Want CNET to notify you of price drops and the latest stories?
X

Inverted aquarium lets fish see above the water line

A whole new world comes into perspective for fish with their own personal above-the-surface glass viewing towers.

amandakooser.jpg
amandakooser.jpg
Amanda Kooser
Freelance writer Amanda C. Kooser covers gadgets and tech news with a twist for CNET. When not wallowing in weird gear and iPad apps for cats, she can be found tinkering with her 1956 DeSoto.
Amanda Kooser
2 min read

A normal fish's life is spent underwater, seeing the world below the surface. Some lucky fish get a different perspective on the universe when their owners install inverted aquariums that let them peek up over the water line.

Bored Panda featured a DIY inverted aquarium installed in a fish pond. The video, posted on Tuesday, shows the fish crowding into the enclosure and seemingly enjoying the new view that puts them at eye level with the pond plants.

The upside-down tank works thanks to the physics of atmospheric pressure. You can create a mini version of this with a glass in a sink filled with water or conduct a classic version of the experiment with a note card.

The concept of an inverted aquarium isn't brand-new. The source material for Bored Panda's video comes from YouTube user Luxusburger, who first shared it in 2014. He refers to the inverted aquarium as a "watch tower" or "panorama suite" for the fish.

The DIY project requires some building skills, tools for creating a water-tight box and a way to pump the air out of it to allow it to fill with water. YouTube user Kitty Loves Tofu shared a video late last year showing how a premade aquarium can be used to create a viewing tower. This is about as close as most fish will ever get to feeling like birds.

These far-out animals fascinate and amuse scientists

See all photos

CNET Magazine: Check out a sampling of the stories you'll find in CNET's newsstand edition.

Does the Mac still matter? Apple execs tell why the MacBook Pro was over four years in the making, and why we should care.