CARES — Conservation, Awareness, Recognition, Encouragement, Support — is an international initiative founded in 2004 that enlists hobbyists to maintain populations of at-risk freshwater fish species in home aquariums.
By distributing breeding populations across hundreds of hobbyist tanks worldwide, CARES creates a decentralized "living gene bank" — a safety net against extinction in the wild.
The Brooklyn Aquarium Society is a proud participating member club. Our breeders help preserve species listed on the CARES priority list through the BAP program.
Visit the official CARES website for the full species priority list, program guidelines, and educational resources.
caresforfish.org →Add a CARES-listed species you're currently maintaining to your collection.
Provide a photo for species identification and record-keeping.
Share fry and publish articles to earn recognition seals for your contributions.
Confirm each year that you're still maintaining the species to keep your registration active.
Seals recognize different levels of contribution to species preservation.
Join BAS members preserving endangered fish species.