The little pet fish that saved a town in the Amazon

The episode explores the decline of the ornamental fish industry in Barcelos, Brazil, once the world's cardinal tetra capital, due to competition from fish farms in Asia and Florida. It highlights the story of Deco, a local fisherman, and Scott Dowd, a conservation biologist, who are trying to sustain the industry by emphasizing the wild origin and unique qualities of Barcelos-caught cardinals. The episode reveals how the town is shifting its economic focus to sport fishing tourism, capitalizing on the Amazon's natural environment. Despite efforts to revive the ornamental fish trade, the community increasingly relies on tourism centered around peacock bass fishing, signaling a broader economic transition.