propaganda

We are now at the dawn of a new age in aquariumming, if that's even a word, and LifeFLOW is at the epicenter of this evolution.

The big change is from analog to digital aquarium. Both contain living beings. Both are fun. Both are miniature reflections of the awesome beauty of nature. Yet one of them costs a lot more, to you and to the environment, and the other one brings a whole new level of interest.

Extreme costs: the predator fish hiding behind the treasure chest toy

An aquarium is a fun hobby or toy for kids, and something you see in seafood restaurants or at watery theme parks. At least that's what the Big Fish industry wants you to believe. When we take a peek behind the fake plants, what we see is an altogether different kettle of fish.

When we start adding up the costs of the container tank itself, the fish, the lights and filters, the pH and ammonia test kits, the heater, the thermometer, the replacement bulbs and filters, the food and medicine, the stand, the gravel, the plants (fake ones or biological ones), the algae scraper, and the little scuba diver mannequins, the costs skyrocket. And that's still just for starters. Once we add in the electricity and water bills, and all the time spent cleaning and maintaining the fish tank (not to mention flushing dead fish down the toilet), and the huge toll on the environment from all that water and electricity and plastic and metal and other chemicals, and of course the poor plight of the unfortunate fish, this is no longer a fun and easy hobby. This is a complex and expensive fish prison.

A few factoids:

Cost estimate for a small fish tank (a medium one can cost at least double): $571.50 (http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=16+2168&aid=1525)

Cost estimate for yearly electricity for a small fish tank: $494.50 (http://www.tropicalfishsite.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-run-a-fish-tan…)

And in addition to the financial costs, just picture all those dozens of gallons of water, and the extra production of electricity and plastic and other resources for an aquarium and all the accessories. And then all those times that you have to clean the tank, feed the fish, and flush a dead fish down the toilet and explain to your child why you just did that and where the fish went. And of course the poor fish themselves don't fare too well in all of this:

Because fish can not verbalize their needs and we are not able to 'touch' them, as well as the fact that many people consider fish as lower life forms, their welfare is often neglected. The old adage "if a fish dies we'll just get a new one" has no business in the language of the modern fish keeper. Study after study has shown that these creatures possess advanced nervous systems and feel pain and suffering just as much as their mammalian counterparts. If potential aquarium owners are not willing to acknowledge this and are not committed to the fish's well being first and foremost, then they are not ready to keep fish. An aquarium should not be viewed as a decoration but as a living, biological environment that provides a healthy, safe refuge for the fish that live there. A well maintained, healthy aquarium becomes an object of beauty. A poorly maintained aquarium is an eyesore and the cause of death for the unlucky fish inhabitants.

Something smells fishy here.

LifeFLOW digitarium: the natural choice

Introducing the all new LifeFLOW digitarium. It’s a virtual aquarium, like an aquarium but instead you can run it on an existing computer, tablet, or even your telephone! And all you have to do is go to the website! :)

By contrast with a traditional, old-fashioned, conservative, analog, over-the-hill aquarium, LifeFLOW creatures live easily and robustly. Our resilient little flowers move about freely, for a fraction of the cost -- to the environment and to your wallet.

Let's take a closer look. Going back to our previous selection of factoids, we can now add one more:

Cost estimate for a small fish tank (a medium one can cost at least double): $571.50

Cost estimate for yearly electricity for a small fish tank: $494.50

Cost estimate for a LifeFLOW digitarium: $0*

* We recommend making a contribution and you can purchase various improvements, all for a tiny fraction of the cost of a fish tank.

And then, of course, a LifeFLOW digital creature does not need to be fed flakes, or thrown in the toilet. An entire LifeFLOW digitarium runs in a web browser on any computer, tablet, or even a phone. You don't even have to buy new hardware, and the electrical costs are trivial. You can upgrade any time. You don't need to pump dozens of gallons of water, and filter it, and learn how to use all of that expensive equipment. And you don't have to imprison poor little fish.

Furthermore, in addition to all the cost savings, we're constantly introducing new features. As you read this, amazing new functionality is in the works. It's super-rad. And we're still just getting started with tons more to come! :)

Instead of destroying the environment, your finances, your free time, and the lives of poor innocent fish, invest in the new generation of digital vivarium technology. Please support us and sponsor some creature 'n' feature development today! :)

For the environment, for your wallet, for fishkind, for now and for the future! :)

Conclusion: Now is the time to go digital

If you take only one lesson away from this position piece, let it be this: now is the time to go digital in the aquarium game.

By the way, everything you just read here applies also to a terrarium, insectarium, or any other kind of expensive old-fashioned thing ending in -arium. Except perhaps for a planetarium. Just substitute "land animal", "insect", or whatever for "fish", and the article should read fairly well. Although I guess no one flushes ants down the toilet. Well, maybe some people do. Anyways.

In summary, instead of a messy, costly, environmentally disastrous, inhumane fish prison, please consider a fun, affordable, new, clean, green, humane LifeFLOW digitarium. It's the natural choice.

To borrow from the aquarium article: "Then sit back and enjoy the real beauty of the special company of these happy, healthy living creatures."

Yours truly,
Eagle
Digitariumizer (if that’s even a word)