Recreation. Observation. Motivation.

[Alesha]

As I sat with coffee cup in hand this morning, my nose mere inches from the glass of my 55- gallon tank, I was reminded of Cory's advice to observe.

 

So...here's your challenge for this weekend: plan a time to just sit & observe your tanks. Not looking for plants to trim, or algae to clear, or water to change. But just watch. And breathe. And let the beauty of nature soothe your soul. Find joy in the life that is teeming in the ecosystem of your tank.

 

You may come away with a to-do list, sure. But identifying a new direction is a good thing. Setting a new goal can be liberating, as you leave others' expectations behind & decide what you want for your tank.

 

Or you may realize just how much you love your tank, how pleased you are with your set up, how well you've done implementing your plan. That's so satisfying, too!

 

And you might find surprises, as I did this morning, when I lost count of just how many mama guppies were about to give birth, or that tuft of staghorn algae that I hadn't noticed before.

 

Whatever you observe in your tank, allow it to motivate you in some way. Let it move you forward in this hobby. Let it inspire you.

 

And by all means, share your thoughts with us. You may provide just the motivation that someone else is needing today.

[FrozenFins]

Very good idea, Thanks!

[David W]

I did this yesterday, after the family fell into a turkey coma. I spent a very relaxing hour listening to Jazz and watching a little snail moving across the tank. 

[shkote]

Yep you had my attention at... cup of coffee 😄

[Ruud]

Hi @Alesha I tend to do this almost every evening, after another day working from home I grab a chair and sit and just watch my fish for 10 or 15 minutes. I actually just did it half an hour ago and notice how great my Cardinals are schooling now they have expanded from 5 to 10 members. I also enjoy watching the snails go around. 

 

[Dandy Pearl]

I watched my main tank this morning after trying frozen baby brie shrimp for the first time. Man do they love it!! After dropping in one cube, I had to drop in another. I have some nano fish and I'm always concerned they are not getting enough to eat even with feeding micro pellets and powdered flake.

It was certainly nice to simply enjoy the fruits of my labor. And of course plot my next move.

I do a similar thing with my new 37g tank. I set it up next to my desk just so after a frustrating zoom meeting I could 'decompress' for a few minutes while watching my buddies.

Happy Fish Keeping!🐠

[RovingGinger]

17 hours ago, Dandy Pearl said:

 

I do a similar thing with my new 37g tank. I set it up next to my desk just so after a frustrating zoom meeting I could 'decompress' for a few minutes while watching my buddies.

Happy Fish Keeping!🐠

I keep two right next to me at the computer - a 5g with a betta and a 6g with a family of endlers in it. It helps Zoom meetings so much sometimes. 
 

I try to spend at least a little time each week observing each tank and the fish in them. Some I don’t care for as much and that’s a sign that maybe those fish aren’t the best fit for me. Some I sit in front of and think “maybe this is my favorite aquarium”... I have a lot of favorites. 

[H.K.Luterman]

I spend a lot of time just watching my tanks, usually with my phone in hand to get pictures or video. I have a rolling office chair I can sit in and wheel around to each one. 

[Hobbit]

I love watching my tanks. The first time I saw a snail bungee jumping on its own slime trail I was amazed.

Earlier today I saw a snail hop off the heater when it turned on. I’ve always been worried about them burning their feet, but this little one just curled up and let gravity take it to the bottom. Then it got right up and continued on its way.

I have one problem though... every time I watch my 55 gallon my female honey gourami (“Mom Fish”) swims up to me and begs for food. She’s huge. I know she doesn’t need more food. But then I sit there feeling guilty like I’m letting her down. It doesn’t help that I have issues eating enough food myself (for medical reasons) and I tend to project onto my animals. My cat, my chickens, and now my fish have all become very good at manipulating this!