What is it about aquariums that dissolves all your troubles? Watching colorful little fish dip and duck around a plastic deep-sea diver or a bubbling treasure chest is somehow amusing, even cathartic. Maybe it’s because you choose these little creatures yourself, then build up a world in which they can thrive and play. Maybe it’s because that bulgy-eyed, fishy face peering back into yours is so undeniably cute. Whatever the reason, aquariums relieve stress and offer hours of entertainment for young and old alike. Thinking about starting your own? Doctors Foster and Smith lay down the basics:
- It takes generally six to eight weeks to set up a safe and inhabitable aquarium. Before adding fish, you must “cycle the tank,” allowing good bacteria to build up on surfaces so that it can later break down wastes.
- Introduce resilient breeds of fish first into a new tank. They can more easily withstand fluctuating water conditions, and you can always add more as you go along.
- Freshwater fish are easier to maintain than saltwater.
- Things like lighting, tank size, and filtration equipment all affect the living conditions in your aquarium. (For more, see “New to the Aquarium Hobby? 12 Considerations.”)
But don’t limit fish to just your aquarium. With Tropical Fish Decor, fish can transcend those glass boundaries and swim throughout your home! A trio of ivory beauties, brindled with aqua, weave through silver waves and seaweed in the Oceanic Tranquility Wall Sculpture. It’s just the thing for a coastal or aquatic theme—or for the person who needs a beautiful reminder to slow down, take a breath, and watch the fish.
Touch of Class Pets 