Ornamental Fish Production and Management (1+1)

14.1.4 US market

The USA is the world’s largest single market for ornamental fish. Its imports declined in value from US$ 77.860 million in 1996 to a low of US$57 359 million in 1999, and then rose again from 2000 to a figure of US$61.766 million in 2001. With about 10% of households possessing aquaria, the country is estimated to have more than 10 million home aquaria. Some 40% of the households with aquaria have more than one aquarium. The imports are mainly of freshwater species. With two species the guppy and the neon tetra accounting for 40% of the market. Some of the other popular species are mollies, swordtails, goldfish, discus, angelfish, African cichlids, zebra danios and platies. The major suppliers to the US market are Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia and Brazil.