With many of us now staying at home to stay safe, it’s worth thinking about the environment we’re living in and how it is affecting our quality of life during this uncertain time. Keeping up a routine is one of the most important things we can be doing when discovering our new normal, and there are ways for us to improve our home environment too. Caring for pets can provide a valuable routine to follow while holding many other benefits too. Keeping fish and their aquarium can be a particularly positive choice for your home – below we have looked into the reasons why.
Your Health.
Over half of the world’s population owns a pet. From cats and dogs, to reptiles and birds – it is a common sight to see this extension of the family in the modern home. Whether they complete your large family or are simply your sole companion, one of the main benefits of owning a pet can be found in your health. It’s undeniable that regularly walking a dog can aid your physical health – these active mammals often need a lot of exercise. But it’s not just your physical health that can benefit from having a creature or two around the house.
Studies have shown that pets can improve our mental health too. Just looking at our animal companion can bring feelings of joy – this is due to a release of oxytocin (a powerful neurochemical) which in turn leads to a decrease in cortisol (a stress hormone). If you’re wondering what benefits fish, in particular, can bring when it comes to your mental health, the answer is inside your tank!
As well as stress reduction, fish tanks have been shown to reduce anxiety and improve your mood. Taking time to stop and watch the fish in your aquarium can lower your heart rate and your blood pressure. Do you find the sound of ocean waves or running streams relaxing? Much like this, the calming water sounds and constant movement of the fish stimulate your brains’ happy hormones, causing you to de-stress and relax.
Your Home.
Ever felt like something was missing in your home but not quite sure what? The finishing touch can often be found in the addition of an aquarium! This particular pet paraphernalia has the potential to rank fish as the most beautiful pets you can own, all thanks to the home they live in! Whether it is large or small, an aquarium can prove to be a truly pleasing aesthetic for any home.
What makes an aquarium so beautiful? Aside from the massive variety of colourful, weird and wonderful fish available to house in your tank, the possibilities beyond that are really quite something too. The art of aquascaping enables you to create a whole new world within even the smallest of tanks, using aquatic plants, rocks, driftwood and more to create an environment for your fish that will wow your houseguests, and that you can be proud of. This can be a particularly rewarding benefit for someone who perhaps doesn’t have a garden of their own but does enjoy cultivating nature within their home.
Your Family.
Do you have children? If so, then the addition of an aquarium to your home can also be very beneficial for them. Aside from all the fascination that watching the fish can bring, an aquarium provides a great learning experience for little ones as well. It can be eye-opening to learn about certain fish, where they originate from and why they look the way they do. Having your kids join in with feeding and cleaning routines can also be a brilliant way of teaching them about being responsible and caring for everything on our planet, no matter how small.
Start Your Journey.
These are just a few of the ways an aquarium can bring life and health into your home. More than just a hobby, though it is a rewarding one, keeping an aquarium and caring for your fish can prove to be a truly worthwhile addition to your routine. There is always more to discover within the aquatic world and having a small aquarium in your home is a fantastic place to start.