Many people go to PetSmart, Petco, or even Walmart to look into getting a fish tank for a small space they have available on their desk. They are amazed by how many options there are and how big the fish tanks can get. What they don’t realize is the proper way to take care of the tank they are getting and in many cases how big the fish they are buying are going to get. These new fish keepers have the tendency to get the cheapest fish thank they can get, the most fish they can get, and don’t get any supplies to maintain the health of the fish. Typically they struggle to keep the fish alive for a few months, get frustrated from returning the fish to the store every couple of weeks, and eventually give up. The information given to new fish keepers varies so much from person to person that they end up confused with a huge supply of chemicals, each promised to be the right way. This is what aquarium clubs try to prevent, misinformation that discourages new fish keepers.
Once a month, people gather in groups around the world for the love of animals. They share their passion, knowledge, and experiences throughout their time keeping fish, reptiles, and amphibians. All to educate others for the betterment of animals. Aquarium related clubs have been around in the US for over 100 years. The first was the Boston Aquarium Society in 1916. Ever since more than 100 have popped up around the world.
The Desert Aquarists Society, founded in Tucson, Az in 1974, meets every second Sunday of the month. To spread the education of maintaining aquatic animals. They are one of few aquarium clubs in Arizona and of the numerous in the US. Not all aquarium clubs are created equal. Some focus on selling fish, selling aquatic plants, or the education. The President of the Desert Aquarist society, Alan Thiem, is proud of the club for their focus on education and credits the popularity of the club to their emphasis on public outreach.
During the monthly meetings, a member of the club or a guest will provide a presentation on an aspect of fish keeping that they enjoy the most. This topic could be growing aquatic plants, breeding specific fish, how to start an aquarium, or even how to take proper photos of your aquarium. Every meeting is made so that everyone will learn something new from attending. The club president emphasizes the importance in maintaining an educational aspect in the club to make everyone better aquarists. When the club meeting does not involve a presentation, there is sometimes a “bowl show” where people bring their fish and compete for the most attractive one. In these shows each fish is described in full about their preferred habitat, their origin, breeding status, etc. All fun facts that teach anyone interested how to fully care for and allow the fish to thrive in their possession.
The Desert Aquarist Society also supports the locally owned fish stores to a large degree. Local fish stores are the resource for aquatic hobbyists for uncommon species and specialized equipment. They are also a great place for new fish keepers to go and learn a lot about the fundamentals to successfully keeping an aquarium. Fish store values are in line with the Desert Aquarist Society so they work together to benefit the hobby. The club brings more business to the stores through gift cards and the stores give the club discounts on supplies as well as the cost of the gift cards.
Aquarium clubs are an amazing thing that gets more people into keeping aquariums and helps them stay in the hobby. So many people go to a “big box store” get a 10 gallon and fill it with a bunch of fish the same day and struggle to keep fish alive for months, if not years. This frustration only leads to them emptying that aquarium, storing it in their garage or selling it on craigslist. The problem that leads up to these very common circumstances is the lack of knowledge that gets passed on to the customers as well as the false information floating around in the hobby. The Desert Aquarist Society recognizes this and challenges the difficulties new fish keepers face by providing a community of teachers to help guide them in the path to a successful experience. This gets more people in the aquarium hobby and brings a brighter light to new aquarists.
Aquarium fish keepers only learn more through online resources, fish stores, or books. The Desert Aquarist Society brings people together for the passion of aquatic plants animals to talk about what they love and share their experiences with people that are truly interested. People are able to learn from each other and share plants and fish with one another so everyone is happy with what they keep. This sense of community is what is most important to the Desert Aquarist Society and what they strive for.
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