Sometimes I don’t have to go far to find something interesting to photograph. Even a visit to an ornamental fish shop is enough to keep me there for quite a while.
Tonight, I stopped by an ornamental fish shop. As soon as I walked in, my attention was immediately drawn to the rows of aquariums filled with all kinds of fish. Some were small, some were large, and many of them were beautifully colorful.
I came across some small fish with a rather unique spotted pattern. They may not be very large, but the patterns on their bodies caught my attention and made me want to take a closer look, especially since this was the first time I had ever seen this type of fish.
The further I walked inside, the more aquariums I found, each filled with different kinds of ornamental fish. Every tank seemed to have its own little underwater world, with different shapes, colors, and patterns.
The atmosphere was surprisingly relaxing too. It felt like all the stress slowly disappeared while I listened to the sound of water flowing through the filters and the gentle bubbles rising through the tanks. Watching the fish constantly swim around was almost like looking into a tiny world beneath the water.
One of the aquariums was filled with small fish in a beautiful variety of colors. There were red, pink, yellow, orange, and many other shades swimming together.
What I found most interesting was seeing so many different kinds of fish in one place.
This visit also made me realize that keeping ornamental fish is not just about choosing the most beautiful ones. The size of the aquarium, water quality, filtration, proper food, and regular maintenance all play an important role in keeping the fish healthy and helping them live longer.
After spending quite some time walking around the ornamental fish shop and taking a few photos, I finally went home without buying any fish. I was actually looking for a Betta fish, also known in Indonesia as ikan cupang or fighting fish. It is one of the most popular ornamental fish in Indonesia, and prices can range from around $2 to $100, depending on the variety, quality, and appearance.
But at least I went home with some photos and a little story from this place.
For me, photography is always enjoyable because we don't have to travel far to find something interesting. Sometimes, a simple ornamental fish shop is enough to take us for a moment into a small world full of colors.
Do you also keep ornamental fish at home? If you could choose one, what kind of fish would you love to keep?
I'd love to hear your stories and experiences in the comments.
Warm greetings from Indonesia,
Original photos by 
Written in Indonesian by
Translated into English with the help of ChatGPT
