Multiple Tank Syndrome / noun
1. A condition in which an aquarist feels the need to acquire more and more tanks for their fish, coral or aquatic plants
Both Rob Johnson, owner of Aquatic Aesthetics in Hixson, Tennessee, and his friend, Ed Cejka, are locals who suffer from Multiple Tank Syndrome – although “suffer” probably isn’t the right word for something that the two are enthralled by. Johnson owns 11 fish tanks, ranging from 10 to 125 gallons, that he keeps at his home, alongside the 85 tanks in his shop. Cejka, a hobbyist, has 75 tanks in his home, filled with guppies and other types of livebearing fish.
Both are members of a growing and thriving aquarist community, both online and in real life.
In the real world, hobbyists may attend such conventions as Aquashella, America’s largest convention for aquarists held in various cities throughout the year; or Aquaticon, the Southeast’s premiere aquarium festival scheduled for April 30 in Knoxville. Or, locally, they can join clubs such as the Chattanooga Area Aquatic Society, which helps enthusiasts network with one another on all things fish – from making trades to selling ones they’ve bred.