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Within the last two years discount pet superstores have become the primary shopping source for freshwater (as opposed to saltwater) home aquarists, supplanting traditional neighborhood pet shops, according to the 1999-2000 National Pet Owners Survey.

The survey findings, released in July by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association Inc., Greenwich, CT, indicate that for the first time freshwater aquarists view pet superstores as having the best selections of fish, food, chemicals and equipment. That distinction was formerly held by local pet shops.

The percentage of freshwater hobbyists who visit local pet shops has fallen to 76%, off 10 points from 1996. The average number of visits to local pet shops stands at 5.6 per year, down from 7.2 visits previously.

Saltwater aquarium hobbyists continue to favor traditional pet shops over the superstores. Among saltwater fish owners, 83% visited a local shop within the last 12 months, compared with 55% who stopped in at a superstore. The number of annual trips to local stores averages 10.2 times vs. 7.5 to superstores.

Freshwater fish owners spent an average $208 during the last 12 months. They typically spent about $72 for aquarium stands, $32 for filtration systems, $24 on food, $24 for supplies and equipment, $18 on chemicals, $15 on lighting, $13 on health items and $11 for test kits.

No Reason...Just Because

About 24% of freshwater fish owners buy gifts for their fish for no special occasion. About 6% buy birthday gifts and 4% buy Christmas presents. Another 2% of freshwater fish receive Valentine's Day or Easter gifts.

Among freshwater aquarists the most frequent purchases are plastic plants, natural and artificial rocks, ornaments and live plants, as well as books, pamphlets and videos on care.

Saltwater fish owners shelled out some $965 over the past 12 months. An average of $446 was spent on aquarium stands, $121 for filtration systems, $48 on food, $128 on supplies and equipment, $61 on chemicals, $90 on lighting, $34 for health items and $37 on test kits.

About 30% of saltwater aquarium fish receive gifts for no special occasion, but 6% get them for birthdays and another 6% for Christmas. Less than 1% receive either an Easter or Valentine's Day present from aquarium hobbyists.

Commonly purchased items for saltwater fish include bleached coral pieces, natural rocks, plastic coral and macro algae. As with freshwater fish owners, books, pamphlets and videos on care are popular items.

- The popularity of aquarium fish is declining. An estimated 9.2 million households keep fish as pets. That's an 18% drop since 1996, when 11.2 million households maintained home aquariums.

- Aquarium fish are most popular east of the Mississippi with the exception of New England, where only 4% of pet owners keep fish tanks or bowls - the lowest percentage in the nation. Aquarists west of the Mississippi are most prevalent in California, Oregon and Washington.

- Most aquarium fish sold in the United States are bred in Florida. Men spend about $29 annually for freshwater fish or $95 for saltwater fish. Women spend some $18 a year for freshwater fish or $81 for saltwater fish. Unmarried hobbyists spend the most on saltwater fish, an estimated $189 annually. - Food flakes account for 90% of all freshwater fish foods sold, and m ore than half of these purchases are made at discount stores. About 70% of saltwater fish hobbyists buy food flakes, but mostly at pet shops or aquarium stores. Mail order sales account for less than 6% of fish foods sold, including fish flakes, food pellets, frozen food and live food.

- Men usually provide care for aquarium fish. Fish are popular for aesthetic reasons, for their ability to relax owners and as an inexpensive hobby. Men most appreciate the quiet and women consider the reasonable cost as the most attractive benefit.

- The drawbacks to owning fish most often mentioned by hobbyists are cleaning, algae, finding care when away from home, cost of equipment and fish diseases.

- Saltwater hobbyists are a bit older and more affluent than their freshwater counterparts. The average saltwater aquarist is 40 with household income of $47,000, while the average freshwater hobbyist is a 39-year-old earning $41,000.

Source: American Pet Products Manufacturers Association Inc.

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