After World War 2 aquarium become popular placed inside homes. At that times electricity makes the aquarium equipment technology such as aquarium lights, pumps filters, and aerator (air bubble producing device) better. Aircraft also play an important role. Thanks to the aircraft, more species of fish can be imported into Europe from its original place. Many people who have two or more aquarium in his home.

Dublin Zoological Gardens now have a central system for power aerator with air bubbling to all aquariums. The difference with the past is, aerator system when it was still done manually (using human power.)

Starting in 1960 the development of technological aquarium equipment was increasing rapidly in Germany. As a result, many people are interested in maintaining the ornamental fish with water plants in the aquarium as a hobby.

The presence of aquarium equipment technology such as CO2 equipment, aquarium fertilizer, sand, and proper lighting for aquatic plants to grow fresh and fertile in the tank, change the focus of freshwater aquariums from the previous on ornamental fish, now are turning to water plants aquarium.

Since then, aquarium was no longer a place to keep the fish alone. Aquarium has been a part of the interior of the building. In addition, the aquarium is believed to reduce the saturation, which is often placed in doctor's waiting room, airport, hospital, hotel, office, or at home to release stress after work.

Aquarium more than as a hobby, now serves also as a 'living painting' that add to the beauty of the room interior.

Development of the aquarium equipment technology makes the open aquarium concept so that leaves of the water plant Echinodorus cordifolius may arise from the surface of the water and produced a flower.

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The first freshwater aquarium book (das SuBwasser Aquarium) was published in 1857 at Leizpig, German by Verlag Hermann Mendelsohn. In his books he said that too often feeding fishes may be harmful. Fish should be feeding in two or three times a week, and the remaining feed must be immediately removed. Fish feed at that time commonly bread, boiled eggs, worms and small insects.

The fresh water aquarium book also said about aquarium equipment in the past which used simple equipments. For example, aquarium lighting was using oil lamps and incandescent lamps after the tube lamps were found.

Water plants kept in the aquarium quickly rotting because the weak light and no additional nutrients. Consequently, the tank in those days only contains fish not a water plant.

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In 1853, Philip Henry Gosse made the first public aquarium combined with a water fountain placed at Regents Park Zoological Gardens – England, so that can be enjoyed by the community. This was done because he saw the aquarium price is still expensive and be owned by rich people only. This is an aquarium in the truest sense and kept indoors. Previously aquarium in the past was kept in the yard.

Philip Henry Gosse was the first to use the word "aquarium". Since then the aquarium has become a popular in many European countries, like France (1859), Germany (1864) to reach the United States (1900). Many fish types can not live long in the aquarium, but the Macropodus operculatus, also called Paradise fish or Corydoras paleatus introduced in Paris, can survive for long time.

Philip Henry Gosse was also a writer of "A Handbook to the Marine Aquarium”. One of popular fish books and completes enough in that time, containing practical instruction for constructing, stocking and maintaining a tank and for collecting plants and animals. The book was published in London, in 1855.

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Aquarium History notes that Red Goldfish is the first freshwater ornamental fish which maintaining in the world and popular remain until today. Now, more than 125 varieties of goldfish vary of form and colors as crossbreeding result have circulating around the world.

"In summer one must ensure that the lovely colors and nimble movements catch the eye. The container of choice for this is a large glass ball with an opening large enough to ensure that the fishes can obtain sufficient air, but small enough that they cannot jump out and die if nobody is at hand." This was written (in German) about the goldfish bowl in 1856 in issue 19 of the magazine "Die Gartenlaube"

After to keep and maintaining ornamental fish become trend, in 1850 Otto Gitter opening his ornamental fish shop at Leizpig, German and Aquarium History also notes that it was the first ornamental fish store in the world.

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In 1842, Dr. Johnston introduced his first glass aquarium but the glass is only in the front side. This aquarium capacity of 20 liters and its filled with sea water.

Discovery still continues, in 1850 freshwater aquarium with a larger size (50 liters) was introduced. The aquarium contains Goldfish, a water plant species Vallisneria gigantean and some snails.

At that time, marine aquarium is more popular than freshwater aquarium. Difficulty of finding freshwater ornamental fishes (except goldfish) - while the marine ornamental fish was having more attractive color and more vary - making marine fish tank more popular.

The First Maanvis Picture

The first painting of Maanvis fish (Pterophyllum scalare) made by Alfred Russel Wallace (1823 – 1913). He saw this fish on trip to Rio Negro, Brazil in 1850s.

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Johann Matthaeus Bechsttein (1757 - 1822) in 1794 preserve a lot of fish and amphibians to study in Germany. In 1797, his first fish book published. The book described on how to keep the fish such as replacement of water, the density of fish in a container, color and shape of fish, and so forth. But not to discuss about the aquarium. However, until now, after more than 200 years have passed, "ornamental fish books" still describe the same thing.

In 1819, William Thomas Brande of England published his fish book with the inscription that fish breathe by inhaling oxygen dissolved in water. He further that the oxygen in the water produced by the water plants, and fish will live a healthier when kept in tank containers that have a water plants.

In 1833, Dr. Danberry in a seminar in Cambridge, England, proving that water plants release oxygen by taking the CO2 with the help of light. Danberry's papers have been increasingly enriched repertoire of today's fish books.

Pictures of Fish Macropodus operculatus (Paradise) as one type of freshwater fish that are kept in the early days of aquarium in Europe.

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Aquarium in the past

The word 'aquarium' comes from Latin, namely aqua which means water, and rium which means the container. So aquarium is the definition of ' the container for fish, plants and aquatic organisms to be seen'.

Ancient Egyptians believed they are the first people who maintain a fish in a special container for thousands years ago.

Fish were initially maintained in the container before being consumed, it turns out many people's attention. The Romans later followed the way of maintenance of the fish. Since that's the way it spread to the Far East.

China in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) continued the tradition of maintaining ornamental fish in a ceramic ponds as the place of the gold fish and put it in the yard. Beginning in 1644 until the end of the Ming Dynasty, almost all homes have a container to keep goldfish. Fish have been placed in every containers; from the jar, ceramic boxes, to the bathroom tub. Even they are not using the glass aquarium, keeping goldfish in a ceramic container bring joy and entertainment for all the people of China.

Carrasius auratus auratus, goldfish originating from China with a greenish black color. Derivatives goldfish still exist today in various colors and shapes as a result of crossing. In those days there was no other kind of ornamental freshwater fish that can spread so quickly and evenly to all the world like a goldfish.

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