Im addicted to fish already

[madmark285]

My dad said the end of 8th grade he’ll get me a 55 gal SW reef tank.

You got a great Dad but does he understand cost and complexity of a reef system? Or are you just dreaming about a saltwater tank ie: no coral?

Suggestion, watch some youtube videos with Mbunas, African Cichlids from Lake Malawi. Very colorful, alot of fun to watch as they are very territorial and hardy, great fish for beginners

.

 

[Lajos_Detari]

I also started keeping fish when I was a teenager.
But then I stopped for many years due to studies and works..
I restarted keeping fish 5 few years ago.

It's an exciting hobby as there are so many fish species, shrimps, crayfish, crabs, etc for us to choose.
Nevertheless, don't let it affect your studies.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Nevertheless, don't let it affect your studies.

Well, maybe it could affect your studies just a little.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Welcome!

At 37, gonna count myself as one of the oldies, and say that it's good to see young people joining the hobby!
(Okay, I'm definitely an oldie because I honestly couldn't remember whether I was 37 or 38, and had to work it out from my birth year. Oh kids, just wait until you reach the age when you genuinely can't remember how old you are. It'll happen!)

Heck, make fish keeping a part of your studies. It's useful to learn some latin since animals and plants have scientific names usually based on latin, there's biology and chemistry involved. Delve into all of that, and you'll be getting a good grounding in many useful disciplines.

 

[AilyNC]

Oh I do that all the time. Last week someone asked me how old I was and I genuinely couldn't remember

 

[Kelp23]

Welcome!

At 37, gonna count myself as one of the oldies, and say that it's good to see young people joining the hobby!
(Okay, I'm definitely an oldie because I honestly couldn't remember whether I was 37 or 38, and had to work it out from my birth year. Oh kids, just wait until you reach the age when you genuinely can't remember how old you are. It'll happen!)

Heck, make fish keeping a part of your studies. It's useful to learn some latin since animals and plants have scientific names usually based on latin, there's biology and chemistry involved. Delve into all of that, and you'll be getting a good grounding in many useful disciplines.

Unfortunately I'm all to aware of how old I am ( 42 )

 

[Kelp23]

Hi, welcome to the group. I'm a bit of a novice too so I just do what these guys say ( most of the time )

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Unfortunately I'm all to aware of how old I am ( 42 )

Well, if that's you in the photo, you're a fantastic and youthful looking 42

And 42 is a great number. It's the answer to life, the universe and everything.

 

[Kelp23]

Well, if that's you in the photo, you're a fantastic and youthful looking 42

And 42 is a great number. It's the answer to life, the universe and everything.

Awe, thankyou.. it must be all that manky tank water I keep spilling on myself

 

[ThatFishGirl6231]

Welcome I'd a tank at your age but left a lot of upkeep to my mom. Now I'm a mom I have my first tank I'm responsible for. So at 13 you're as responsible as me at 38! Go you I actually bought my second tank only 3 months back in! It's a very addictive hobby but relaxing too. Any hobby you zone out in (that staring moment) is good for your brain & mental health.

I'm too scared to go salt water so please do inspire us - you can create a journal in the journal section to update the progress of new tanks.

Ok! Maybe I will make a journal. The only reason I have tanks is because mom doesn’t take care of them and she just thinks of them as decoration. I didn’t even get permission for the betta tank and my parents were pretty mad but they love it now.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I didn’t even get permission for the betta tank and my parents were pretty mad but they love it now.

Ah, a rebel in our midst. You'll fit right in around here.

At 37, gonna count myself as one of the oldies, and say that it's good to see young people joining the hobby!

Unfortunately I'm all to aware of how old I am ( 42 )

Youngsters. I agree about 42 as a great age, being the answer to live, the universe, and everything. I have fond, though rather distant, memories of 37, too. For an entire year, whenever anyone asked how old I was, I could respond:

 

[Koglin]

Haha, yeeaa ppl that know me don't understand my passion for it, but they get stuck listening to me ramble on about it anyway!

Sadly I didn't get into aquariums and fishkeeping until I was an adult, at your age I just wanted to catch fish and eat them =P

Good on you for giving that betta a home! Cool that's your folks came to enjoy him.
Makes me sad seeing bettas on the shelves in the store like that, I can't look directly at them without feeling guilty lol.

Welcome to the forums, like your tanks!

 

[ThatFishGirl6231]

Haha, yeeaa ppl that know me don't understand my passion for it, but they get stuck listening to me ramble on about it anyway!

Sadly I didn't get into aquariums and fishkeeping until I was an adult, at your age I just wanted to catch fish and eat them =P

Good on you for giving that betta a home! Cool that's your folks came to enjoy him.
Makes me sad seeing bettas on the shelves in the store like that, I can't look directly at them without feeling guilty lol.

Welcome to the forums, like your tanks!

Yeah I couldn’t help seeing such a beautiful fish suffering either. He was one of the more sicker dying ones and I thought he would die a couple days later but I’ve had him almost three months now and he’s really healthy. I started training him to do tricks so he can win fish of the month.

when I got him he was actually just floating. I thought he was dead until I picked up the cup and he swam a little bit. I felt so bad.

 

[ThatFishGirl6231]

You got a great Dad but does he understand cost and complexity of a reef system? Or are you just dreaming about a saltwater tank ie: no coral?

Suggestion, watch some youtube videos with Mbunas, African Cichlids from Lake Malawi. Very colorful, alot of fun to watch as they are very territorial and hardy, great fish for beginners

View attachment 117886.

Yes me and my dad both know about saltwater. I’ve done research and both of my uncles who had saltwater tanks would help me. I won’t get coral until I have maintained the tank well and the water is good. And i have plenty of time to do research until then.

 

[madmark285]

Yes me and my dad both know about saltwater.

Speculation but I think your Dad wants a saltwater tank!