Hi, I’m new (again)

[Ichthys]

Hi. New here. Actually I joined in 2015 but haven’t been back for various reasons, so thought I’d introduce myself again.

I’m 59 and have kept fish for 49 years. gravitating after about a year to Oscars which I was breeding and raising for about 20 years. Since then I’ve kept an awful lot of species, specialising, I guess, mainly in cichlids.

I sometimes get bored when there’s not much activity on the forums I frequent, which is why I’m back. I’ve probably forgotten more than I know, but I’m happy to help out (another of my hobbies ).

I live in the uk, and for now my tanks are stored in the garage as I’m helping to look after my 91 year old mother.

Best of luck with all your fishkeeping, and I look forward to some interesting threads...

Mark.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Glad to see you’re back!

Looking forward to seeing your knowledge on the forum.

 

[OliveFish05]

Welcome!! What all tanks do you have? Would love photos!

 

[Ichthys]

Thanks guys.

I only have a 6x2x2 and two 4x2x2s at the moment but they’re in storage since I recently moved in with my mother as stated above. The fish all went to good homes.
I forgot to mention that I also spent about 20 years in the trade. I started out by jumping in at the deep end (pun intended) working for an importer/ consolidator/ wholesaler/ retailer supplying about 50 shops weekly. I was responsible for looking after all the fish right from the start. I’d already kept fish for 20 years and thought I knew it all. I soon realised how wrong that was. Then I moved on to manage a retail shop, then I met a guru and went to help him in his shop for about 10 years.

 

[OliveFish05]

Thanks guys.

I only have a 6x2x2 and two 4x2x2s at the moment but they’re in storage since I recently moved in with my mother as stated above. The fish all went to good homes.
I forgot to mention that I also spent about 20 years in the trade. I started out by jumping in at the deep end (pun intended) working for an importer/ consolidator/ wholesaler/ retailer supplying about 50 shops weekly. I was responsible for looking after all the fish right from the start. I’d already kept fish for 20 years and thought I knew it all. I soon realised how wrong that was. Then I moved on to manage a retail shop, then I met a guru and went to help him in his shop for about 10 years.

Wow! Those sounds like such exciting jobs!

 

[Ichthys]

Wow! Those sounds like such exciting jobs!

The first one wasn’t. We imported thousands of fish every week and crammed them into what was basically a shop with enough tank space for retail only. Most were packed and delivered within a few days but we were taking out bucketfuls of dead fish every morning. It was awful but the owners were only interested in the profits. Most of my time was spent scratching my head over what disease treatments to use on what fish, which for a long time was largely guesswork. I eventually got to know some of the diseases certain species were likely to arrive with, but a lot of the time it was a wasted effort because you can’t just dump 500 ‘travel-sick’ fish into a 2ft tank and expect them to be alive the next day. A while after I left I was offered the ‘managers’ job (the owner was there most days) but I knew nothing would change and I didn’t accept the offer.
I self-taught myself disease ID and treatment, up to a point, but I learned a lot more working with the ‘guru’ than I ever did anywhere else. He simplified everything about fishkeeping to the point where it became very easy to prevent diseases and keep fish healthy (at normal stocking levels). That education was priceless.

 

[OliveFish05]

The first one wasn’t. We imported thousands of fish every week and crammed them into what was basically a shop with enough tank space for retail only. Most were packed and delivered within a few days but we were taking out bucketfuls of dead fish every morning. It was awful but the owners were only interested in the profits. Most of my time was spent scratching my head over what disease treatments to use on what fish, which for a long time was largely guesswork. I eventually got to know some of the diseases certain species were likely to arrive with, but a lot of the time it was a wasted effort because you can’t just dump 500 ‘travel-sick’ fish into a 2ft tank and expect them to be alive the next day. A while after I left I was offered the ‘managers’ job (the owner was there most days) but I knew nothing would change and I didn’t accept the offer.

Awww that mustve been awful.

I self-taught myself disease ID and treatment, up to a point, but I learned a lot more working with the ‘guru’ than I ever did anywhere else. He simplified everything about fishkeeping to the point where it became very easy to prevent diseases and keep fish healthy (at normal stocking levels). That education was priceless.

Wow!