How Much! - The Costs Of Fish Keeping

[ZoddyZod]

I had some time on my hands yesterday and was thinking about how much I had spent on my tank since I started keeping fish (12 months ago). I tried to list everything I could think of, food, water treatments, plants, dry goods and of course fish....

Without including the tank/stand/heater/filter it was around £400!

£145 on fish alone! As you can see from my stocking, I'm not exactly keeping anything 'exotic'. The most expensive fish I've ever bought was £4.50.

Needless to say I wont be sharing this spreadsheet with my wife. And I wont be trying my hand at marine any time soon either.

Anyone else care to hazard a guess at their spend over the last year?

 

[OscarWilde]

Thats nothing! Try keeping Marines

I reckon about £500 - £750 a year if I averaged out the last 5 years or so.

 

[Verminator89]

Yup i must have spent a shed load since i started 5 years ago. I'm sticking with tropical for life for the simple reason i perfere it, but i can't even begin to imagine how much it would cost for marine. The most expensive fish i have in my tank is my male Electric Blue Jack Dempsey, he cost me £25 two years ago The rest of my fish are just under £2 fish...

 

[ChilliPepper]

No, I'd rather live in ignorance about it

 

[PDSimon]

I'm like chilli, i'm not even going to attempt to add up how much I've spent, I've only got one tank and started in march! but still...

 

[ZoddyZod]

No, I'd rather live in ignorance about it

hahaha. I really wish I had now. I dont think I've ever spent more than £25 in a single trip to the lfs. Mind you, I do seem to go quite often

 

[jacko32]

i was going ok untill i started with the L numbers then it went mental this year alone i reckon im over £500 just for fish

 

[Paradise3]

Since i started about 2 years ago, with a break in there too, i'd say probably about £300-£500! My last trip to the LFS i spent£18.60. I bought 2 live plants - £1.50 each, 4 otocinclus - £2.40 each and 2 threadfin rainbowfish - £3 each.

Alessa x.

 

[angelfishguy]

every hobby will cost money..
if you enjoy it...do it..

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Oh dear, this is going to be painful, writing it all down...

Rio240 with upgraded pump; cabinet; 25Kg Congo sand; net; de-chlorinator; delivery £350
Korrall60 plus heater £60
Dennerle CO[sub]2 [/sub]system £125
Eheim 2078 £300
Bogwood ~£50
Plants ~£75 (some on small bogwood, like the "windlov")
Rabbit snails £15 (inc. postage from "Des")
Pearl Danios £8
Opsarius pulchellus £18
Panda Garras £22
Redline Torpedo Barbs £27 (shop is now doing an amazing special of £5 per fish, all commercially bred and not depleting possible "extinct" wild stocks, I must add)
Yellowtails £40
Initial Lionhead £7
Humphead Glassfish £72
Indian Red Tail Squirrel Loaches £10 (thanks to "VickiandKev"'s wonderful service from a trip to Fareham wholesaler)
Giant Otos Hypoptopoma Inexspectatum £14
Further two rabbit snails £9
Barilius canarensis and bakeri (7 in total) £42
Further three Steatocranus Lionheads £9

(bought from store in Cadnam with Barilius, "silly season" discount for clearing out stock from two tanks)
Nelly's old 5x2x2 tank with cabinet and Fluval U4 filter £51

I don't want to know what that lot totals upto since March, but let's just say that my postie wage now cannot fix the MOT damage to the car for another two weeks!

 

[zophie]

I just started a basic 20 gallon freshwater, and it came out quite pricy-

20 Gallon Starter Kit- 240$
20 Gallon Stand- 140$
Fish Nets,Food,Brush's etc.- 50$
Extra Heater (one broke)- 40$
Bogwood,Rocks,Liveplants- 250$
Fish 150$

Total---- 870$

EEEKKK!


ZOphie

 

[Mikaila31]

I have probably spent quiet a bit since I started this hobby. I also know the upgrade to non planted to hi-tech planted costed me $600, but that was also right after highschool graduation. Since I started college I've avoided spending a lot. No new tanks or equipment. I buy all my fish either on credit, through the local club, or from occasional auctions. I also sell quiet a bit. Ebay this summer is about $60 is plants I've sold. Auctions I usually break even on, but I also buy a lot of young fish to grow out. There still is some expenses. I know I bought a lot of fish food last winter ($20 worth lol). Used maybe $12 in CO2. I'm going to need to buy more fertilizers soon which will probably cost $30 for a few years worth.

 

[ZoddyZod]

every hobby will cost money..
if you enjoy it...do it..

I fully agree, but I've found it very eye opening to sit down and work it out. When you are only spending a few pounds/dollars each time it's amazing how quickly it can add up.

 

[jacko32]

every hobby will cost money..
if you enjoy it...do it..

I fully agree, but I've found it very eye opening to sit down and work it out. When you are only spending a few pounds/dollars each time it's amazing how quickly it can add up.

try archery or golf ive found them to be much more expensive

 

[ZoddyZod]

try archery or golf ive found them to be much more expensive

I've tried golf........dont have the patience for it. Get fed up hitting the ball out of the trees.

However, I'm not sure I'd compare such activities to keeping fish, much in the same way I wouldn't call owning a dog a 'hobby'.

I have probably spent quiet a bit since I started this hobby. I also know the upgrade to non planted to hi-tech planted costed me $600

$600 to go hi-tech planted! Judging by your tank video, it was worth it though....