Last Updated on April 24, 2023 by Coral Realm
An aquarium is a perfect addition to any home. It enables you to have beautiful fish and bring a part of some of the most beautiful environments in nature into your everyday life. But do you know that keeping a fish aquarium also has numerous health benefits?
A fish tank is also a great way to have pets if you don’t have the time to look after a cat, or you aren’t going to be at home enough or have nearby parks to look after a dog.
An aquarium is relatively easy to keep and maintain, and the fish tend to look after themselves! There are many different aquariums to choose from, from freshwater tanks to saltwater tanks and reef tanks.
These different styles of aquarium allow you to keep a huge variety of different fish, plant, coral, and crustacean species. You can build and develop your own unique ecosystem in your home.
If you have lots of space you can get a large tank which you can fill with many different fish and animals, but there are also many smaller tanks available if you are tight on room. In these small nano tanks you can get nano fish perfect for small tanks.
Not only is an aquarium a great and easy way to keep pets, there are also many other reasons you might not think of for why you should get a fish tank.
So here is our list of the benefits of keeping fish aquarium at home, and why you should definitely get one!
IN THIS ARTICLE
Benefits Of Keeping Fish Aquarium At Home
Reduces Blood Pressure
A fish tank in the home can reduce blood pressure and heart rate. This is a huge benefit that can have huge long term health benefits.
Studies have shown that home aquariums can have these calming effects.
The sound of water and the movement of the fish and the gentle sway of the plant life in the water flow are responsible for these effects.
This is why some people have a tank with no fish, or just fill the tank with small crustaceans like shrimp.
This way they still get calming benefits from the sound of water and the plant life, and have no fish to take care of so it is a lot less maintenance.
Reduces Stress
Stress is one of the biggest health concerns out there. It has a hand in countless medical issues from heart attacks and strokes, to gut issues.
Many studies have shown that even a video recording of an aquarium helps to reduce stress and anxiety levels. A real aquarium sees this benefit amplified many times.
Even an empty aquarium has these de-stressing effects, while an aquarium with many fish helps even more. An aquarium with lots of small fish such as guppies will work wonders.
This is thought to be due to the fact that watching the tank and its inhabitants is very soothing, almost meditative. And feeling like you are getting back in touch with nature is also a reason for this effect.
This is the reason why nature walks have also been shown to reduce stress. But having an aquarium means that you are getting the benefit more often, as you are much more likely to find the time and energy to sit by your aquarium.
Increases Productivity
A fish tank not only helps you to de-stress, but can also help to increase productivity. And with working from home and remote working bound to remain much more likely given the current climate, anything which boosts productivity is a big win!
Much of this benefit is secondary from the other health benefits such as lowered blood pressure and lower stress levels at home which enables you to focus more.
You will carry the better mental state into your work and be far more productive and effective.
But also having a fish tank in your workplace can work wonders for productivity, so get your bosses on it!
Or one in the workroom at home if you work from home, can help provide a gentle metronome which gives your brain the ability to focus more on the task at hand.
Improves Conditions Like Alzheimer’s
An aquarium has also been shown to have a positive impact on people who have the degenerative brain condition Alzheimers.
Elderly patients with this condition have been shown to be especially benefited by having access to an aquarium.
Having their own aquarium, a small aquarium in their room, or even just access to an aquarium for a little time every day has a big impact.
Patients were shown to be calmer, happier, and less aggressive towards others. They were also feeling the benefits with increased appetites and therefore requiring fewer supplements, which can be stressful to take.
While there is not necessarily a definite reason why these impacts are found, the positive influence of aquariums on the patients were there.
Feng Shui
While Feng Shui might not be for everyone there are many practitioners of the Asian art who swear by it.
Aquariums are most often used in Feng Shui to bring wealth, money, and luck to the person. And don’t we all need that!
An aquarium placed at the front of a house enhances career luck and money luck.
A north facing aquarium brings you luck in your career, while a southeast facing aquarium is said to bring wealth and abundance. And an east facing tank will bring health and prosperity to you and your family.
Improved Sleep Quality
An aquarium in your bedroom can have a significantly positive impact on your quality of sleep and your sleep cycle, leaving your feeling more refreshed and energized when you wake up.
Having a better quality of sleep can drastically improve your mood and your motivation. I’m sure we’ve all been grouchy if we’ve had a disrupted sleep!
Even if the aquarium isn’t in the bedroom you will still feel the impact on your quality of sleep.
Calming Effects
Watching nature can be mesmerizing and very hypnotic. And watching fish in an aquarium is one of the most mesmerizing things you can watch.
As we have already mentioned an aquarium can reduce stress, reduce blood pressure and even heart rate.
These all help to have a significant calming effect on the body and mind, reducing anxiety, anger, and other negative feelings.
Not only will adults feel this impact, but an aquarium has a significant positive impact on the physical and mental health of children as well.
Therapeutic For Children
A home aquarium can really help with disruptive behavior and negative emotions in children. It can help adults as well but is especially effective in helping children.
Watching fish in the tank can help children with hyperactivity disorders as it calms them and allows their thoughts to be processed.
Studies have also found that having an aquarium can help to reduce stress and anxiety levels in children. While you may not think it, children can be under extreme amounts of stress, especially young children in school, and a fish tank will help them.
Having pets to look after and an aquarium to keep healthy will also give them a project to work on at home, one which you can help them with. This is great in helping you connect with your kids and having your own project you do with them.
Having a fun project to do with you at home can help to focus children’s attention and reduce anxiety, stress, and anger.
Promotes Learning
An aquarium in the home can be used to promote learning and drive passion in children. An aquarium is fascinating to watch, and children are often captivated by the sight. The sight of a pleco on the side of the aquarium is amazing and bound to build fascination.
You can use this to get your children interested and actively learn about the environment and science. But not only in fish and science, they may discover other things they are passionate about too.
An aquarium has lots of components. Maybe they will be fascinated by how the canister or hang on back filter works, and want to take things apart. Or maybe they want to learn about microbes and bacteria. Perhaps they are fascinated by the plant life, whether it be the rooted plants in the substrate of the tank or the floating plants on the surface. Or maybe they discover they love writing about the fish!
Kids ask constant questions, and having them direct these questions at an aquarium may be a saving grace for you too!
You can get them asking what the fish eat, where they come from, how they breathe, etc. And having the aquarium and the fish right there, they won’t know that they are learning!
This can instill passion and enable them to actually like learning, rather than seeing it as a chore and something they have to do in school.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are a multitude of benefits to be found from having an aquarium in the home, or in the workplace.
There are numerous health benefits from reduced heart rate and blood pressure, reduced stress levels, and improved sleep quality amongst many others. People of all ages will feel these effects, from children to the elderly.
Aquariums are also very therapeutic and increase learning and productivity. So do yourself a favor and get yourself an aquarium!
