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For those contemplating an addition to their pet family—or who are purchasing a fish for the very first time—there are a number of issues to bear in mind. After the Disney film Finding Nemo piqued a giddy interest in clownfish, concern for ornamental marine life was also re-ignited—and for good reason. According to "From Ocean to Aquarium," a 2003 report of the United Nations Environment Programme's World Conservation Monitoring Centre, the $330 million-a-year aquarium fish trade threatens not only the 1,500 species of fish exported but also the ecosystems in which they live. En route from Southeast Asian reefs to the United States, fish are often captured with a debilitating dose of sodium cyanide, dumped in plastic bags and then left for hours in the sun. The fallout? Lethargic aquarium life—or fish dead upon arrival at the retailer.

What You Can Do

*Ensure that your marine ornamental is certified before you buy. The Marine Aquarium Council (MAC) has drafted standards to ensure ecologically-sound marine-life gathering practices internationally, starting with the collector all the way to your aquarium retailer. Only purchase aquarium accessories bearing the "MAC Certified" label.

*Encourage your aquarium retailer to sign the MAC "Core Standards."

*Never purchase live rock, like coral, for your aquarium. According to the World Wildlife Federation, 50 to 70 percent of reefs worldwide are threatened by the exportation of coral. Coral harvesting damages ecosystems and degrades existing reefs.

If you can't locate MAC-certified clownfish, try these MAC-certified aquarium alternatives:

Snowflake Eel (Echidna nebulosa), ($40)

Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavescens), ($25)

Royal Gramma (Gramma loreto), ($20)