From Pet Shops Into Our Homes

When I was a boy, one thing I really loved was our fish tank that was kept in the corner of the living room. We had several different ones over the years but the one that sticks in my mind was the tall hexagonal tank. An aquarium can be a lot of work to keep maintained but for me it was like having a good friend. Just like a person it would change a lot over the years. I think I remember the red gravel was a constant feature of its various different setups. It matured from having stylized fancy bubblers to the type that were more dependable. This allowed it to reveal its true nature characterized by its assortment of fish.

There were the eel-like fish that I was so determined to keep but they never seemed to survive very long. Within its hexagon geometry countless sides of its personality were played by the various fluidity of tiny souls. Some days you could wait and search for hours before finding the plecostomus’s hang out. Of course there were all the classic constituents. The neons, always darting about in flashes of red and blue. Meanwhile I imagined zebras would graze on windy waves of grass water savannas. The iconic elusive red tailed shark always bored me as it spent all its time hiding in a cave. I grew tired of the simplicities of guppies, tetras, swordtails, and mollies.

At the pet shop I found an extension to my meditative companion. It had a subconscious mind of possibilities, and I was drawn to its exotic challenges. The piranha-like oscars excited me with their voracity, but I never could commit to the specialization required. As I imagined it, the aquarium had way more dimensions than its six sides. I didn't know it yet but I was looking for characters. Someone who would stand out, and take charge. Like a knife fish! But more resilient. Far too many had been taken by my grand nemesis they call Ick. It had to be social though, for which cichlids, although pretty and colorful, were aggressive and wouldn't let any of the others perform.

One day as I watched on, an outsider to the mini world yet somehow a part of it. It would lull me into a calm meditative place. In my imagination I would talk to the fish, and tell them the stories created by the trance I experienced in their presence. They loved to play out the scenes as I described them. Unless someone else came near. Then they would hide and play regular. Even the tank as a whole felt like a unique personality. It was my friend and I cared for it. I would check its pH, and make sure the temperature stayed within its proper range. I may not have been the best at keeping it clean, but when I did I always felt better about myself. I was proud. The hexagonal aquarium with its red gravel was a true friend to me. I shared my thoughts and a part of my life with it and whatever love I put into it it gave right back.

When my family got our first VHS home movie camera I was quick to try it all out and see what I could capture. I kinda had a little Andy Warhol stage despite the fact that I didn't know at the time who he was. I did know who David Attenborough was, and I was a big fan. Suddenly I was inspired and I set out to capture the worlds I envisioned. Soon I found myself sitting for endless moments recording my friend just sitting there bubbling away. My first attempts were to create a national geographic piece showcasing the amazing potential possibilities of the home aquarium. The ghost shrimp disappeared and all the fish, except the clown loach, had stage fright. I decided it must be the camera. First they needed to get accustomed to it. So I sat there for a whole weekend with the camera on my shoulder so they would realize it was safe. In the meantime I discussed my plans with the aquarium and we came to the conclusion that the national geographic set wasn’t the best and that what I really wanted to portray was the drama that played out between the fish in their daily lives living in an aquarium everything was coming together perfectly. All the players were feeling more confident and I was able to get several hours of video I could use to put together a story.

All I needed now were some action scenes to capture those true defining moments. That's when my older brother came in and sat on the love seat near the tank. As he sat down all the fish ran and hid. I said “aww.” He asked me what was wrong and I told him I was making a movie about the aquarium and how it took me so long to build up all the fish's confidence to act natural. I explained that they just weren't ready for a live performance. They thought nobody else would believe they were anything other than just fish, and as long as anyone else was watching that's all they were going to do. He apologized to me for the intrusion of course but i told him “It’s okay, they weren't going to be able to say their lines out loud anyway."

The End