npnailer

For me, Fish health, and well being first. After all...an aquarium by definition, is a place to keep fish as pets.
The rest is just the background, for me. Nice if it looks good along the way...but the main reason for all of those plants and logs in the end, is to provide a habitat for the fish. Obviously..if one can make it both healthy for the fish and nice looking, that's a bonus worth pursuing. I think of modern zoos as compared to older ones. Now, habitats try to mimic the native areas that the display animals come from. But...while they end up looking alot nicer then a square, cement bottom cage...that is a secondary bonus. The main reason to "scape" a zoo display, is for the benefit of the residents, NOT because it looks nice, or is considered art. I personally see aquariums that way, and I would guess that modern aquascaping is primarily an evolution of the desire to make the best possible home for the finny residents of an aquarium.
I am working on a tank right now..have used all native plants, even the substrate is "free range". The reason for that? I want to have local fish, and local flora and substrate will be the healthiest for them, I would think. In the end..to ME, it seems a bit selfish to put the well being of the residents of the aquarium secondary to how it looks.
That's just me though...to each their own.
Oh, I needed to add...none of the above means I have ANY disrespect for those who consider aquascaping an art form. I agree, it IS most certainly an artistic endeavor. As long as the well being of the fish is not compromised, then placing them secondary to the look of the tank is fine by me, if that's the goal of the person who owns it. My only concern was if the well being of the fish is placed far enough down, that it is compromised just to get a look. I am by no means saying anyone here does that, just that if so...yeah, I'd have a problem with that.
We owe it to the fish to make sure they are taken care of to the best of our ability. If not...they should be left out, and a plant only tank set up.

Raul-7

Why would one put the effect of an aquascape before the health and needs of their fish? That's selfish to say the least, IMO. For example, the way Amano had an overstocked tank filled with Chinese Banded Sharks simply for the 'wow effect' was rather shocking to say the least. If you want to have an effective aquascape you need to have a balance between the two, a 'win-win' situation for both sides is what makes an aquascape truly beautiful as it shows the aquascaper knows how to deal with both sets of challenges effectively, IMVHO.

Anyways, it's all subjective and down to the particular hobbyist. Some focus solely on the art while others focus on the fish. Some like a tank with a large group of one species that simply enhance the aquascape while others prefer an interacting community of different species. The beauty of this hobby is in it's diversity, IMO. You have the fish breeders, aquascapers and a mix of the two (which most of us fall under). Why do we need to change it?