Benefits of Keeping Fish

If you read my intro, you'd know that at one time, I hated fish. But after keeping them for only a few months, I've grown to realize that most people misunderstand and underestimate fish keeping as a past-time. This post is dedicated to the benefits of keeping fish!

1. There's scientific evidence proving that watching fish lowers your blood pressure! That's why offices filled with stressed out employees and customers sometimes have fish tanks - to reduce social friction by distracting everybody with colorful swimmers! It also reduces the prevalence and severity of heart attacks!
   
   
2. Gives you something to do in your free time.
   
   
3. Teaches children and adults alike something called "RESPONSIBILITY" (ever heard of it? ;)
   
   
4. Puts you in a relaxed and meditative mood. My guess would be that you could probably find some correlates between fish keeping and lower susceptibility to heart disease, anxiety and depression.
   
   
5. Fish are lower maintenance than some other pets like dogs or birds or dinosaurs.
   
   
6. Aquariums add a splash of color and elegance to an otherwise bland room.
   
   
7. Fish will listen to your troubles without judgment. In fact, they might even stand on your side if you feed them a few worms. (i.e. You: "That big fat jerk dumped me! Do you think he was a bad guy? (feeds betta) Betta: "nods")
   
   
8. There's so much diversity in the fish kingdom! Thousands of species to choose from and care for.
   
   
9. It's much easier and just as educational to raise fish fry.
   
   
10. Fish keeping is a great way to learn:
    
    Chemistry (see: the Nitrogen Cycle, Master Test Kit, Buffers, water conditions, alkalinity, salinity, phosphates, nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, KH, GH, calcium, iron....),
    
    Physics (see: How to use a Gravel Vac, Displacement of water, oxygenation of water, filled aquarium weight, how fish swim, how a filter works, how an aquarium heater works, what are drip loops),
    
    Math (see: calculating the size of your tank, fish, how much gravel you need, aquascaping, densities, volume, weights),
    
    Art design (see: aqua landscaping styles, choosing aquatic plants, aquarium placement, color-matching fish / tankmates, fish tattoos, drawing fish, aquarium shapes (hex, bowfront etc),
    
    English (see: reading this blog, reading aquarium books, pamphlets, blogs, writing about aquariums, watching videos about fish keeping, writing poems about fish...),
    
    Psychology (see: why do fish follow your fingers, why do fish eat even when they're full, fish depression, fish under stress,)
    
    Biology: (see: fish reproduction, fish anatomy, how do fish breathe, eat, swim, excrete waste? Symptoms of fish diseases, pathogens, harmful bacteria and viruses, proper tank cleaning methods, fish sleeping, medical models of fish diseases used to treat human illness, diagnosing and treating fish diseases with antibiotics, antifungal treatments etc.)
    
    Geology (see: types of gravel, sediments, rock formation, slate, volcanic rock, river stones, rock decorations, colorful gravel)
    
    Economics (see: how to save money on aquarium equipment, why mom and pop shops have to sell things at a more expensive price, how chain stores (Petco, Petsmart, Petcetera etc.) use capitalism, marketing, outsourcing, importing and other mumbo jumbo to gain your customer loyalty and your pocket money. $$$ why do aquariums cost so much money, benefits of buying used aquarium stuff...)
    
    Socials Studies/ Sociology (see: unethical fish capturing techniques, endangered/extinct tropical fish, fish cruelty/abuse, funding towards fish research, educational programs about aquatic life, ethics of killing sick fish, fry, show quality fish conventions, contests, gatherings, why people help each other with fish questions on the internet, classes/seminars on fish keeping)
    
    History: (see: history of fish keeping, origins of fish watercolor paintings, Goldfish breeding in China, early fascination with aquariums, passing fish from generation to generation)
    
    Engineering: (see: how to design a gigantic aquarium as a tourist attraction, how to sustain the weight, filtration, heating of large aquariums, designing attractive but durable display tanks )
    
    Law: (see: illegal importing/exporting of fish, stealing prized, rare fishes, illegal sale of fishes, trapping endangered species, unethical treatment of fish in large fish stores)
    
    
    

*Srsly. You learn quite a bit if you put your mind to it. These are just some examples!!


Maybe I'll think of more later....But as you can see, the list is quite extensive already!! =D


*********Edit

11. If you clean your tank often enough, tanks won't smell
12. Fish don't take up much room at all.
13. Your furniture is safe. No claw marks or rips haha.
14. Fish and Fish tanks are extremely quiet. No yappin' and barkin' in the middle of the night.