More ideas than tanks...How fish rooms get started!

I'm sort of struggling with this common thing we have as fish keepers: All of these ideas and not enough tanks. The desire to set up more aquariums is a very real desire!

A while back, I was fortunate enough to have a fish geek experience that really made me sit back and think about this crazy hobby of ours in a whole new light. I attended a meeting of a local club in the midwestern U.S. (Yeah, in February! It was a bit colder than L.A. in February...LOL), and got to stay at the home of a dedicated hobbyist and his very serious fish room! What was that I wrote, a fish room? You got it. A room filled with dozens of aquariums of varying sizes (freshwater and saltwater!), dedicated to the study, care, breeding- and sheer joy of fish keeping.

Fish rooms used to be a lot more common in the hobby. Serious hobbyists thought nothing of filling their basements, garages, and extra bedrooms with lots and lots of aquariums. It seems that in the last few years, the fish room has gone the way of the VCR- a once pervasive device that seemed to just fade away . Unlike the VCR, technology did not force the idea of a fishroom into retirement. Rather, technology has benefitted the hobby immensely, making it easier than ever before for a hobbyist to create his or her own little nerve center to practice the state of the art in aquarium keeping with several aquariums.

Yet, for some reason, the multiple aquarium fish room was starting to become a thing of the past for a while there. However, with all of the new focus on fish breeding, it seems like we’re starting to see a big resurgence of sorts. Dedicated hobbyists are devoting entire rooms to their obsession, and are pushing the state of the art forward every day.We're now seeing fish rooms devoted to different biotopes and methodologies for running tank. Super coo!  An interesting overall hobby change, IMHO.

Sure, given factors like economic uncertainty, time pressures, and other commitments, today’s hobbyist is more pressed than ever to find time for his or her hobby, even for one aquarium, let alone a dozen or more. Yet, there is something about this hobby that makes it so hard to stop at just one aquarium, isn’t it?

What we only half-jokingly refer to as “Multiple Tank Syndrome”- the addiction to the hobby that gives us the urge to set up more aquariums-is alive, well, and very real!

Some people collect souvenir shot glasses, coins, or house cats. 

We collect aquariums. And fish. And plants. And all of the junk that goes with 'em.

Cool.

It seems that with every dedicated hobbyist, there is the desire to expand or horizons, to try new things, learn about one more coral, etc. And that requires just one more aquarium or perhaps a few more! It requires the need to expand, explore, and experiment. I know that I can't seem to want to just execute on ONE idea..I have to try like 5 different things...at once.

Are you struggling with this like I AM?

If you are, I say- Go for it! Don’t fight the urge to get that next aquarium. Not only are you giving yourself something that you will enjoy immensely, you might just be able to try something altogether new, break new ground, or better yet-inspire others to persue their aquatic dreams. Maybe you don’t have the room or finances for a true fish room, but fueling your passion with another aquarium is a good start!

l’ll say it again. Fish room. A place of magic. A place of wonder. A place of awe. A laboratory. A retreat. A launch pad for dreams. I dedicate this post to all of you out there who practice the art of aquarium keeping each and every day. You are the very essence of the hobby- the living, breathing soul of our passion. I say it again: If the muse strikes, don’t fight it. Why stop at one?

Who has a "fish room" going? Who's contemplating setting up one? Or at least, who admits to having "Multiple Tank Syndrome?"

My advice to you if you don't:

Set up another aquarium! 

Oh, and I know this website where you can get really cool “aquatic botanicals!”

Until next time,

Stay Wet

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

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