Unlike many people who started this hobby young, I started keeping tropical fish as a hobby when the pace of my running shifted into a slower gear and I suddenly realized the need to pursue passions in life.

Over the past four years, my hobby of keeping fish has grown in size and depth. I have not only increased the number of tanks from one to seven to date, but have also experimented with breeding various types of cichlid species.

From my observations, many people are discouraged from taking up this hobby due to the perception that keeping the fish and tank is a chore. However, my experience tells me that the benefits of keeping fish far outweigh the chores it requires.

1. Bring home a piece of nature

Whenever I see schools of fish in the reservoir or pond, there is always an instant rush of joy. As I became engrossed in watching the fish, it gradually put me in a calm state of mind. Water and fish have the unique ability to calm the mind and evoke immense joy. I have always been curious about fish behavior and have always been tempted to seek a more intimate experience with fish.

Keeping fish at home provides an opportunity to observe them up close and personal. I can study the unique behaviors of the fish in the tank, which I possibly can’t do even in the reservoir or pond. For less than a hundred dollars, it is possible to create a miniature piece of nature at home. In fact, it is a wonderful and ingenious pastime. It gives me the comfort to appreciate the beauty of tropical fish as and when I want.

It also satisfies my desire to gain a deeper understanding of fish behavior as an aspiring aquatic scientist. Over the past few years, he had experienced the joy of successfully breeding more than ten species of cichlid fish. I consider this an invaluable and exciting experience not only for me, but also for my family, especially my seven-year-old son.

Fish farming also provides another avenue to develop my creative talent: aquascaping.

Occasionally, I can exercise my creativity in landscape design by changing the rock formation in the tank. The idea of ​​doing this is to simulate a new environment for the fish and allow the fish to re-establish their territories. In fact, this is essential when new fish are introduced to the tank, whereby all territories have been entrenched by an existing group of fish. After changing the entire rock formation, the fish will instantly reward you by spending the next few hours tirelessly swimming in and out of the new rock formation, trying to familiarize themselves with the new soil and establish new territory for themselves.

When I’m free, I sit in front of the fish tank and watch the fish, sometime for up to an hour. It is interesting to note that the fish demonstrates many types of social behavior that closely resemble human behavior in the corporate world. I will try to write another article on more details of this social behavior of fish.

2. Relaxation

Watching the fish swimming gracefully in the tank with their dazzling colors can lead one to deep relaxation and even a trance-like state.

My mind instantly feels more relaxed when I watch the fish. As I allow my eyes to follow the fish and become mesmerized by the graceful movement of the body and the moving colors of the fish, I become more immersed in relaxation. It is extremely therapeutic. It’s a great way to give my mind a break from work and recharge energy. With the stress we inevitably experience in our fast-paced lifestyles, creating channels for relaxation is an important aspect of a healthy lifestyle to keep stress at bay and maintain good health.

Along with exercise, meditation and music, raising fish has added another avenue to enrich my life, helping me live a fuller and healthier life.

3. Education for children

Most children become fascinated with fish when they first see it, usually in the form of a trip to the local fish market or fish farm. Having fish at home can teach children some good things:

* They will learn about the habitats of fish and other forms of aquatic life.

* They learn to care for small animals and aquatic plants.

* When they start keeping fish, a sense of responsibility towards another living creature will be instilled in them.

* They learn and understand the basics of water treatment and how to maintain adequate water quality for fish to live and even stimulate reproduction. This knowledge will serve them well in the future when they study science and chemistry at school.

* They will be able to witness the life cycle of fish species, which will allow them to appreciate biology.

* Most importantly, they will get great pleasure from watching the fish display a variety of personalities. By observing the intricate characteristics and behavior of the fish, children will improve their observation skills.

* Fish care is a great learning experience for young children. When the child is able to take good care of the fish, he can usually witness successful fish farming. This will increase your confidence in the hobby as well as the ability of it.

4. Create energy flow at home

I use the top filters for the few larger tanks in the living room. Water flows down from the filter box through the pipe, creating a soothing dripping sound in the living room. As the flow of water hits the surface of the water, threads of water bubbles are created. These bubbles are perfectly timed to the sound of flowing water, like having a piece of soothing instrumental music playing continuously.

Visually, it creates a sense of endlessly flowing energy in various corners of the living room where fish tanks are located. From a metaphysical or Feng Sui point of view, it creates an energy field that works non-stop at home.

I started this hobby only four years ago. The immense joy this hobby brings to my life and my family makes me wonder how I have been so blind to this wonderfully enriching and affordable hobby all these years.

As I found out more about this hobby, it becomes more and more addictive. I have no doubt that keeping fish will be a lifelong hobby for me. The vast species of fish, with their interesting and diverse antics, will take more than one lifetime to fully appreciate. Life is truly wonderful and enriching with fish. For me, life has just begun with fish farming.