The dire implications of releasing marine ornamental fishes into the wild: first reported case from the Red Sea

Abstract

This study provides the first documented incidence of aquarium-based introduction of exotic fishes into the Red Sea, in the Coral Beach Nature Reserve in Eilat, Israel. A clown triggerfish Balistoides conspicillum and a queen angelfish Holacanthus ciliaris were sighted inside the marine protected area, then captured and examined, and Photobacterium damselae ssp. piscicida was isolated from the kidney of H. ciliaris. This is the causative agent of “fish pasteurellosis”, which has been responsible for massive kills in natural fish populations. The finding of this pathogen in the angelfish is worrisome, and exemplifies the concerns associated with the introduction of non-indigenous fish together with unwanted pathogens. Our findings underscore the vital importance of raising public awareness against such practices in order to curb future ecological impairment of this biologically fragile natural habitat.