“Last weekend, my nine-year old son, Tonny, asked how many fish we actually have”, he says. “He tried to count them, but we ended up guessing. It must be at least a few hundred.” Faure’s specialty, so to say, is African cichlids that only come from Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika. These are so-called mouthbrooders, meaning that the female incubates fertilised eggs in her mouth for three or four weeks, during which she is not able to eat. It is a process which continues to fascinate Faure, but there is more. “These fish have magnificent colours and an interesting character”, he says. “It’s compelling to see how they interact; males, for instance, can be quite aggressive towards each other. Besides, they know me pretty well.”

One might wonder whether it is possible to bond with a fish. The answer, according to Faure, is a firm yes. “When I or one of my family members approach the aquarium, the fish will swim to the surface of the water”, he explains. “Yet, when there are strangers around, they’ll hide out of fear. The bigger the fish, of course, the easier it is to feel a connection. My nine giraffe catfish eat right out of my hand and really look at me, so that’s a very personal experience. They’re quite big - they can grow up to eighty centimeters long - and intelligent animals. I love them.”

Arnold, the snapping turtle
Faure’s passion for all sorts of water dwellers started out rather conventionally, with the good old goldfish. He soon became bored, however, and opted for saltwater fish instead. Not long after that, he discovered the fun of keeping cichlids and never looked back. As a student in Antwerp, he met his now longtime friend, Flor, at the shop where he used to buy his fish. “Together, we became members of the Belgian Cichlid Association”, Faure recalls. “It was the seventies, and once a month the members met up in a smoky bar for, let’s say, a presentation. It’s a lot of fun to pursue your hobby with friends.” When he met his then-colleague Marc Daenen at Maastricht University, it was the beginning of a new chapter.

“As Marc is quite exotic himself, he also likes exotic animals”, Faure laughs. “A couple of years ago he asked me to adopt Arnold, a snapping turtle that’s 1.20 metres long and who’s named after Arnold Schwarzenegger - because, just like Schwarzenegger, Arnold the turtle has huge arms. And he’s a real bastard, I can tell you. The only thing he wants to do is attack and bite. But he can’t help it; it’s in his DNA.” Long story short: Faure decided to adopt Arnold, had a customised aquarium built for him - with a very solid cover - and Arnold has since been perfectly happy, as well as aggressive.