Fishing for Peace

Reports that fish have become fixtures to adorn offices, restaurants, and homes. Increase in fish sales, according to the American Marine Life Dealers Association; Medical benefits of watching fish; Reasons for the presence of fish in residences and businesses.

By Camille Chatterjee, published on March 01, 1999

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Fish aren't just the golden-scaled time bombs you won at the state flair anymore. Their boldly colored tropical cousins have suddenly become the hottest fixtures to adorn offices, restaurants, and homes.

Fish sales have increased more than 25% in the past few years, according to the American Marine Life Dealers Association. There are good reasons: studies show that watching fish decreases blood pressure, induces a feeling of calm and, when placed in dentists' offices, reduces the need for novocaine before surgery.

In the past, the impersonal nature of creatures you can't cuddle had led most pet owners to prefer cats or dogs. But serene, low-maintenance tropical fish are the perfect antidote to fast-paced, harried lives. The gentle rush of water in a tank and the slow, soothing strokes of fins have the strange ability to mesmerize even the most stressed among us. Which is why fish have suddenly become both the decor and the pet of choice in our increasingly busy world.