A Question for the Pros

[Fancyfins12]

What do you wish you had known before you got into the hobby?

What's been your greatest mistake?

What did you do the hard way until you learned better?

 

[Colin_T]

answer is "everything" to all 3 questions.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

What do you wish you had known before you got into the hobby?

What's been your greatest mistake?

What did you do the hard way until you learned better?

Definitely not a professional, but here we go:

1) Proper stocking. I kept fish in way to small of tanks, before I had access to the internet.

2) Pretty much made veery mistake possible, but I’ve learned from them.

3) Used gravel instead of sand.

 

[Circus]

The more expensive fish isn't always best! I have found that some of my less expensive fish have a lot more, or just as much, personality as the more expensive guys. Also, getting "algae eating" fish too early.

 

[Back in the fold]

What I wish I knew then but know now ? I wish I realized that I couldn't have every fish I saw. I started out in fourth grade in 1965 and, being an overly excitable little boy, I wanted every fish the pet shop had. I overcrowded my tanks with every incompatible thing there was. I once had an Oscar in my five gallon believe it or not. The turning point came when my Dad got me a book on tropical fish and I read that book a hundred times and took it all as gospel. I also used to go ape with my chemical dechlorinators thinking that if a little was good then a whole lot must be better. I also used to try out every medication available. Know what you are doing before you get wild with all the elixirs and potions. Take everything slow, nothing is instant. This is a great hobby because you get to be a little scientist and ichthyologist and actually learn something useful and beneficial. Enjoy the ride.

 

[OliveFish05]

What do you wish you had known before you got into the hobby?

What's been your greatest mistake?

What did you do the hard way until you learned better?

I wish I had known that my betta needed more than a tiny unfiltered, unheated bowl (my first fish, I knew next to nothing)

My greatest mistake was not quarantining my Electric Blue Acara long enough, and now my whole tank has ich

Edit: I lied, my greatest mistake is leaving my fish food anywhere my dog can reach! I can treat ich, I can't get back that $7 bottle of worms and those 5 entire cups of flake food

Answer to the third question is water changes. I used to have a tiny cup and a one gallon pitcher, and that was how I did my water changes on my ten gallon. I finally decided to just pay for the $5 siphon

 

[UnknownFishies]

What did I wish I knew before I got into the hobby? Well for that I would say knowing how sad it is to lose a fish. I mean I know it’s always sad when something dies but you get really emotionally attached to these little guys.

Greatest Mistake? That would be putting Serpae tetras with long fin black skirt tetras.

What did I do the hard way until I learned a better way? Probably cleaning my decorations. I used to just rinse them in hot water but then realized I should soak them so they don’t get my tank dirty.

 

[Fancyfins12]

Definitely not a professional, but here we go:

1) Proper stocking. I kept fish in way to small of tanks, before I had access to the internet.

2) Pretty much made veery mistake possible, but I’ve learned from them.

3) Used gravel instead of sand.

I keep smooth gravel in my tanks. Sand is better? Why? Thanks!

 

[Fancyfins12]

The more expensive fish isn't always best! I have found that some of my less expensive fish have a lot more, or just as much, personality as the more expensive guys. Also, getting "algae eating" fish too early.

Too early? As in the tank wasn't well established enough to keep them fed?

Thanks for your reply!

 

[Fancyfins12]

What I wish I knew then but know now ? I wish I realized that I couldn't have every fish I saw. I started out in fourth grade in 1965 and, being an overly excitable little boy, I wanted every fish the pet shop had. I overcrowded my tanks with every incompatible thing there was. I once had an Oscar in my five gallon believe it or not. The turning point came when my Dad got me a book on tropical fish and I read that book a hundred times and took it all as gospel. I also used to go ape with my chemical dechlorinators thinking that if a little was good then a whole lot must be better. I also used to try out every medication available. Know what you are doing before you get wild with all the elixirs and potions. Take everything slow, nothing is instant. This is a great hobby because you get to be a little scientist and ichthyologist and actually learn something useful and beneficial. Enjoy the ride.

Thank you for sharing!

 

[Fancyfins12]

I wish I had known that my betta needed more than a tiny unfiltered, unheated bowl (my first fish, I knew next to nothing)

My greatest mistake was not quarantining my Electric Blue Acara long enough, and now my whole tank has ich

Edit: I lied, my greatest mistake is leaving my fish food anywhere my dog can reach! I can treat ich, I can't get back that $7 bottle of worms and those 5 entire cups of flake food

Answer to the third question is water changes. I used to have a tiny cup and a one gallon pitcher, and that was how I did my water changes on my ten gallon. I finally decided to just pay for the $5 siphon

Thank you for sharing your knowledge! Keep the pup away from fish food. Got it!

 

[Fancyfins12]

What did I wish I knew before I got into the hobby? Well for that I would say knowing how sad it is to lose a fish. I mean I know it’s always sad when something dies but you get really emotionally attached to these little guys.

Greatest Mistake? That would be putting Serpae tetras with long fin black skirt tetras.

What did I do the hard way until I learned a better way? Probably cleaning my decorations. I used to just rinse them in hot water but then realized I should soak them so they don’t get my tank dirty.

I did not expect to get to attached to them either! ! haven't heard of soaking decorations! Do you do that before you add them or when you clean the tank? How often? Thank.you for sharing!

 

[OliveFish05]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge! Keep the pup away from fish food. Got it!

No problem!
Yup, learned my lesson, at least the dog got a tasty snack

 

[UnknownFishies]

I did not expect to get to attached to them either! ! haven't heard of soaking decorations! Do you do that before you add them or when you clean the tank? How often? Thank.you for sharing!

Before I add them... sometimes I will soak them when I clean the tank as well. It makes sure to get the dust and gunk off of it.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I keep smooth gravel in my tanks. Sand is better? Why? Thanks!

It's really a personal preference.

I find sand easier to clean. With sand, you just use the tub part of the syphon and hover above the sand. All of the debris get sucked up easily. With gravel on the other hand, you have to use that big cylinder and push it all the way in the gravel and then do that for the whole tank.

Also with sand, all the debris stay on top. With gravel, all the debris get sifted down between the rocks, making it harder to get all of it.

But again it's just a personal preference. Some people like the looks of gravel, while others like sand.