E-commerce of freshwater aquarium fishes: potential disseminator of exotic species in Brazil

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The availability of freshwater aquarium fish species for sale was surveyed from July 2005 to June 2006 in Brazilian electronic commerce and the Orkut website. São Paulo was the leading state regarding virtual shops, auctions on Arremate/Mercado Livre, and hobbyists on Orkut, with 52, 44 and 46%, respectively. The Southeast and South regions led the offer of pest species such as C. carpio, C. auratus and P. reticulata. Among the 207 species for sale, 14 species considered potential pests were identified, contrasting with only one page that warned about the dangers of aquarium dumping. The easy access to fish (especially the potential pest species) through e-commerce and Orkut, together with the low total price (unitary value + shipping and handling ranging from US$ 17.67 to 30.39), and fast interstate delivery (two-four days on average) confirm the widespread e-commerce accessibility and its high dispersal potential via postal services and home hobbyists trade. It is imperative to enforce the use of warnings or alert messages in e-commerce about the dangers of biological invasions.

Small size today, aquarium dumping tomorrow: sales of juvenile non-native large fish as an important threat in Brazil

“…These cities, located in areas of Atlantic Rainforest, one of the world's biodiversity hotspots, are the most populous in the country. They are also the main center of aquarium trade, with more than 1,000 aquarium stores (Pinheiro et al, 2008) and thousands of fishkeepers (Magalhães, Jacobi, 2010). This geopolitical region has also the highest number of non-native large fishes introduced due to aquarium dumping, such as the goldfish C. auratus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Gomes et al, 2011;Vitule et al, 2014a;Latini et al, 2016).…”

“…adult sizes, feeding behavior, tolerance to salinity, aggressiveness, prolificacy, disease vector). Recently, Magalhães, Jacobi (2010) suggested Brazilian virtual petshops and other social media to inform hobbyists about species traits as a means of reducing rejection and subsequent aquarium dumping. Thirdly, environmental agencies (e.g.…”

“…There are records regarding small characids, osphronemids and poeciliids (Magalhães, Jacobi, 2013a;Azevedo-Santos et al, 2015), but the market of large-bodied non-native aquarium fishes may represent an important source of fish propagules. Sales of large ornamental species, known as "tankbusters" among hobbyists, has grown rapidly in the last decade (Magalhães, Jacobi, 2010;Gomes et al, 2011;Magalhães, Jacobi, 2013a;Garcia et al, 2014;França et al, 2017). Different large species have been translocated among watersheds, including fishes from the Amazon basin (e.g.…”

Novelty on the market, novelty in the environment: The invasion of non-native fish jaguar guapote (Perciformes) in northeastern Brazil

“…Since 2005, P. managuensis has become one of the most popular species in fish culture, fish stocking and fishkeeping in Brazil Barbosa and Soares, 2009;Magalhães and Jacobi, 2010;Barros et al, 2012). It was introduced into some water bodies in Brazilian northeastern region, possibly in the lower São Francisco River located in the states of Bahia, Sergipe and Alagoas, from 2007 to 2008, through the escapees of aquaculture ponds (Barbosa and Soares, 2009).…”

“…In Brazil, since the beginning of the last century, more than 150 non-native species have been introduced from other continents and other regions of the country, either intentionally or unintentionally, mainly due to aquaculture, fishery improvement and ornamental trade (Welcomme, 1988;Alves et al, 2007;Vitule, 2009;Magalhães et al, 2010).…”