Fish Keeping- An Inexpensive, Useful and Luxurious Hobby

Fish are fascinating, and so is the hobby of fish keeping. Out of so many pets, fish are colorful, quiet, clean, and, when kept in an aquarium, become an excellent piece of décor in the room. Just watching the fish swimming in a closed water ecosystem is relaxing. Keeping exotic fish in an aquarium has always been one of the most popular hobbies. Today, with the advent of innovative technologies, modern equipment, and easy to use aquarium accessories, fish keeping has evolved as a potential hobby for the beginners too. Also, it has become a good alternative for people who are living in high-rise apartments that restrict keeping other pet animals at home.

There are so many good reasons to start fish keeping as a hobby. An aquarium with colorful fish inside it could be a beautiful addition to the home or workplace. Additionally, watching the fish swim is scientifically proven to reduce stress and give relaxation. Maybe it is the reason why fish are the third most popular pet after dogs and cats.

Let’s take a look into some benefits of fish keeping.

Health Benefits

Have you ever wondered why most of the hospitals have an aquarium in their reception area or other places? Well, if you think it is only for the aesthetic purpose, then you are wrong. Plenty of research has been done that concluded keeping fish and watching them swim for a short period of time has immense health benefits. The main health benefits are-

• Reduces stress– Just like the sound of oceans, rainstorms, and running streams are considered calming, aquariums give a soothing and relaxing effect too. A study was conducted on anxiety patients on the effect of aquariums or fish keeping. It concluded that the level of anxiety reduces gradually, which helped them getting calmer easily.
• Reduces blood pressure and heart rate– Likewise, when the patients with high blood pressure and heart rate start watching fish in aquariums, they start feeling calm and stress-free, that in turn, lowered their blood pressure and heart rate. There was a significant reduction in the level of stress as well.
• Improves the behavior of Alzheimer’s patients– The brightly colored fish and aquariums are found to improve the behavior and appetite of Alzheimer’s patients. The disruptive behavior of Alzheimer’s patients reduces to a great extent, and they feel more relaxed.

All these medical studies promoted the installation of aquariums not only at home but at hospitals too.

Learning opportunity for the kids

Children are curious by nature. They love to explore new things and learn about new creatures. Fish keeping could be a great learning experience for them as fish, in general, are colorful creatures that attract kids greatly. Moreover, since fish are small, the kids can keep an eye on them. When you feed fish, the children learn valuable life skills like taking care of animals. Also, fish can keep children engaged for longer hours as they are playful in nature.

Perfect for little space

While the other pets could take over your entire house like dogs and cats who love to roam everywhere in the house, fish take a little space. So, if you are living in a small apartment or the rooms in your house are small, and you cannot afford another member, fish will be a great alternative. With the increased cost of living, fish aquariums have emerged as an ideal pet. For fish keeping, all you need is a small space where you can keep your fish tank. Make sure you use the right size of tank for your pets. In general, a 5 gallon tank size suffices for most of the varieties of fish. We always discourage the use of small goldfish bowls.

Fish are quite 

When you get a fish as a pet, even your neighbors are not going to notice as fish are quite and do not create any fuss, unlike dogs and cats that are quite noisy at times. Fish are completely silent, which make them an ideal pet if you have small babies or sick oldies at home.

Fishkeeping is inexpensive 

Fishkeeping is a relatively an inexpensive hobby as compared to any other animal keeping. The price of fish is always lesser than the price of dogs, cats, birds, or any other pet animal. However, if you choose a fancier breed, the price will surely upsurge, and its maintenance may take more efforts and money. Still, it will not cost you a fortune.

Fish are low maintenance pets

Fish, most of the time, are independent. You don’t have to entertain them, give them toys, or pamper them with accessories. Also, you don’t have to take them to walk or prepare food for them. Even if you leave them alone for days, they will not suffer from anxiety, unlike dogs and cats. In fact, on the other hand, fish are the ones who will be entertaining you and keeping you engaged whenever you want. All you have to do is getting someone to feed them once or twice a day when you are out for a holiday for weeks. As far as the maintenance of the fish tank is concerned, you have to give some time to it, which is generally required for changing the water, cleaning the gravel, scraping off the algae, etc.

Make the place look beautiful 

It’s no wonder that most of the people keep fish tanks as they make the place look aesthetically pleasing and attractive. Keeping colorful fish in the tank that varies in size and shapes gives the aquarium an appealing look. At the same time, watching these beautiful creatures swirling and swimming all over the tank makes you calm and relaxed. Aquariums are believed to promote peace and tranquility. You feel more connected to nature when you have a fish tank with aquarium plants inside it.

Fishkeeping is rewarding 

Apart from keeping fish as a hobby, you can also consider fish breeding and start selling them to your neighborhood or showcase some exotic fish to the local, national, and international shows. Many people, after experience and expertise, start breeding the fish that help them to grow financially too. Although it requires efforts, expertise as well as money to start fish breeding, once you become a pro in it, it could be highly rewarding.

Final words 

There is something magical in keeping fish as pets. It gives a sense of great satisfaction watching your precious fish floating in the water and your aquarium plants waving. Apart from making the place attractive, fish are also believed to reduce stress. With so many benefits and easy maintenance, fish keeping could be a prospective hobby that anyone can take. All you need is having proper knowledge of fish care to give them a healthy and prolong life.