What type of agricultural practice is primarily involved with the breeding and raising of fish?

The correct answer is aquaculture, which refers to the farming of aquatic organisms, including fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and aquatic plants. Aquaculture encompasses a variety of activities, such as breeding, rearing, and harvesting in controlled environments. This practice is significant for food production and can occur in freshwater, brackish water, or saltwater environments.

While pisciculture specifically denotes the cultivation of fish and is a subset of aquaculture, aquaculture encompasses a broader range of aquatic organisms, making it the more comprehensive term. Crustaceaculture, on the other hand, is focused solely on the farming of crustaceans like shrimp and crabs, which is also a more specialized category within aquaculture. Hydroponics involves growing plants without soil, using nutrient solutions in water, and does not pertain to fish or aquatic farming practices. Thus, aquaculture is the best choice when considering the broader context of farming aquatic species.