This page brings the latest available freshwater aquarium and ornamental fish trade numbers into one citation-ready resource. Every headline stat links to a primary source.
Use this as a source page: each stat has a direct source URL, and you can copy the embed snippet or download the CSV table below.
Top aquarium statistics for 2026
US fish-owning households (2024-2025)
11.5M
9.6M freshwater + 1.9M saltwater
US fish household share of pet households
12.1%
11.5M out of 95M pet households
Freshwater vs saltwater households
5.05:1
Freshwater ownership remains the larger segment
US import to export ratio (2024)
13.34x
HS 030111 live ornamental fish trade value
US fish ownership trend
| Survey period | Freshwater households (M) | Saltwater households (M) | Combined fish households (M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-2018 | 12.5 | 2.5 | 15.0 |
| 2021-2022 | 11.8 | 2.9 | 14.7 |
| 2023-2024 | 11.1 | 2.2 | 13.3 |
| 2024-2025 | 9.6 | 1.9 | 11.5 |
From the 2017-2018 peak to 2024-2025, combined fish-owning households fell by 23.3%. Freshwater households alone fell by 23.2%.
2024-2025 owner behavior snapshot
- 77% of US fish owners now keep two or more fish (a 7% increase since 2018).
- 38% of freshwater owners are millennials (up 9% from 2023).
- 46% of saltwater owners are millennials (up 15% from 2023).
- 44% of saltwater owners report 56-125 gallon tanks (up 10% from 2023).
- 34% of saltwater owners report tanks over 126 gallons (up 17% from 2023).
Source: APPA, "From Bigger Tanks to Stronger Bonds: Fish & Reptile Ownership Evolves in 2025".
Global ornamental fish trade snapshot (2024)
All trade rows below use HS code 030111 - Live ornamental fish from World Bank WITS (Comtrade).
Top importing countries (USD thousand)
| Country | Import value |
|---|---|
| United States | 77,928.12 |
| United Kingdom | 32,419.53 |
| Germany | 31,553.74 |
| Japan | 31,365.34 |
| France | 21,051.31 |
The US accounts for 40.1% of top-five import value in this list.
Top exporting countries (USD thousand)
| Country | Export value |
|---|---|
| Japan | 48,641.91 |
| Spain | 24,324.95 |
| Indonesia | 17,170.69 |
| Sri Lanka | 17,015.09 |
| Singapore | 14,247.39 |
US trade position (2024, USD thousand)
- US imports: 77,928.12
- US exports: 5,843.33
- Import to export ratio: 13.34x
- Top US export destinations: Canada (2,053.72), Japan (1,091.98), Mexico (614.26)
Full citation table
| ID | Statistic | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stat-01 | US freshwater fish-owning households | 9.6M | 2024-2025 | Insurance Information Institute (APPA table) |
| Stat-02 | US saltwater fish-owning households | 1.9M | 2024-2025 | Insurance Information Institute (APPA table) |
| Stat-03 | US pet-owning households | 95M | 2024-2025 | American Pet Products Association |
| Stat-04 | Combined fish-owning households (calculated) | 11.5M | 2024-2025 | Calculated from APPA table values |
| Stat-05 | Fish-owning share of US pet households (calculated) | 12.1% | 2024-2025 | Calculated from APPA + APPA household totals |
| Stat-06 | Combined fish household decline from 2017-2018 peak (calculated) | -23.3% | 2017-2018 to 2024-2025 | Calculated from III/APPA archived trend table |
| Stat-07 | US ornamental fish imports | 77,928.12 (USD thousand) | 2024 | World Bank WITS (Imports by country) |
| Stat-08 | US ornamental fish exports | 5,843.33 (USD thousand) | 2024 | World Bank WITS (US exports) |
| Stat-09 | Top global exporter: Japan | 48,641.91 (USD thousand) | 2024 | World Bank WITS (Exports by country) |
| Stat-10 | Top global importer: United States | 77,928.12 (USD thousand) | 2024 | World Bank WITS (Imports by country) |
| Stat-11 | US fish owners keeping two or more fish | 77% | 2024-2025 | APPA 2025 Fish & Reptile news release |
| Stat-12 | Freshwater owners who are millennials | 38% | 2024-2025 | APPA 2025 Fish & Reptile news release |
| Stat-13 | Saltwater owners who are millennials | 46% | 2024-2025 | APPA 2025 Fish & Reptile news release |
| Stat-14 | Saltwater owners with 56-125 gallon tanks | 44% | 2024-2025 | APPA 2025 Fish & Reptile news release |
| Stat-15 | Saltwater owners with tanks over 126 gallons | 34% | 2024-2025 | APPA 2025 Fish & Reptile news release |
Methodology and notes
- This page uses the latest values visible on source pages as of April 20, 2026.
- Trade values are listed in USD thousand, as published in WITS tables.
- Calculated metrics are labeled as calculated and trace back to linked source rows.
- Because survey methods can change, compare year-over-year trends as directional, not absolute population counts.
FAQ
How many US households own fish right now?
The latest APPA-linked table in this page shows 11.5 million fish-owning households in the US (9.6 million freshwater and 1.9 million saltwater) for 2024-2025.
Why include trade stats in a freshwater aquarium page?
Trade numbers add market context and are frequently cited by journalists, ecommerce writers, and researchers, which makes this page more likely to earn links.
Can I use these numbers in my article or report?
Yes. Use the row ids in the citation table for exact references and link to this page or directly to the primary sources.