Aquarium Relaxation! Fact or fiction?

[DugOut]

How many of you find that while watching your fish swim the aquarium, tends to relax the mind?

Scientist did research years past and came to the conclusion that watching fish swim around in water helps lower blood pressure by causing the body and mind to relax. Same as petting a cat.

I enjoy watching my fish but I can't say I find it totally relaxing. My fish enjoys the company of people to much to go about its bussiness of being a fish, it would rather stare back out through the glass at you. Almost as if it finds us relaxing to watch! :?

 

[Tiffi]

I think if you have a lush green planted tank with calm fishes it's very relaxing.

I had a school of silver-tipped teras for a while and brought them back after a couple days. They were swimming around like crazy, even the endlers and the otos started swimming with them back and forth up and down - that was too much stress for my eyes!

Besides that, my fish don't stare at me, they don't care as long as I don't open the lid to feed them.

The only time when it's not relaxing is when I see plants that need to be pruned and the tank doesn't look gardened.

 

[rich311k]

I love to sit and stare at my tank. I find it very relaxing. The biggest problem I have, is resisting the urge to jump up and move or change or clean something in the tank, that does not look quite right. Drives my wife nuts. I have actuially started moving plants in the middle of a dinner party. Did not go over too well.

 

[Tiffi]

-that's just how I feel sometimes .

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Same here Rich. I find watching the tank relaxing, watching the fish swim gracefully through the tank. But the moment I see algae I am up and shoulder deep in the tank cleaning it off. Or if I see fish waste, I have the python out. Which as you can imagine is ALOT of the time on the African Cichlid tank. Then they start to poop again so here I am waiting for it to fall. LOL.

 

[Jchillin]

To be honest, there is only one day out of the week that the tanks are not relaxing. Other than that, it has a calming effect that is indescribable.

 

[BrianNY]

What day of the week is that JC? When all things are as I want it, then it's very relaxing. I can sit and watch my fish and TV at the same time. I consider it running interference for commercials.

 

[Simpte]

When I actually get to enjoy them they are very relaxing. Upkeep is stressful with dosing and waterchanges and cleanings and feedings and looking for snails..............

 

[TankGirl]

For the most part mine are relaxing. While I am working I just look over and watch my calvus or my N. pulcher and catch them in their normal behaviors, since if I don't stand up and go over there they don't get all frantic to be fed, lol. These fish are not frantically swimming around, but gently glide from here to there, and things just get nasty when there is a tiff over territory. That is not that often currently.

My 55 community tank is downstairs where the TV is, and I'd much rather stare at the tank than the idiot box. After a while I get antsy and decide this needs pruning, that needs moving, time for a test, time for a dose, etc. My jam-packed Endler's tank is in the kitchen and I watch that while I do dishes or whatever, but those fish are so incredibly active that it is not exactly serenity going on in there. The most relaxing "tank" I have is my 2g nano bowl, which is perfectly 'scaped and maintained, with a very graceful lively guppy who is getting more colorful by the day. It is not in a place that is convenient to watch for very long, but it is a very calming tank.

Overall, I'd call it an extremely rewarding hobby rather than relaxing. Tanks are much more relaxing when they are not yours!

 

[gheitman]

I find watching tanks to be very relaxing for the most part. Sometimes I'll just sit there and watch for an hour or more. Other times I'll be reading a book and glance occasionally at the tanks on either side of my chair.

On weekends when I do my maintenance it is good exercise carrying five gallon buckets of water back and forth (I don't have a python yet)

 

[Zagz]

I find spending time watching and even cleaning my tanks very relaxing. I have a high stress job that lives can depend on and even though the fish's lives do depend on me, I find it to be the one thing that can calm down a terrible day. My cats can relax me too don't get me wrong but for some reason just getting near my tanks and my fish makes me feel better. They have kept me sane regardless of how some people would disagree on me being sane.

 

[unknown_7]

I'm sorry, but I am opposite. I don't find my tanks relaxing for some reason. It just sometimes bothers me to see it. A couple years ago look at those tanks make me feel a bit relax but now it contributes to more uneasiness than relaxation. I don't know if its the way its setup or the choice of feel, but I am still trying to find a way to make it feel visually appeal and relaxing. Others may have thought it looks nice, but I think otherwise.

 

[DeFeKt]

i spend about an hr a day with my fish, an it's not easy with 4 kids !!
Old oscar the grouch is getting narky of late because i've been to caught up with the africans. theres always something different going on.
other then that, i could sit and watch them all day, pwc and maintanace is relaxing for me, not a chore.

Matt.

 

[Mazdaman]

I have my 75 gal setup at the wall across from my bed. I lay in bed and watch the fish. really helps slow me down and relax me. I've even fell asleep watching them at times. Then once the lights go off and moonlight goes on it relaxes even more.

 

[fastfly48]

I think that if I could just get a nice group of plants to grow/survive then my tank has loads of potential to be relaxing.
But it's been heaps more stressful than relaxing so far...but I can't wait till thoses tides change!

 

[clockradio]

other then that, i could sit and watch them all day, pwc and maintanace is relaxing for me, not a chore.

i feel the same way. when i clean it, it's the only time i get to "interact" with the tenants. i take over the living room (buckets hoses and all). my wife is pretty much used to it by now.
as far as just sitting and watching, i could do that for hours. 8)

 

[Tiffi]

I think the study is correct for poeple that are patients in a hospital for example and there is a tank in the lobby. They don't have a clue how much work is behind those tanks, neither how much prettier most of these tanks could be with some more maintenance, so they just lay back and enjoy the view, think it's relaxing to see the little colorful fishes swim by.

As for us hobbyists, the story looks different. We've seen pictures of gorgeous tanks and want ours to look the same. We know about all those things like waterchange, testing the water, checking the temperature, checking the fish for health, keeping algae in check, vacuuming the gravel etc, etc. That makes it difficult to just sit down and relax.
Like tank girl said, for most of us perfectionistic aquarium freaks it's probably more rewarding. We see the healthy, brightly colored fish swimming by, maybe some fry, see the plants grow in a lush green, and so on. I think that is very relaxing/rewarding to sit down at the end and be proud how well your little ecosystem is coming along.

 

[dnaelting]

I find looking at the 75 gal planted tank very relaxing. The motion of the fish and plants and the sound of the water from the filter, it is relaxing. Cleaning on the other hand is not relaxing. With 4 tanks it takes 2 hours to get it all done.