As a child, Tarun Chid’s parents would set him down in front of his grandparent’s mixed community aquarium and he would sit contently for hours staring at it.

Fast-forward to now, and Chid has six aquariums, more than 150 fish, and runs a successful YouTube channel called ‘Bodgie from Straya’ that allows him to showcase his passion for aquariums.

“I document my journey, make product reviews on aquarium gear that I use, and showcase how fun aquariums can be to people of all ages. I hope that by showcasing my experience of both wins and failures it can inspire a new generation of budding aquarists to enter the hobby.”

The 19-year-old hopes that his YouTube channel and his general passion for aquatics will inspire young people to enter the industry, as he did at such a young age, as he believes that having the responsibility of pets at a young age teaches so many life skills which Chid says has helped him as a teenager and now as a young adult.

“I would love to see more inclusivity of ages in the pet industry, whilst there is a large part of the industry targeted towards children, I feel like there is a lack of information and education that is provided to children about pet care and husbandry.

“To give an example of something I’ve experienced first-hand, parents often mention that their children wanted a pet but then don’t show any interest in care. I believe that this is because pet husbandry and care is made out to be a chore where in reality it offers a beautiful time to closely interact with your pet.”

Holding an annual pass to the SeaLife Melbourne aquarium, Chid visits ever week and says he learns something new each time, whether it be about conservation, fish husbandry, or fish behaviours.

“I love seeing aquatic environments out in the wild because it inspires me with new ideas on how to set up an aquarium and the fish I want to keep.”

On being recognised as a Young Gun, the 19-year-old says it is an amazing privilege and an honour as he has always dreamt of being part of the wider pet and aquarium industry.

“I’ve been able to increase my presence and share my experience in the industry because of all these great social media platforms and public events. Being recognised as a Young Gun would give me so much motivation to continue doing what I’m doing in the aquarium industry, and I’d love to achieve so much more.”

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