Introduction
We, as aquariun hobbyists, keep all sorts of critters in our aquariums. From fish to plants, from corals to jellyfish. But why do we keep them? Each and every person would have a different reason, and that plays a part in making our aquariums what they are - along with settling our viewpoints on different matters.
What type of hobbyist are you? Do you fit in one, multiple or none of the below? And what does it mean for your aquarium?
The Decorator
You like the visual aspect of your aquarium, and want it to look perfect, the way it is envisioned in your mind. Each specimen in there must fit the mold perfectly, or it's ruin everything. You're the hardest to please, and things can go south very quickly. But when you do get it right, it's stunning.
The Collector
Rare gems of every sort, they must be yours! Doesn't matter whether you keep marine or freshwater creatures, it is your goal to have a diverse series of rare and beautiful (or perhaps just simply interesting) creatures. Your interest may be very specific - such as in Dwarf Marine Angels, or you may want the rarest of tropical fish, no matter what they are. Either way, you pride yourself in your collection, some of them possibly costing thousands of dollars, if not more.
The Breeder
You want to breed fish for whatever reason, and devote your time for that purpose. You have aquarium systems unlike anyone else, with all sorts of connections and tanks for different purposes. You might say have a tank each for eggs, fries, juveniles, sub-adults and various breeding pairs or whatever. There is a lot of devotion required, along with planning and care. You do a lot of research on one particular species at a time, and your aquariums are geared towards providing them with the best environment for breeding, simply put. Everything else is just optional.
The Scientist
It's an experiment. You want to see if something works in some way or another, and tend to cause disasters. But you also find out some very nifty stuff, and your aquariums are probably very unique, when each of them may have odd combination of equipment and live stock that others wouldn't put together. You really just want to see what happens when things are not the norm.
The Observer
You just want to experience life in its fullest, and let things do what they do. You'll be the one to observe some of the most interesting happenings in our aquariums, things that other would never witness. You are a lot more relaxed when it comes to what 'should' and 'shouldn't' be in the aquarium, which from there is where many of your interesting experiences draw from. You don't want to artificially influence your aquarium too much. Or really, at all. Your motto is 'just let it be'.
The Chronicler
You need to recount everything, taking note of your aquarium's progression. This includes your aquarium inhabitants too. You'll have descriptions/pictures at the ready, and will be very knowledgeable regarding the changes that an aquarium goes through.
The Perfectionist
You want everything - absolutely everything to be right. Not just the aquarium, but its equipment, water parameters, live stock, everything. Everything has to be tweaked to the right level, and you only have one set goal for whatever it is you are tweaking. Anything else is not good enough. The amount of chemicals, measuring equipment, controllers and so on that you have is out of this world.
The Moneymaker
You are in it for the money, and your aquarium is designed to do so. This doesn't mean you necessarily have complex breeding systems, but you are able to generate more money than you spent, by doing something special with your live stock. Propagating them, pairing them, or just growing them to larger sizes.
Conclusion
So what type of aquarium hobbyist are you? Are you a combination of the above? Or none? Maybe for each aquarium you are someone different? This is just a short description of the various types of hobbyists out there, to remind us that everyone has different purposes and will have different believes, preferences and goals. What is amazing to one won't be to another. But we are in the end, all in this together!
