@AmyKieran and @GaryE I felt like a jerk when I read your posts . My wife isn't that bad.
Who sits and just watches their tank for extended periods?
- Thread starter GaryE
- Start date
Ok...this is going to get a bit deep for me...so bare with me. I have always loved watching my tanks. Taking time each day to check on everyone and make sure everything was going well.
In 2017, I was pregnant with my second little boy. Everything went fine with the first, why wouldn't it with the second?At 19 weeks pregnant, my water broke. This is not conducive with life. We were told to prepare and make arrangements. I was so sad, angry, could not think straight when I was sent home to wait for my baby to die. I sat and watched my fish, this strange calm and clarity came over me. The doctors wanted to induce me if I didn't go into labor on my own. At the check up 4 days later, he was still there, strong heartbeat, no water, but growing. I told them, if he is good, I want to see how far we can go. They told me I would become septic and die, I told them I would have weekly labs and if infection markers spiked then we would do something different. For 10 weeks, no water, but growing well. I believe my time dwelling in front of the tanks helped keep my blood pressure and anxiety/stress at bay. Hubs had to do maintenance but we all survived.
Finally, after 10 weeks without water he was born by emergency csection, they resuscitated him for 15 minutes, but once his eyes opened I knew my little fish out of water was going to be OK. 94 days in NICU. 111 days at home on oxygen, many, many nights in the livingroom watching the fish by lamp light. They were my calm, my peace even when the world felt like it was falling apart.
My little boy's name is Finn, he loves the fish as much as I do,,we found they helped him too so that is why the boys have a tank in their room.
I always watch my tanks, when I do, I can feel the weight come off my shoulders, my heart beat slows and I am relaxed.
Edited: the year, cause I had a brain fart, preggo in 2017, little fish was born in 2018.
In 2017, I was pregnant with my second little boy. Everything went fine with the first, why wouldn't it with the second?At 19 weeks pregnant, my water broke. This is not conducive with life. We were told to prepare and make arrangements. I was so sad, angry, could not think straight when I was sent home to wait for my baby to die. I sat and watched my fish, this strange calm and clarity came over me. The doctors wanted to induce me if I didn't go into labor on my own. At the check up 4 days later, he was still there, strong heartbeat, no water, but growing. I told them, if he is good, I want to see how far we can go. They told me I would become septic and die, I told them I would have weekly labs and if infection markers spiked then we would do something different. For 10 weeks, no water, but growing well. I believe my time dwelling in front of the tanks helped keep my blood pressure and anxiety/stress at bay. Hubs had to do maintenance but we all survived.
Finally, after 10 weeks without water he was born by emergency csection, they resuscitated him for 15 minutes, but once his eyes opened I knew my little fish out of water was going to be OK. 94 days in NICU. 111 days at home on oxygen, many, many nights in the livingroom watching the fish by lamp light. They were my calm, my peace even when the world felt like it was falling apart.
My little boy's name is Finn, he loves the fish as much as I do,,we found they helped him too so that is why the boys have a tank in their room.
I always watch my tanks, when I do, I can feel the weight come off my shoulders, my heart beat slows and I am relaxed.
Edited: the year, cause I had a brain fart, preggo in 2017, little fish was born in 2018.
Last edited:
Wow! What an amazing life story! Thank you for sharing. How old is your son now? I'm very happy you didn't give up on him like the doctors suggested but instead fought for him. Your a super hero mom!
Thank you, it was one of the scariest things I have ever been through, if the outcome had been different, I know I would not have been able to adjust as well. He turned 4 in January. He is so sweet and absolutely fears nothing, I am pretty sure he will be the next Evel Knieval
. Most of my gray hairs have come from him.
Yah I have heard that second kids can be crazy. I know my brother is the second kid and he is... Insane lol.Thank you, it was one of the scariest things I have ever been through, if the outcome had been different, I know I would not have been able to adjust as well. He turned 4 in January. He is so sweet and absolutely fears nothing, I am pretty sure he will be the next Evel Knieval
When I my parents found out they were having me the doctors said that because of their age I may have autism or downs syndrome... They asked them if they wanted a test done which had a 50/50 shot of possibly killing me and they said no and would take me just the way I was... I do have autism on the lower spectrum but I'm so happy they didn't decide to do the test... Who knows, maybe I wouldn't have even been born. It could've killed me...
WhistlingBadger
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I don't do this nearly often enough: Just sit and enjoy my tanks. I always come away calmer and more grateful when I do, though.
@SomethingsFishy24 Thanks for sharing your story.
@SomethingsFishy24 Thanks for sharing your story.
My 5 gallon is next to my desk in my home office so I sometime watch the sole Neon Tetra (survivor) in the tank.
In my finished basement, I have my 29 gallon tank to the right of my recliner and the TV is in front of the recliner. Makes for convenient viewing of the tank.
In my finished basement, I have my 29 gallon tank to the right of my recliner and the TV is in front of the recliner. Makes for convenient viewing of the tank.
I have 2 computer chairs in the fish tank room, along with my desktop computer and a fantastic sound system. I sit for a coiple of hours a day, when I'm not actually doing something in or for a fishtank anyway, and have the movie of Andrea Bocelli's love in Portofino playing in surround sound.
It's so damn relaxing and you know what - my wife is suffering early dementia and it really helps her state of mind, altough she insists on having every last thing "in it's proper place" in a room strewn with bits and pieces.
It's so damn relaxing and you know what - my wife is suffering early dementia and it really helps her state of mind, altough she insists on having every last thing "in it's proper place" in a room strewn with bits and pieces.
I know a lot of people moan and complain about their wife’s but you never know when anything can happen and your whole world goes upside down. Love your wife everyday
jams
Fish Fanatic
Watching my tanks, best stress reliever. Should do it more often, but...
OP
OP
Hasn't this been a reminder that we should be kind to people because we never know what their hidden lives are. Watching the fish is important for a lot of people here. Maybe I'm not alone with that "whoosh, feel the tension levels drop" feeling I sometimes get when I step into the fish lair.
I got my fish tank to deal with stress when my husband was hit by a car and nearly died, it really helped me destress watching the tank in an evening once I'd finished caring for him. A daft time to set up a tank given I had enough else to do but I honestly think it helped him too hence there are a few fish in there he picked. Fast forward a couple of years and 2wks into lockdown a diagnosis of an incurable neurological condition for me and again my fish help me through each morning while I try and get my body to work properly. I can while away a good hour just watching them and my hubbie often complains that I'm not paying attention to whatever film he's put on as I'm gazing at the tank just watching the fish go about their lives and, if truth be told, a bit of me is wishing I could shrink down and get in there to swim with them.
ClownLurch
Fish Gatherer
Some touching tales here. Best of luck to everyone who finds comfort in relaxing with their fish. It’s a rufftuff cruel world at times and anything that helps navigate it should be cherished.
Uberhoust
Fish Herder
No tales to tell but our main fish tanks are in our "den" area and are constantly being watched. The twenty for my new angel fry is right on the kitchen island counter so they watch everything. The angels follow us around the room as we go about our business. I know if something isn't quite right because that is when they stay hidden in the plants, something not right can be a bad experience with someone new in the house, or if they are not feeling well.
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