Throw Back Thursday, or TBT, is an ever growing trend on social media networks that has old and young patrons alike sharing pictures of everything past. In our little niche as aquarists, or specifically reef aquarists, we can look back upon inumerous topics, theories, trends, types of equipment, and anything else that starts with the letter “T”. All of which evokes laughter, tears, and little smirks considering just how far we have come to keep these animals happy and thriving within the confines of our homes or businesses. From here on out, every Thursday we’ll be featuring a thing of the past regarding our beloved “hobby” – smirk.

For this first installment we’ll be joining Marty and Doc going way back taking a look at some throwback pictures featured by Russian aquarium blog, glassbox-history.ru. These types of historical documentations of our little niche fascinates me. I mean, c’mon… even these days it’s not unusual to overhear someone struggling with keeping their Xiphophorus spp. (Platys) alive, when these guys were keeping animals in similar glass boxes over a hundred years ago.

Check out all the crazy designs people were already toying with in 1959. Could you imagine their faces if they saw what we’re doing today? Source: glassbox-history.ru

This girl’s expression, circa 1930, is priceless, and just what you’ll see many onlookers doing today in front of a glass box. Source: glassbox-history.ru

Sir David Attenborough at the Shedd Aquarium, with one of my favorite fishes in the background, Osteoglossum bicirrhosum. Source: glassbox-history.ru

This “Ultra Cool Aquarium of 1950” was just that, double decker and all. Source: glassbox-history.ru