The Fascinating World of Fish

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     There are millions of fish hobbyists across the country as attested to by the fact that fish are one of the best selling pets that people buy when they go to a 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. Additionally, from a cost standpoint, when you compare having a fish instead of the more common kitten or puppy as a pet, fish are relatively inexpensive. Once you're done with the preliminary expenses of purchasing your aquarium and the various aquarium accessories, such as filters, lights, and so on, you'll find that your major expenses are paid for. No costly visits to the vet, no having to leave your dog at a shelter when you have to leave town for a few days, and no having to replace or repair the furniture that your dog or cat has chewed and ruined. Many people find fish to be one of the most low maintenance pets around.

In fact, once you set up your tank, you'll spend most of your time not doing things for your pet that you 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 most new fish hobbyists, learning to play with and enjoy fish, means being introduced to a whole new terminology and way of looking at the world. As humans, most of us spend the vast majority of our time on land. Sure there's the freak random surfer or Olympics 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.