Data on the conservation potential of fish and coral populations in aquariums

The data presented in this article are related to the research article entitled “Assessing the Conservation Potential of Fish and Corals in Aquariums Globally”. This article unveils the number of fish and coral species held by members of the Species360 network, from records in the Zoological Information Management Systems (ZIMS). Furthermore, we provide data for species in ZIMS that are under the following global prioritization and conservation assessments: i) the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), ii) the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, iii) Vulnerability to Climate Change, iv) Evolutionary Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) and v) the Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE). The material in this Data in Brief comprises the curated data and species overlaps in the mentioned prioritization schemes. It aims to facilitate further critical and extended analysis and to highlight the importance of record keeping and management of aquatic species in zoological institutions across the globe for the conservation of these species.