And Natural Aquariums

Looking at an aquarium is relaxing and it has been proved that it is therapeutic against stress. Usually an aquarium resembles a piece of nature, a place to take us away from our crowded and unnatural reality. Aquariums inspired by nature are beautiful pieces of art, and they are my favorite.

But there are different kinds of aquariums and some are not very relaxing to look at. Usually children are happy with plastic plants and those colorful adornments that move with the air flow, like the typical shell, skeleton or chest that opens once in a while to let escape a big air bubble. I don’t think so that it is relaxing to look at or even relaxing for the fish that inhabit the aquarium. But it is fun for children and we can’t blame them as they are innocent. But for adults that innocence is called ignorance.

Sometimes people forget that fish are living creatures that are captive for our own enjoyment. However that is not cruel if we can  resemble their natural habitat (isotope). Doing this we will get happy and healthy fish and a beautiful aquarium as well.

Fish sometimes are used as adornments. Betta Splendens usually are kept in containers not bigger than a glass of water. Also in the pet stores one can find all kind of “funny” things to keep these fish, from bowls that resemble a big lamp bulb to “micro” aquariums where the fish have to lay their truncated life without moving.

Their common name has given a bad reputation to the Betta Splendens. Like illegal roosters fighting in the United States, in China this fish has been forced to fight with other males until death.

In our aquarium this “Great Siamese Fighter” will share a community aquarium peacefully if there is not another male of his species. And with some females the “aquarofilius” will be amused with his unique way to reproduce.

Other practices that don’t belong to a natural aquarium are transgenic fish. The Danio Zebra was the first victim when scientist, using a virus derived from HIV; transfer DNA from a coral to make the fish glow in presence of contaminated water. The product is a trademark new species called GloFish.

That doesn’t mean that they will glow in our aquarium if we don’t change the water in a month, because they always glow (under black light). According to scientist this was the first step, made 8 years ago; the next would be making the fish glow only in the presence of certain toxins. But meanwhile in pet shops this fish appears in different colors.

I wonder if they lost their objective or they found it more lucrative to sell this fish as pets.

But manipulation of this fish is not an act of cruelty like some other species suffer. In England GloFish are banned by law, and the just act of owning one of these will grant vacations in jail. At the same time, in the same country, one can find tattooed Carassious in pet stores. Injecting ink directly under the fish’s scales makes them  look “more exotic”.

It is not proven that fish can feel pain, but for sure that is uncomfortable for the fish and not healthy.

After ignorant or careless clients buy them and bring them home they will find that after a while the coloration has disappeared. So it’s not even worth it.

Other ways of coloring practice can include submerging the fish directly into acid. The survivors will show a different color, but just for a while because they will die for the consequences or the color will vanish again. Although I don’t think so that the second option would happen often.

Goldfish in all their “funny” varieties are mutations from the Koi Carp made many years ago in medieval China (Read their history here).

Some have such long fins that it makes it difficult for them to swim. Others have the eyes deformed, forcing them to look just up. Take a look by yourself in a pet shop.

But the worst of all is the hybrid cichlid called Parrot Fish or Blood parrot cichlid. The mouth resembles a beak or a “smiling” mouth for the enjoyment of the children, but the truth is that this fish is not able to close it and they have to crunch the food with their throat muscles. This is along with many other deformities. And if this where not enough they use dye to make more colors, besides the orange. They also dye thier mouth to resemble painted lips.
More information here.

There are more than 2,000 different species of freshwater fish. They come in all shapes and colors, and there is no reason why we would have to manipulate nature to produce results that are not always beneficial to the fish.

From The Ago of Aquarium webpage