The results of a survey conducted in 2015 with aquarium enthusiasts in British Columbia. Survey respondents provided information on types of aquariums, sources of aquatic species acquisition, awareness of invasive species, and disposal methods of unwanted species by BC aquarists.

1. Did you flush?
2015 BC Aquarium Enthusiasts Survey Results
Elaine Lum
Miami University

2. Survey Objectives
• Determine level and type of interactions with
aquariums
• Assess attitude and practice in disposal of
unwanted aquatic species
• Evaluate level of awareness of invasive
species

3. Who participated in the survey?
67 participants
Gender
Age

4. Who participated in the survey?

5. Type Size
What kinds of tanks or ponds do BC aquarists own?

6. Where to BC aquarists get their aquatic species?

7. What are the top reasons for giving up an aquatic species?

8. What do BC aquarists do with unwanted aquatic organisms?
These are
proper disposal
methods of
unwanted non-
native aquatic
species
58%
66%
22%
41%
return to vendor
euthanize
bring to a rescue organization
dispose in trash
% surveyed

9. What do BC aquarists do with unwanted aquatic organisms?
While aquariums and zoos are good choices for donation of unwanted
species, schools and fish hobbyists are associated with behaviour that
could lead to the spread of invasive aquatic organisms.
(Bobeldyk, Rüegg, & Lamberti, 2015; Gertzen, Familiar, & Leung, 2008; Gartner et al., 2011)
% surveyed
Ensure that whomever receives the
aquatic organism is aware of proper
disposal methods for non-native aquatic
species.

10. What do BC aquarists do with unwanted aquatic organisms?
Did you know?
Diseased fish can have
microscopic parasites
that spread in the water
to infect other aquatic
organisms.
Earle & Hintz, 2014
Click on the logo to
find out more
about why pets
should never be
released in the
wild.
% surveyed

11. Invasive aquatic species
have caused losses of up to
$5.7 billion USD.
(Lovell, Stone, & Fernandez, 2006)
An average of 15 new
aquatic invasive species
become established in
Canada every decade
(Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 2003)
Click on the image to see this pamphlet
Did you know?

12. Survey participants were asked to provide their definition of
invasive species and scored on the following criteria:
Invasive species are non-native
Invasive species propogate quickly and displace native
species
Invasive species negatively impact ecosystems
Invasive species have negative economic or other
social/health impacts
(Verbrugge, Leuven, van Valkenburg, & van den Born, 2014)
How was awareness of invasive species assessed?

13. Some examples of survey responses
Species not native to our area
A non-native species living and reproducing in a given
ecosystem.
Non-native species that have been introduced that is
causing a detrimental effect on the local native
ecosystem.
Non-native species that are released or brought into
another environment that can propagate, threatening
our native species, causing ecological harm and possibly
spreading disease.

14. Survey participants were also asked to identify an invasive
species in BC. Here are the top 4 species named.
How was awareness of invasive species assessed?
1. Northern snakehead
3. American bullfrog
4. Common carp
2. Red eared slider turtle
Did survey participants get it
right? Click on the images to
find out more.

15. How did survey participants
score on their awareness of
invasive species?
Survey participants scored themselves
higher than their evaluated score,
based on their definition of invasive
species and ability to correctly identify
an invasive species in BC.
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
Evaluated Awareness Self-assessed Awareness

16. What do you think?
What should be done to help
aquarists properly dispose of
unwanted species?
Please share your thoughts in the comments section below
Should labelling of potentially
invasive aquatic species be
mandatory for pet stores and other
aquatic retailers?
Should the government go even
further and ban the sale of all
potentially invasive aquatic
species?

17. Please watch the video on BC invasive species coming up
next

18. Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Invasive Species Council of BC and its partners at the
BC Ministry of Environment in providing their expertise during the survey
design process and the following organizations for their support in
promoting the 2015 BC Aquarium Enthusiasts Survey:
• BCAquaria Fish Forum, BC, Canada
• The Canada Koi Club of BC
• The Canadian Association of Aquarium Clubs
• The Greater Victoria Aquaria Society
• The Vancouver Aquatic Hobbyist Society
• Vancouver Area Killie club

19. References
Bobeldyk, A., Rüegg, J., & Lamberti, G. (2015). Freshwater hotspots of biological invasion are a function of species-pathway
interactions. Hydrobiologia, 746(1), 363-373.
Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. (2003). A Canadian Action Plan to Address the Threat of Aquatic Invasive Species.
Earle, G., & Hintz, W. (2014). New Approaches for Controlling Saprolegnia parasitica, the Causal Agent of a Devastating Fish
Disease. Tropical Life Sciences Research, 25(2), 101-109
Gartner, H., Herborg, L. M., Root, S., Brimsmead, J., Jacoby, C., Siemens, T., . . . Chan, S. (2011). Live organisms used in the
classroom as a potential vector of species introductions in British Columbia. Canadian Manuscript Report of Fisheries and Aquatic
Sciences, 2973.
Gertzen, E., Familiar, O., & Leung, B. (2008). Quantifying invasion pathways: fish introductions from the aquarium trade. Canadian
Journal of Fisheries & Aquatic Sciences, 65(7), 1265-1273.
Invasive Species Council of British Columbia. (2016). Retrieved from http://bcinvasives.ca/
Lovell, S. J., Stone, S. F., & Fernandez, L. (2006). The economic impacts of aquatic invasive species: A review of the literature.
Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, 35(1), 195-208.
Lum, E. (2015). Survey of British Columbia aquarium enthusiasts with regard to invasive species awareness and disposal of
unwanted aquatic species. (Masters' Project), Miami University, Ohio.
Province of BC. (2015). September 30, Invaders! Invasive Species in BC. [Video File]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4Ds8aFh8hM
Verbrugge, L. N. H., Leuven, R. S. E. W., van Valkenburg, J. L. C. H., & van den Born, R. J. G. (2014). Evaluating stakeholder
awareness and involvement in risk prevention of aquatic invasive plant species by a national code of conduct. Aquatic Invasions,
9(3), 369-381.