Pet Advocacy Network Secures Major Win for Aquarium Hobby in Arizona 

Science-based Advocacy Keeps Popular Pet Fish Legal in the State

Washington, D.C. — Last week, critical Arizona Game & Fish Article 4 (Live Wildlife) regulation revisions went into effect — and thanks to months of persistent advocacy by the Pet Advocacy Network (PAN), glass catfish, pictus catfish, arowana, and several other beloved aquarium species will remain legally available to Arizona pet businesses and consumers.

The victory is the result of a coordinated campaign that began in summer 2025, when Arizona Game & Fish proposed sweeping changes that would have banned ownership of three entire families of pet fish in the state — family Pimelodidae, family Osteoglossidae, and family Siluridae. The proposal would have imposed broad prohibitions for dozens of harmless species, including tropical fish like the glass catfish, which pose no invasive threat in Arizona.

In July, PAN submitted formal written testimony challenging the scientific basis of the proposed restrictions. Aquatics policy expert Art Parola later testified before the Arizona Game & Fish Commissioners, arguing that invasive species policy must be grounded in evidence rather than hypothetical risk.

Statement from Sandy Moore, CEO, Pet Advocacy Network: 

“We applaud the Arizona Game & Fish Commission for letting science lead the way on invasive species policy. By narrowing the scope of these restrictions to target only species that present genuine, documented risks, the Commission has shown what responsible wildlife regulation looks like. This win belongs to every Arizona pet owner, small business, and hobbyist who would have been harmed by an unjustified ban.”

The revised rules, which took effect on February 26, now prohibit specific species rather than applying blanket family-level bans — keeping common aquarium fish legally available while still targeting species that pose a genuine, science-supported risk. 

The win was achieved in partnership with the Arizona United Animal Care & Businesses Coalition and aquatics policy expert Art Parola, Esq. of USARK and USAQUA, and signals PAN’s growing capacity to protect the pet industry at the state level.