Clubs & organizations
Below you can find links leading to aquarium clubs and organisations. Aquarium clubs and organisations can be a great aid, regardless if you are a prospective aquarist in the process of acquiring your very first tank or an experienced fish keeper trying to breed some rare arowanas that you just brought back from Latin America. Aquarium clubs and organisations are also a great way to find fellow aquarists that share your passion for the hobby and who gladly spends hours listening to your DIY plans or give you advice regarding your latest outbreak of ich. Some clubs and organisations have breeding programs where aquarists exchange fish to promote the captive breeding of aquarium fish and prevent inbreeding within existing populations. Unfortunately, many species of fish are threatened by extinction in their wild habitat due to pollution, invasive species, habitat loss, overfishing, and/or over-harvesting for the aquarium trade. Some African species do for instance only exist in captivity today, since their wild habitats have been so destroyed by human activities, and such species are naturally even more important to breed and spread throughout the hobby. Captive breeding can also decrease the collection of wild specimens for the aquarium trade; thereby lessening the pressure on wild populations.
