Pet Fish
An aquarium (plural aquariums or aquaria) is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in
which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, and aquatic plants. The term combines the Latin root aqua, meaning
water, with the
suffix -arium, meaning "a place for relating to".
An aquarist owns or maintains an aquarium. Aquaria can come in a variety of materials, shapes, and
sizes. They are typically constructed of glass or high-strength plastic. Cuboid aquaria are also known as
fish tanks or simply tanks, while bowl-shaped aquaria are also known as fish bowls. Size can range
from a small glass bowl to immense public aquaria. A number of components are used to maintain appropriate water quality and characteristics suitable for the aquarium's residents. Organisms
maintained or type of environment mimicked classify many aquaria.
History and Popularization
People have kept fish in artificial environments for centuries. In the Roman Empire, the first fish to be
brought indoors was the sea barbel, which was kept under guest beds in small tanks made of marble. Introduction of glass panes around the year 50 allowed Romans to replace one wall of marble tanks, improving their view of the fish. In 1369, the Chinese Emperor, Hongwu, established a porcelain company
that produced large porcelain tubs for maintaining goldfish. Over time, people produced tubs that
approached the shape of modern fish bowls.
In 1836, soon after his invention of the Wardian case, Ward proposed to use his tanks for tropical
animals, and in 1841 he did so, though only with aquatic plants and toy fish. However, he soon housed
real animals. In 1838, Félix Dujardin noted owning a saltwater aquarium, though he did not use the term.
In 1846, Anna Thynne maintained stony corals and seaweed for almost three years, and was credited as
the creator of the first balanced marine aquarium in London. At about the same time, Robert Warington experimented with a 13-gallon container, which contained goldfish, eelgrass, and snails, creating one of
the first stable aquaria; he published his findings in 1850 in the Chemical Society's journal. The keeping
of fish in an aquarium became a popular hobby and spread quickly.
more information from wikipedia.org
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