Are Fish Losing Popularity? What Selfies and Surveys Really Tell Us

By Dr Duncan Houston

Fish rarely stay beside a phone for a selfie. They move behind glass, swim through changing light and disappear into cover just as the camera focuses. That makes them challenging subjects, but it does not tell us whether fishkeeping is becoming less popular.

If your social feed seems full of dogs and cats, separate two questions: how many people keep fish, and how easy fish are to photograph. The answers require different evidence.

Quick Answer

Ownership figures do not establish that fish are losing popularity because they are difficult to photograph. Social-media visibility, household ownership and spending on aquariums are different measures. You can improve fish photos by changing camera position and settings while keeping the fish's normal environment and routine intact.

What do ownership figures actually show?

The American Pet Products Association's September 2025 Fish & Reptile Report announcement estimated that 10 million US households kept freshwater fish and two million kept saltwater fish. Those are dated US survey estimates, not a global count or a live measure of today's hobby.

The same announcement described changes in tank sizes, owner demographics and information sources. None of those findings demonstrates that difficulty taking selfies causes people to stop keeping fish.

Do not add the freshwater and saltwater household figures together as if the groups must be separate. A household can keep both. Similarly, buying more equipment or keeping more fish does not necessarily mean more households have entered the hobby.

Three checks for any “fishkeeping is declining” claim

• What is counted? Owners, households, individual fish, product sales and social-media posts answer different questions.
• Which place and period? A result from one country or survey year cannot describe every market.
• Is a cause actually tested? A change in ownership does not by itself explain why it happened.

The sensible conclusion is narrower than either “selfies are killing fishkeeping” or “the hobby is growing everywhere”. Use comparable survey evidence for trends and treat the selfie explanation as a suggestion unless research actually tests it.

Why aquarium photographs can be difficult

Glass records the room as well as the fish

A bright window, your clothing or the phone itself can appear as a reflection. The camera may focus on marks on the glass instead of the animal behind it. Check what is reflected before changing anything inside the aquarium.

Movement and low light compete

The fish may move while the camera is gathering light, producing a blurred image even when the tank looks bright to your eyes. A support can reduce camera movement, but it cannot make a swimming fish hold still.

Nikon's aquarium photography guidance recommends switching off flash and increasing ISO sensitivity when needed. Flash directed at the front glass can produce a distracting reflection. Exact controls differ by camera and phone, so start with the settings your device offers rather than copying a professional equipment list.

The fish chooses where to be

A hiding place is part of the animal's environment, not a photographic obstacle to remove. Wait for an ordinary opportunity to observe the fish instead of chasing it into view or changing the whole layout for a picture.

A practical, low-disruption photo routine

1. Use the usual viewing period. Work during the aquarium's normal lighting schedule. Do not leave lights on late for a longer session.
2. Check the outside view. Find a clean viewing area and move yourself until distracting reflections are reduced. Keep cleaning products away from aquarium water.
3. Turn off automatic flash. Check that the setting stays off when changing camera modes.
4. Choose one area to frame. Observe where the fish normally swims and wait there. Repeatedly swinging a phone around the tank is rarely helpful.
5. Take a short session, then stop. Review the result away from the glass. If the image is blurred, change your technique next time rather than making the fish perform.

Keep phones, lights and their cables outside the aquarium unless equipment is specifically designed and safely installed for that use. Do not rest equipment where it could fall into the water or damage the viewing panel.

Photograph the aquarium without rearranging its care

The RSPCA emphasises species-appropriate aquarium conditions, maintained filtration and a regular light cycle. These needs come before the appearance of a post.

Leave essential equipment running normally. Do not remove cover, crowd fish into a smaller container or repeatedly offer extra food to bring them to the front. A photo should record an ordinary moment, not depend on disrupting the setup.

At a public aquarium, follow that venue's rules about flash, tripods, lights and commercial use. Special photography events may have different arrangements from ordinary visiting hours. Aquarium of the Pacific, for example, publishes exhibit-specific lighting restrictions even for its dedicated photography event.

What technology can and cannot add

A camera can make a useful record of how the aquarium looks over time. A sensor or reminder can support a care routine if it is appropriate for the setup and used correctly. Neither proves that the water is suitable or that every fish is well.

Before adding a device, identify the job you want it to do. Is the problem missed maintenance, difficulty reading a measurement or simply taking a clearer photo? Those problems call for different solutions.

Check what the device actually measures, how it is maintained and what you will do if it fails. A camera view is not a replacement for direct observation and the water checks your aquarium requires. Clear-looking water alone is not proof of good water quality.

Better stories to share than a forced selfie

• A whole-tank view showing the space and cover available.
• A short clip of ordinary swimming or foraging without chasing the fish.
• An explanation of how you chose compatible species and planned their adult space needs.
• A maintenance lesson, including what you learned rather than a claim that your setup is perfect.
• A dated sequence showing the aquarium's development under its normal routine.

Describe what a picture actually shows. A brightly coloured fish or clear tank can make an attractive image, but neither is a complete welfare assessment. Avoid presenting unusual behaviour as a trick or giving a diagnosis from a short clip.

Common mistakes

• Using likes or viewing figures as a substitute for ownership research.
• Quoting a survey without its date, country or unit of measurement.
• Buying a fish primarily because it looks striking online.
• Changing the aquarium's lighting or layout repeatedly for photographs.
• Assuming automated equipment removes the need for hands-on care.

Fish photography and popularity FAQs

Are fish unpopular because they cannot pose?

The ownership evidence discussed here does not establish that cause. Photographic difficulty and pet choice should not be treated as the same question.

Can I take good aquarium photos with a phone?

You can start with a phone by reducing reflections, disabling flash and waiting for a clear view. Learn the controls you already have before deciding whether extra equipment solves a specific problem.

Should I remove decorations for a better picture?

Do not remove the fish's cover simply for a shot. Change the framing or wait for the fish to move into view naturally.

Is a video enough to show that my fish are healthy?

No. It records only part of their behaviour and surroundings. It cannot establish water chemistry or replace appropriate assessment when something concerns you.

Enjoy the fish beyond the photograph

If you are deciding whether to keep fish, focus on the species, space, equipment, maintenance and long-term responsibility you can provide. If you already keep them, let photography document that care. A missed photo is a small disappointment; it is not a reason to disturb the animal.

Sources and further reading

• APPA's September 2025 Fish & Reptile Report announcement
• Nikon's aquarium photography guidance
• RSPCA guidance on aquarium environments
• Aquarium of the Pacific photography-event rules

ASK A VET™ encourages fishkeeping stories that put the animal's everyday care ahead of the camera.