suppliers to ensure all of our livestock comes from reliable breeders who we know and trust. All of our livestock are quarantined offsite and rigorously monitored for any signs of distress or ill health.

A large quantity of fish sold in the international saltwater marine aquarium trade have been collected using cyanide. Sodium cyanide is a highly toxic chemical compound that is used by some collectors as a way of capturing wild reef fish. This very destructive fishing practice stuns the targeted fish making it easy to collect. This practise kills many smaller organisms in the vicinity and can cause significant damage to the surrounding corals. Fish caught using cyanide may appear healthy but their gut microbiota is often irreparably harmed by contact with the collecting chemicals. These fish may feed for weeks before dying from being unable to digest their food.

Cyanide fishing is still widely practiced throughout Southeast Asia despite being illegal in most countries of the region.

Liquid Habitat works with reputable suppliers and breeders across the globe. When selecting fish for our saltwater exhibits we aim to source aquarium bred specimens. Sometimes this is not always possible as there is a vast amount of saltwater fish that havent been bred in captivity. We only work with collectors that ensure chemical-free hand collection, with low impact selective harvesting from healthy populations at sustainable levels.