The little pet fish that saved a town in the Amazon
Planet Money
- Published
- March 18, 2026
- Duration
- 33:15
- Summary source
- description
- Last updated
- Jun 10, 2026
Discusses The cardinal tetra is one of the most popular pet fish in the world. They look like little red and b…
Summary
The cardinal tetra is one of the most popular pet fish in the world. They look like little red and blue sequins. You've almost certainly seen them at the pet store or the fish tank at your dentist's office. They're everywhere. Not so long ago, most of the world's supply of cardinals came from just one place. It's a little town deep in the rainforests of B…
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Show notes
The cardinal tetra is one of the most popular pet fish in the world. They look like little red and blue sequins. You've almost certainly seen them at the pet store or the fish tank at your dentist's office. They're everywhere. Not so long ago, most of the world's supply of cardinals came from just one place. It's a little town deep in the rainforests of Brazil, where locals still catch these fish by hand. But the business that this town has relied on for decades has come under threat. Recently,