Mother Earth has been a concept for a long time but the scientific concept of life being self regulating was largely coined by the late Dr. James Lovelock in a theory known as the Gaia Hypothesis. This hypothesis captured life’s nature to recover and the interconnected system between organisms. Although later combated or maybe better complicated by the Medea hypothesis theorised by Professor Peter Ward and the popular book, The Selfish Gene by Dr Richard Dawkins. These two theories encapsulate the complex nature of life itself and the many mass extinction events caused by species in that fight for life and reproduction.

Survival is argued as not altruistic regardless if competing with members of your own species or another. There is a constant battle not just between predator and prey but between competitors for resources such as space. This battle is not just found in the animal world though, plants fight for space and use a variety of mechanisms to do this.

But how does this effect us in the aquarium hobby? Just by the selfish nature of organisms we can’t look at each organism providing a role, that’s not how nature works and it ignores that species provide multiple interactions. Plants don’t just photosynthesise but they constantly respire and also utilise minerals within the water. These plants might then compete with each other and maybe a fish for a variety of these resources. To compete with plants many develop methods to block out light but in that competition for space other methods might be utilised, plants like many other organisms potentially utilise chemical warfare.

Within animals when people think about purposes particularly pests they might not just interact as ideally wanted, loaches that feed on snails might take smaller fishes.

In the aquarium I feel we have to balance this constant battle. Everything using oxygen, feeding on nutrients and space.

While I’ve provided no citations it’s more a food for thought short communication essay.