No one who regularly reads this magazine thinks of fish as boring pets. Yet there do seem to be some people (obviously, not fishkeepers) who think that fish are “boring.” The next time you hear this, run a few of these thoughts past what you might want to call “fish naysayers.”

First, fish can indeed recognize their caretakers — of course, not to the extent that some other animals can — but I have heard of several people who talk about their fish coming forward when they pass by the tank. This may be a reaction to the fact that the fishkeeper is also the one bringing the food, but this does prove that fish are not brainless, as some people seem to think.

Also, fish can be controversial. Take a look at the goldfish on the cover. There are a lot of different goldfish varieties — including, of course, the bubble-eyes. Some people enjoy bubble-eye goldfish, while others find them to be very upsetting. If you’ve never seen a bubble-eye before, now’s a great time to take a glimpse at one; you can find such a picture on page 66 of the article “Goldfish Galore” by John Dawes (which starts on page 62).

Another controversy in the fish world is dying (as in injecting with color). On page 90, you will find an article titled “Examining X-ray Cats” by Spencer Glass. These are remarkable fish just in their natural form, due to their transparent appearance, though some of them are dyed to add a hint of color to them.

Most importantly, the majority of pets — whether furred, feathered or finned — make great pals. Everybody has different favorite animals to care for, and hopefully you’ll continue to enjoy caring for your fish. At the same time, you’re bringing a little portion of the ocean or a freshwater river into your life — and there are not many hobbies where someone can make that claim. So, enjoy your fish, and keep giving them all the great care they deserve.