A survey on aquatic animal keeping practices for home aquariums during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Human–animal interactions can generate a variety of benefits for the psychological and physiological wellbeing of humans. Therefore, more people may prefer to keep pets (such as aquatic animals) during stressful events, like the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, an international survey of aquarium keepers was conducted to assess their attitudes toward home aquariums during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 80% of the respondents, irrespective of gender, age, employment status, number of owned aquariums, or aquarium maintenance experience, confirmed that aquariums have produced stress-relieving benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Approximately, one-quarter of home aquarium owners claimed to have bought more than 15 fish and 15 aquatic invertebrates since the beginning of the stay-at-home restrictions. The majority of the respondents confirmed that their aquarium(s) was/were properly maintained during these regulations, particularly compared to the years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. To some extent, a shortage of supply of live foods affected the maintenance performance of home aquariums.