Forward...into the past!

I owe my fascination with fauna and nature in general to a twenty gallon aquarium. My parents had a tropical fish tank that fascinated me as far back as I can remember. I even have hazy memories of toddling up to the tank (it was on a raised stand) and staring, mesmerized, at the neons and catfish and Kuli loaches.

Aquariums are empowering. They are miniature worlds and you are responsible for them. Little white spots? Ick! Run to the tropaquarium store and get that blue liquid and douse the tank. Floaters were traumatic. Weekend-feeders were lifesavers.

All of the motion of life. The picture was never the same. Discovering reef tanks took this fascination to a whole new level: this was like having a miniature tide-pool in your house! This wonder was not without a price, though-- both literally and figuratively. They are so fragile and complex that your life revolves around them. To the same degree that kids do I think.

I've recently starting to get the urgings to get some kind of a water hobby. I think it was seeing the aqua-scape club at the Pet Expo a few years ago that re-kindled this interest.

At long last, I finally decided to act:


...and once again the crushing weight of reality results in something that I can probably handle (and if not, it's only mushrooms and used coffee grounds).