Hobbyist's Corner

A nicely displayed show tank can be a wonderful addition to any home or office. A well thought out show aquarium can serve a variety of purposes. It serves as a conversation piece when friends drop in; draws customer attention in the workplace; or inspire a non-fish person to set up their own tank. It may spark the interest of a young child to set up their first aquarium. An aquarium displaying fish from a geographical area would not only be striking, but educational as well.

There are endless types of display tanks that you can set up; freshwater, saltwater or reef tanks. Imagine a 55 gallon aquarium, filled with lush Congo and King tetras, add some angels and maybe an exotic species of catfish, and you will have a spectacular display tank.

Here are some other combinations of fish that can be kept together to produce beautiful and interesting show tanks:

• Fancy imported goldfish with their bright colors and odd shapes can be real eye catchers.

• Large cichlids; Oscars, Jack Dempseys, and Emeralds along with a Clown Knife, Arowana and Synodontis Catfish, would make up a real attention getting aquarium.

• A brackish tank with puffers, monos, chromides, Celebes Rainbows and Bumble Bee Gobies is an opportunity to show off this fascinating part of the aquarium hobby.

• A geographical display tank that shows the fish and plants that are found together in certain parts of the world is an interesting educational display. The colorful Lake Malawi Cichlids or the odd Lake Tanganyikan Cichlids are possibilities... or how about an aquarium housing some Amazon beauties like Prochilodus, Anostomus, head standers, Leporinus and Silver Dollars? Large discus and angelfish are a proven combination.

• Aquariums that house adult specimens are also useful for displaying the young of the same varieties. It's far easier to appreciate immature African cichlids that haven't colored up yet when you can point to a beautiful full color adult in an African community tank. The same can hold true for many of the South American varieties.

A display or show tank doesn't have to be large. A 10 gallon tank, set up as the commonly-thought-of true community tank, can be a great showcase. Many 10 gallon aquariums are sold during holiday time, and most new hobbyists haven't a clue as to which fish can be kept together, so your community tank may serve a newcomer to the hobby as a prime example. .

Hobbyists always need to keep in mind that a show or display aquarium should serve a purpose -be it simple personal enjoyment, an educational resource for a child, or simply to blend a natural atmosphere within the home. These are criteria which govern the amount of space, time, energies and money spent. Fish are a natural draw or attraction, and if well displayed will bring many years of enjoyment to those who appreciate the wonders of nature.

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