What in your opinion is the biggest obstacle you face when keeping fish?

[Alice B]

finding healthy fish. I am fortunate to have breeding stock I've kept going for about 15 years, because the last few fish I've bought have all died. except the male german blue rams. Mollies, tetras from pet stores didn't make it. Got some nice Buenos Aires tetras from a private seller that are doing well.

 

[Slaphppy7]

"What in your opinion is the biggest obstacle you face when keeping fish?"

Not "what", but "who": Mrs. Slap

Welcome to TFF

 

[TwoTankAmin]

@Alice B

The trick in getting healthy fish is locating the sellers who have them. I have been very lucky in this respect. I bought my very first fish in a local pet store. Then I found Aquabid when it was filled with quality breeders. From there it was dumb luck that I met somebody who was very knowledgeable and had a home based fish business. They imported and bought wholesale. I worked with this person and in return I got healthy fish very cheaply. I know how my friend learned which exporters had the healthiest fish for given species. For my part I learned which breeders were likey to have quality stock in which I would be interested.

As a result over the years I have bought a lot of fish, some really expensive, and most have lived a long time for me. The ones that breed have paid all of my hobby costs.

I can also say that there are still a few high quality fish stores around. I have one about a 35 minute drive from me. I am actually willing to skip Q when I buy their fish. I am also willing to pay what it costs to get fish that I know are that healthy from a retail location. I have not found another fis or pet store thatcomes close to their prices. They also have exotic stock and they require potential employees to pass a written test on fish to work there. I could not pass their test and the scope of my fish knowledge is limited.

I also recall a few great stores in TX. One of these was a go to place for getting Altum angels, an almost impossible fish to breed in captivity. The problem is I do not remember the store name and the wild angel forum is now gone.

 

[Sanityassassin]

Having a partner who doesn't share your own enthusiasm regarding the hobby. It can be an extremely limiting factor.

 

[Back in the fold]

Having a partner who doesn't share your own enthusiasm regarding the hobby. It can be an extremely limiting factor.

Yeah , I hear that. My wife is always making these little remarks like - get rid of those things , that takes up too much of your time , what kind of person keeps fish ? , isn’t that kid stuff ? , what do I get out of it ? . Really harshes my buzz but being tone deaf and very hard of hearing helps. I just smile at her and keep on truckin’.

 

[Alice B]

The great pet stores have been replaced by the wannabes I think. I see fish run thru too fast, coming in from SE Asia without a quarantine period, my favorite pet store closed in 1999. She kept fish in separate tanks, and the date they came in, at least on saltwater, was on a sticker on the tank, she ran a tight and effective quarantine, used meds wisely and remains a friend of mine. They lost their lease in December 1999 and dissuaded me from buying the store and moving it. For which I am grateful

 

[GaryE]

Ignorance.
My own and that of others. It goes with over-generalizing.

Once you get it that you don't have 'fish', but that you have one of thousands of slightly to seriously different creatures with different histories and needs, it gets easier. If you don't like reading and researching, or you don't have people around you as mentors, you will have a short run in this hobby. Living things are too complicated to take them for granted, and a little knowledge goes a very long way.

 

[sharkweek178]

Ignorance.
My own and that of others. It goes with over-generalizing.

Once you get it that you don't have 'fish', but that you have one of thousands of slightly to seriously different creatures with different histories and needs, it gets easier. If you don't like reading and researching, or you don't have people around you as mentors, you will have a short run in this hobby. Living things are too complicated to take them for granted, and a little knowledge goes a very long way.

If you think about it, saying you have 'fish' is like a dog or cat owner saying they own a mammal.

 

[CrystalStars]

Ignorance.
My own and that of others. It goes with over-generalizing.

Once you get it that you don't have 'fish', but that you have one of thousands of slightly to seriously different creatures with different histories and needs, it gets easier. If you don't like reading and researching, or you don't have people around you as mentors, you will have a short run in this hobby. Living things are too complicated to take them for granted, and a little knowledge goes a very long way.

Is it weird that one of my favourite things about this hobby so far is learning about different species of fish and plants? Yes it's a lot of hard work, but I have discovered so many things about fish that I never knew before. And I have a lot more appreciation for keeping them. Which is why I decided to pursue this hobby.

 

[GaryE]

I think it's weird that you could have fish and not be interested in their natural histories. What you're saying, @CrystalStars , seems sensible to me.

More and more I think fish health is the biggest destructive element for our hobby. For years I was spoiled by being able to source my fish from the wild, and wild fish are generally healthy, hardy and easy to breed compared to their farmed version. Now that I am buying pet shop fish, their fragility is depressing. You can buy a lot of fish and spend a lot of money and end up with very few survivors. Species that were beyond easy to breed with wild stock can be almost sterile from farms.

My second source was two local aquarium clubs, and home bred fish were almost as good as wilds. I now live in a small city with no fish auctions or breeder sales, and after a year and a bit, have decided no more pet store fish. It'll be killifish and breeder sourced fish from here on in, even if breeder fish cost a lot in shipping, and take time to hunt down.

My partner is very tolerant. She let me set up a space for my fish, and simply never enters it or takes any interest. I now have my tanks in a detached garage, so it's no bother to her.

 

[emeraldking]

what is the biggest obstacle you face, when keeping your fish?

Space... Just space...

 

[Alice B]

when I can find home-bred fish, I will buy from the breeder, but I haven't seen consistently healthy fish from a fish store. My 2 male guppies I bought to refresh the color in my colony are doing well, my corydoras catfish, both bronze and trilineatus, are doing well. I might eventually consider quarantining some more bronze to enlarge that group, I only have 4, and I think all are the same sex. Trilineatus I am thrilled with, healthy and breeding now (after an antibiotic run last year which they needed), I want to move them up to a larger tank soon. German blue rams were healthy, although I'm down to a single male, I simply can't do daily water changes for perfect conditions for them. But tetras - only healthy ones I have found came from an individual, and I won't buy more at a store, nor platies, mollies - I could add salt to my tanks and buffer them, but I'm not bothering.