subject: Learning to Understand Fish [print this page] There are hundreds of thousands of fish hobbyists in the U.S. This is clearly illustrated by the fact that, over the years, fish have consistently been one of the best selling pets that people purchase when they visit their local pet shop. In addition, a quick search of the Internet will reveal thousands of aquarium clubs that bring together members on a weekly or monthly basis to share together their love of fish. Fish are endlessly fascinating. Some species even mate for life and you'll get years of enjoyment watching them as they grow old, have children, and raise their families through the years.
It might seem that fish would not be good companions since you can't cuddle them or pet them. But just watching them brings enjoyment to many. In addition, you never have to take your fish pets out for walks. When compared to other possible pets, such as cats and dogs, fish are relatively inexpensive. Once you get past the initial expenses of buying the tank and the various tank accessories, such as filters, lights, and so on, you'll find that your major expenses are paid for. No expensive trips to the vet, no taking your dog to the shelter when you have to leave town for a few days, and no replacing furniture that your dog or cat has chewed and ruined. Fish are one of the most low maintenance, yet enjoyable, pets that you can have.
In point of fact, when you complete the task of setting up your tank, you'll find that you're spending the majority of your time not doing things for your pet that you're forced to have to, but doing things that you want to. You'll find yourself selecting and evaluating various aquarium backgrounds, fussing over the perfect plants and stones to stock your tank with, and watching the daily tank soap operas unfold before your eyes. Over the weeks, you'll find yourself slowly drawn into the secret underwater world of fish.
Having survived in the waters of the earth for over 500 million years, fish have evolved to be among the most rugged of species. Mammals, by contrast, according to many scientists, didn't even show up on the scene until at least 200 millions years later. In that time fish have had to change and adapt to the circumstances of the moment - circumstance that have killed less hardy species. This constant evolution has caused them to be one of the more diverse group of species around. Having survived for so many centuries, it's ironic that with so many fish hobbyists around, that the biggest risk to their continued survival is, of course, man.
For the majority of new fish hobbyists, discovering how to play with and enjoy fish, means becoming acquainted with an entire new vocabulary as well as a new way of viewing the world. We, as humans, spend most of our time on the land. Yes, there is the freak random surfer dude or the Olympic bound swimmer who seem to spend the better part of their days in the water. But even they're just visitors to the watery domain that the fish call home. Learning about the habitat where one of the oldest species of animals lives, gives them a rare insight into how the ecosystem of the world works.
