Ever Just Not Feeling It?

[noobfish]

Every Saturday or Sunday I do my weekly water change. Vac gravel, scrub tank sides, clean filter sponge, trim and touch-up any plants that need it. Just getting it fresh and clean and watching the fish zip around in their fresh water. I even look forward to it. I've got it down pretty good as well. Extended my siphon hose to reach from tank to bathtub. Hose to run from bath sink to tank. No buckets!

Today though, just wasn't feeling it. I did it, but dreaded it all day and could only think about all the things I'd rather be doing while I was. No part of me wanted to be doing it and I was annoyed by it.

Anyone else get this, what I'll call "tank fatigue"?

 

[Fishmanic]

It can happen to the best of us. I often put off water change for a day or so longer than I should. Just turn on some music while you do the change and do it when you have nothing else important to do. Your fish are counting on you. And you and your fish will feel better after doing the water change.

I only clean the filter sponge every 2 to 3 weeks and do a full filter housing clean about every 4 to 5 weeks.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

Yup, this used to happen to me often and it's what made me pack the hobby in several times. I think the maintenance levels were just overwhelming and I couldn't keep up running several tanks.

Since getting into planted tanks though I've managed to find my passion again and I keep motivated by watching aquascapers on YouTube for inspiration! And I made the very difficult decision to only have one tank to keep the job minimal. I've 2 small kiddies at home which take up most of my time that and the ironing so I had to be a grown up and just say no to MTS

 

[itiwhetu]

If you are going to survive in this hobby your tank maintenance should take no more than 30 minutes a week. If it takes longer than that the hobby will become a chore.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Yeah need to find the way to make your maintance as quick and simple as possible.

Also it happens. You lose interest and what was fun no longer is. I had it happen with my marine tanks after I had to move house a few times and had some equipment failures that lost me a lot of my livestock. My heart just wasn't in it anymore so I rehomed what I had left.

MTS as its part too. Everyone gets excited, has ideas for other tanks and then ends up with 5 or 6 tanks that all require work. Once the novelty wears off you are left with a constant time commitment. Sticking with just the one tank will almost always work put better in the long run.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Any repeated task can lose its appeal and quickly become an unpleasant chore and it has been found that the actual efficacy of those chores will lessen.
(This was the research that prompted the Swedes to re-examine their car production assembly lines and to introduce 'job enrichment').
Obviously, with fish, it can become problematic.

I began to experience that same bad feeling when I was running too many tanks and it only went away once I'd reduced the number of tanks. There were no problems with any of the tanks, but the awareness of the number of potential and possible issues did task me.
Whenever I encounter the glumps today, I resort to JFDI* and am always sure to reward myself immediately afterwards.
We are simple creatures and respond well to reward, so finding what rewards us is always worth bearing in mind and keeping to hand.
With the fish, it's easier, as I still enjoy spending time simply gazing into the glass box...but I sometimes have to remind myself to make the time to do just that.

*JFDI - Just (cough) Do It.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

Any repeated task can lose its appeal and quickly become an unpleasant chore and it has been found that the actual efficacy of those chores will lessen.
(This was the research that prompted the Swedes to re-examine their car production assembly lines and to introduce 'job enrichment').
Obviously, with fish, it can become problematic.

I began to experience that same bad feeling when I was running too many tanks and it only went away once I'd reduced the number of tanks. There were no problems with any of the tanks, but the awareness of the number of potential and possible issues did task me.
Whenever I encounter the glumps today, I resort to JFDI* and am always sure to reward myself immediately afterwards.
We are simple creatures and respond well to reward, so finding what rewards us is always worth bearing in mind and keeping to hand.
With the fish, it's easier, as I still enjoy spending time simply gazing into the glass box...but I sometimes have to remind myself to make the time to do just that.

*JFDI - Just (cough) Do It.

What do you use as rewards?

 

[Deleted member 149562]

You are not the first, nor will you be the last, to think that fishkeeping is the easiest pastime in the world and once that fish has been plopped into the aquarium, its job done and all hunkydory.

Fishkeeping is not easy (even if some might argue with that)

There is alot of work & research involved, it is time consuming, emotionally & financially draining....and yes...doing that weekly maintenance can REALLY get to be a chore (especially when owning more than one aquarium) or if things start going pearshaped despite all your best intentions and hard work

Once into a routine it can become easier but there will always be times when you know it has to be done, you sit there staring at the aquarium(s) and think..."Why did I start this?"

We have all been there, we have all felt like not doing the maintenance today can do it tomorrow or the next day....anyone who says that they have not had those days is probably telling wee little porkies

The shops are partly to blame cos they make it look and sound so simple...with their manicured exhibition aquariums etc. Then you see those photo's of beautifully manicured aquariums online and then look at your own that resembles a scruffy teenagers bedroom...."why doesn't mine look like the one I saw in the shop or online"

I honestly do not think anyone truly realises just how much time, effort, finances and emotions it takes to keep fish healthy and happy.

The rewards for all that hard work is awesome though....the ability to sit and watch in wonder at our stunningly beautiful fish day in and day out just makes all the hard work, tears and holes in the bank account worth it.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

What do you use as rewards?

Lots and lots of alcohol!

Seriously, I get rewarded by seeing my fish doing well. I exploit this with a comfy seat, a good cup of Joe and some thing classical playing in the background. Some good nibbles may well feature, as I'm one who likes making his own custom popcorn, to watch the show with.
A bonus is that I'm usually joined by one of the cats, so I have a purring on the need to add to the general and carefully crafted ambience.
(NOTE that I deliberately take the phone off the hook ).

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

Lots and lots of alcohol!

Seriously, I get rewarded by seeing my fish doing well. I exploit this with a comfy seat, a good cup of Joe and some thing classical playing in the background. Some good nibbles may well feature, as I'm one who likes making his own custom popcorn, to watch the show with.
A bonus is that I'm usually joined by one of the cats, so I have a purring on the need to add to the general and carefully crafted ambience.
(NOTE that I deliberately take the phone off the hook ).

Good answer!

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

*JFDI - Just (cough) Do It.

A principle I have also adopted....I'm struggling with covid at the moment but yesterday was maintenance day so I JDMB

*Just Do My Best

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Good answer!

Do I win a prize?

 

[noobfish]

To be clear, I still did the maintenance and always will. I don't view it as optional. And I'm not to the point of wanting to tear it down and pack it in. Just surprised at having that reaction to it since I've always enjoyed it, sometimes even doing it early. It takes me maybe an hour, but most of that time is just refilling. Since I fill directly from the tap, I run the hose very slowly to give the conditioner time to work and not overload chlorine all at once.

Good to know I'm not the only one that has days they aren't into it!

 

[ClownLurch]

It never ends.
Previous to this tank owning time I’d only ever owned one so the problem never really occurred. ATM I’ve three (one being a QT) plus my other QT MrsLurch is using to wrestle with her Endler explosion.
I did the Mozzys 15G and the QT 10G that’s currently holding 6 inherited ex Zebra Danios which I now know to be Glowring Danios yesterday. Zebras are now all in the main tank after QT. They were all mixed up in the same bags when I collected them two weeks back hence the confusion.
Im doing the main tank after this coffee.
Mrs Lurch’s excess Endlers will be shipped out ASAP and their QT used to QT six soon to be inherited Cherry Barbs. In a month max I’ll be back down to two tanks.

As Clint Spiderwood once said “ A mans gotta know his limits” and two tanks is mine.