aquarist

alt=Designing and maintaining of Aquarium Tank by the Students of College of Agriculture Yandev. Gboko Benue State|thumb|An aquarist in the process of designing a tank for educational purposes. An aquarist is a person who manages aquariums, either professionally or as a hobby. They typically care for aquatic animals, including fish and marine invertebrates. Some may care for aquatic mammals. Aquarists often work at public aquariums. They may also work at nature reserves, zoos, and amusement parks. Some aquarists conduct field research outdoors. In business, aquarists may work at pet stores, as commercial fish breeders, or as manufacturers. Some aquarists are hobbyists, also known as "home aquarists," who may vary in skills and experience.

== History == People have cared for aquatic animals since ancient times. The Sumerians kept fish in ponds as early as 2500 BCE. Pliny the Elder wrote of people who kept fish as oracles, and ancient Agrigent was believed to have fish ponds. The Roman poet Rutilus Namatianus wrote of a Etrurian Jew who kept fish in opaque tanks. By the 10th century, goldfish were popular pets in China. In 1369, Emperor Hung Wu established a porcelain factory to produce large tubs for fish. Around 1500, goldfish came to Sakai, Japan. Two hundred years later, Sato Sanzaemon, from Koriyama, became the first Japanese fish breeder, and fish breeding became popular throughout Japan. Around 1611, goldfish came to Europe, probably first in Portugal. By the 18th century, goldfish were common pets in Europe. During this time, Richard Bradley, an English botanist, and John Dayell, a Scottish naturalist, experimented with keeping marine life. In particular, scientists tried to determine if marine life could survive in captivity, as they usually died shortly after being removed from their natural environments.