5 Unexpected Ways Being a Fish Parent Benefits You

Many people consider fish to be strictly for newcomers to the pet parent world. However, there are several benefits these aquatic acquaintances provide that other pets like cats and dogs don’t (yes, I said it). It is a largely accepted fact that having a pet of almost any kind will lower your stress, anxiety, and blood pressure. That being said, there are a few benefits to owning a fish that their mammalian counterparts would be hard pressed to compete with.

Here are 5 unexpected benefits of owning a fish!

1. Though some cats and dogs are recommended for animal lovers with allergies, fish allergies are very rare and are typically associated with the stirring of dust caused by air pumps and certain types of bacteria than with the fish themselves. Owning fish allows those with severe pet allergies to enjoy the same kind of healthy stress relief people with furry pets experience. This means that those who have an affinity toward their finned friends can pick and choose from a wide variety with no limitation (except what you have space for).
2. Fish contribute to cognitive focus. Unlike cats and dogs whose movements are sporadic and unpredictable, fish always swim in the same rhythmic motion and watching them promotes mental clarity. Their motions vary just enough to hold our attention and keep us interested but are rhythmic enough as not to break our train of thought. This allows our minds to wonder in a centralized manner.  In the same way doodling can help us concentrate and learn, aquariums can help us problem solve, develop ideas, and even improve memory. Additionally, we know that fish are making the difference because studies conducted using aquariums without fish did not yield the same results.  The theory is connected to the fact that, unlike other pets who can breathe air like we do, fish have to be provided with an environment.  This means we become voyeurs of behavior and not instigators, admiring the patterns of an animal in something that resembles it’s natural habitat. In this way they provide the same kind of peace and calm that we might get from visiting a park or going on a walk and connecting with nature in a psychologically positive way.  And because of this…
3. Fish are used to help people with learning disabilities and mental health disorders.  In Alzheimer’s patients there is a marked improvement in those that are exposed to fish tanks as far as appetite and eating behavior. Additionally studies have linked benefits to aquariums and helping kids with ADHD focus, as well as sooth and make it easier to educate children with autism. This is due to the therapeutic nature of aquariums that greatly contributes to the learning behavior of children with social/emotional disorders that might be frightened or distracted by more active and unpredictable pets.
4. Doctor’s offices that have fish tanks in the waiting room experience a higher volume of patients who regularly follow the doctor’s advice. This means a higher volume of heathier patients or patients who recover from sickness more quickly. No one is exactly sure why this phenomenon occurs. Some theorize it is due to less anxiety building up before the visit that makes people less combative and more capable of listening since their minds aren’t cluttered by a plethora of anxiety.  There is also a correlation between aquariums being a natural painkiller, which may also explain their prevalence in dentist offices, specifically.
5. Unlike cats and dogs that might actually wake you up at night with moving around or making noise, fish will only continue to tranquilly swim while you are sleeping, and many fish owners say that the gentle sound of running water helps lull them to sleep. Many health benefits can be linked to people living near water and it is thought that the fish tank might artificially mimic this same strange effect.

Do you have some finned friends in your life that help you in some way we didn’t discuss?  Share your story in the comments.