Ever heard of the phrase “surviving isn’t thriving”? It’s a popular saying in the fishkeeping community. This phrase can be true, but not always. You see, I believe surviving CAN be thriving. I believe fish who live for years probably were pretty healthy.
Sick And/Or Stressed Fish Don’t Live For Years
Unfortunately, fish do get sick and many times die. But, fish that live for years (even in bowls) probably aren’t sick. You see, sick fish usually can’t make it for years unless the disease isn’t even that dangerous (or very slow-killing). Majority of diseases (that I know of) kill fish within a few months or less.
Ich is one of the most slowest-killing parasites that I know of. But, some even say Ich can kill a fish within a week or so! Stress paired with a disease such as ich, and actually kill a fish. So, (for example) if your betta fish lived for 4-5 years, it probably didn’t have a disease and was pretty happy.
Thriving And Happy Fish CAN Live For Years
Thriving fish, on the other hand, CAN live for years. Fish that live for years probably didn’t have a disease and was probably pretty happy. A betta (for example) with Ich probably won’t survive for 5 years, but healthy and thriving one will!
Conclusion
Many fish keepers believe that surviving isn’t always thriving, but I believe that if a fish lives for as long as it expected, it probably was a pretty healthy fish! I think fish could even thrive in bows. But that does not mean we have to shove them in bowls? Always to keep the fish at the best of your ability, but fish can survive AND thrive in a small aquarium. I would not recommend putting them in one, but it depends on the water quality and the size of the fish.
