What Got You Into Fish Keeping ?

[Aquascaper]

My parents had a marine tank back in the 80's when pretty much everything was wild caught and plagued with illnesses so it didn't fair well.

Soon after our first son was born we got an 8g clearseal bare tank and plonked 2 black moors and a comet in for him to watch. We joined this forum and found out they needed a bigger tank so bought a 40g....then another 40g for some tropicals....then a 75g for even more tropicals.....then set up a 160g marine reef system

We moved house and had to sell everything and we're just now getting back into it....a 60g marine reef system for me meant i had to get a 16g tropical for the kids and set up a 65g african clawed frog tank for the wife. We also have a 7g 'rescue tank' with a comet in at the moment on behalf of a friend.

You have to love Multiple Tank Syndrome

 

[chrysalid]

I don't remember how old I was when I got my first aquarium but it was when I was still living with my dad so I must have been younger than 13. A friend of his was getting rid of an old tank that was sitting around in his garage and my dad asked if I would like to have it for my birthday. I said that I would and then next thing I knew I had a 30 gallon tank with a stand, equipment and decorations. It was an ongoing learning process for me and my dad. We did the typical newbie "you only have to run the tank for a week and then you can put fish in". We didn't know much but my dad kept at me about regular water changes and cleaning, so at least the fish had that.

I kept things going throughout high school and by then I had two 30s and a 10 gallon. Unfortunately, I shut things down when I started university but I kept the original 30 and the 10 just in case. It's a good thing I did keep them because half way through university I got the notion to start keeping fish again and I started dragging the little 10 gallon back and forth with me to school. Once I was done school and home for good I convinced my mom to let me set up the 30 gallon in the living room for all to enjoy!

When I got my first grownup job I decided to treat myself to a new aquarium. I think I had a bit of a panic attack in the car on the way home when the realization that I had just spent a ton of money hit me. I wasn't used to buying myself presents or spending large sums of money. Anyway, my new 46 gallon bowfront with all new equipment and decorations made it home safe and sound and then proceeded to sit in my room, nice and empty - except for the gravel...I put the gravel in.

It turns out that it was a good idea to buy myself a new tank because a few weeks later I came home and heard a noise that I shouldn't have. My old 30 gallon had a HOB filter that was normally quiet when the tank was topped up - something that I had done the night before. So when I came home and heard the sound of water falling from a height I knew I had a problem. Sure enough, when I went to look at the tank there was 3 inches of water missing and a large puddle on the floor. My mom and I spent the next few hours transferring the remaining water and the fishes to the new tank. Missed the opportunity to cycle this one properly, too. But everyone survived and I even had two white skirt tetras that liked their new digs so much that they decided to stay - for the next 5 years!

So, that's my story.

 

[dougie]

I won a goldfish at a fair (much to my Dad's annoyance) when I was about 9. We kept it in a big hexagonal biscuit jar for about 6 months (I know, I was 9), then my grandad gave me an old, metal framed, 3ft tank & he lived the rest of his life in there (the fish, not my grandad) for 14 years.
I loved that fish.

 

[Sherry1966]

Back when I was a kid, my dad bred tropical fish. I remember Angels, zebra's, neons, molly's. I remember at least 10 tanks. Show tanks, breeder tanks, fry tanks, conditioned water tanks, everywhere.
I remember a department store had feeder goldfish for free, come and get them. They were in those big plastic kiddie pools. I think he brought home over a hundred. He cleared out a 40 gallon I think that is what the size was. All the fish went in there. Wow it was wall to wall goldfish. They lasted quit awhile.
I got my own tank after I moved out. Started with 10g. Betta's and platy's. No goldfish. Today after much reading and learning, I have 2 10g, 45g and a 55g. I have angels, platy's, guppies, pleco's, cory's, CAE's and cardinal tetra's and my hubby's rosy barbs (big brutus). Now my hubby said to me the other day, if you come across a bigger tank for cheap let me know...I never thought I would ever here him say that.
I admit we have the disease now, MTS ......

 

[bmonki]

i wasn't interested in fish until my fil died, i then had to take over maintenance of his tank.. kinda grew on me. Then hubby told me he'd won a tank on ebay, so we set it up and here we are

 

[TekFish]

Helping my friend set up his his tank made me want to get my own so I saved up my monies and I bought a MA 200L Tank...Best...Tank...EVER!!!!!

TekFish

 

[coolie]

I used to live in Dunstable UK in the 1970's and my parents used to take me into a Pet Shop in the High Street, upstairs, and what sticks in my mind is the deep blue lighting they had above all the little iron framed tanks and the blue Neon Tetras.

 

[MooKretzelMan]

I first got into the hobby of keeping pet fish when I was very young. I have always had a fascination with keeping all sorts of pets, so I decided that I would give fish a try too. I was too young to give my fish the best care possible, but I began by keeping a betta. As I got older I branched out into have 2.5 and 5 gallon tanks with a variety of fish in them (a betta, a couple of guppies, etc.). My favorite tank that I have ever owned was back in high school when I had a 29 gallon community tank. I had all sorts of fish in that tank throughout its life and that tank really helped me to appreciate this hobby. Some people may not see it, but I think fish have a lot of character (at least most of them)!

 

[TekFish]

Some people may not see it, but I think fish have a lot of character (at least most of them)!

I agree completely. Especially when they just sit there staring at you as if to say 'Feed Me!'.

TekFish