What Kind Of Person Enjoys Fishkeeping?

[rdd1952]

1. I checked other on what got me started because some of all of them applied. I have always loved fish and fishing.
Can fish keeping and fishing really go together, sounds like a conflict of interests?

As for a "typical" fishkeeper, I don't think there is one. Just look at the diversity of this forum. We have members ranging in age from 11 (probably younger) to at least 53 (me), both male and female and I think we come from all walks of life (definitely from all corners of the globe) from those making megabucks (definitely not me) to those scraping by from paycheck to paycheck (a lot closer to me). That's why it's such a wonderful hobby.
Well said, I agree totally.

Well I have just had a quick check of the poll and it is looking that it is the youngest are in the majority here, which sounds about right as there is plenty of younger people on here which have helped me out when advice was needed.

As for the fish part, that has been the topic of a few threads and the opinions are mixed as you might suspect. I still fish when we go to the coast but I release everything I catch.

I think it is great that young people take a serious interest in this hobby. I think it teaches them responsibility and is a great precursor to being a husband/wife, parent, employee, etc later on in life.

 

[fatboybaby]

good poll but i reckon everyone will be totally different!

. What started you fishkeeping?

I wasn't that much of a fan of fish, having had a disastrous hex tank of fish when i was about 12, but then one summer when i was about 20 my friend asked me to look after his goldfish and i was fascinated by the fact they came to get fed in the same place and the same time every morning. i got sucked in from there on in really.

2. Age when you got your first tank?
my proper first tank - 24. had a few goldfish tiny tanks before that.

3. Gender?
Female

4. Current occupation
Clinical information professional working for National Health Service in UK. I would say librarian but most people get confused by that and think i just stamp books for a living

and am 25 now..

 

[Mad Duff]

1. What started you fishkeeping?

My Parents have allways had fish so I have been around fish all my life, after having my own tank I started showing my fish and then in later years breeding and judging.

2. Age when you got your first tank?

I was 4 when I got my first tank a 36" with 2 goldfish in, I was 6 when I got my first tropical tank and my first fish was a white female betta.

3. Gender?

Male

4. Current occupation

I am an electrician but have not been able to work for the last 7 years due to disability

 

[Valmyre]

Well now... Deuce Bigalow inspired me to keep fish..

 

[timmystood]

I started fishkeeping because i've always been amazed by the world under the sea! It is such an amazing place. So, when I got some money it made sense only to buy an aquarium! But public aquariums also got me interested!

 

[trace1]

think all in all we are a family of water lovers. all the kids are into the fish well nearly all oldest doesn't really care bout anything cos she's 15 lol. my lads who are 8 & 9 want their own tank in their room they watch n learn about doing water changes & stuff. its really good for the 8 year old has he has severe learning difficulties so if it gets his attention for more than 2 seconds its worth it. i've also got 2 dolphin tattoos which i've had for years so def a fishy loving person lol

 

[CatLover]

I got my very first tank when I was 5, but I didn't really get into fishkeeping until I was about 17. A friend of the family has several tanks in her house, and she decided she couldn't keep so many anymore. She gave me her 35G, and my obsession started there. I have now upgraded to a 75G and have had several fish throughout the years. I even have several fish from that original 35G she gave me.

Gender - female

Occupation - since I'm a 19 year old, poor college student, I have a part time job at a grocery store.

 

[littleimp]

I got my first tank when I was 15. Saved up all my paperround & pocket money to buy a 36"x12"x15" tank. My nan give me a really old & strong cabinet (real wood not chipboard!!!) to sit it on & that was that.

Had that tank for around 6yrs & sold it to a friend who then sold it to another friend & it's still going (I'm 36!)

After that bought me a 4footer which i had for many years too & then the 6ft one i have know.

Got into fishkeeping because I'm also a fisherman & I jut love fish.

 

[dwarfgourami]

1. I have started twice: First as a child, can't remember why, but wanted pets I suppose and couldn't have any others because we went away a lot. Gave up when we moved house and finding fishsitters got difficult+ we weren't really making a great success of it. Accessing information wasn't that easy in those days.

Started up again earlier this year by pure chance- my daughter and I sheltered from the rain in a pet shop and she suddenly realised that here were pets she could keep even if we do go away for a week or two now and again. And I remembered how much I really liked fish. Since then I'm afraid I have tended to take over a bit, I know they are meant to be her pets, but I love them and I am selfish. (Thinking guiltily of the mornings when I have hustled her out of the door so I can enjoy their feeding time in peace) ).

2. Suppose I was about 9 or 10 first time. I'm 41 now.

3. Female.

4. Teach Classics part time at the university and do my own research, mainly on medieval literature. And act as nursemaid/teacher/motivator to periodically disabled daughter.

 

[rdd1952]

This is somewhat off topic but, in my first post, I made the comment that we were a diverse group from a wide range of income brackets. I think that is even further demonstrated by the new Atlanta Aquarium which will have it's grand opening later this month. It was started by a $200 MILLION donation from Bernie Marcus, the co-founder of Home Depot (super large home improvement chain in US based out of Atlanta for those from across the pond). Now this guy is going to have himself some more fish tank (tanks). I can't wait to get down there to see it.

 

[WILDER]

Just wanted a fish tank as my children were growing up, and i don't no why as i've always been afraid of touching a fish,but didn't think i would become addicted, started off with a 12gal rekord 60 which i still have running, was 39 at the time, i'm female, and don't work as i still i'm a house wife, so had plenty of time on my hands, and I read watching fish relieves stress, but the hobby can be stressful when things go wrong when you are first learning.

 

[MAM]

I love threads like this. Always fun to read this sort of thing.

1. What started you fishkeeping?

A little over two years ago I decided that it might be a good idea to get some fish to keep my cat entertained while I was away at work (he is older, at the time was quite fat and not active, thought having a tank of fish to watch might get him moving a bit). So I started pricing tanks and checking out fish, thinking I'd get goldfish or something. Then a co-worker mentioned she wanted to get rid of her tank, too time consuming, so of course, I offered to take it off her hands. The tank had sprung a leak, so she gave it to me for free, I figured I could find and fix the leak. One shattered tank later (don't ask), I bought a new one and set it up. Went through all the new tank syndrome drama, finally figured it out. Then I bought another tank, then another. Now, I have 10........... I started with teh usual livebearers and tetras, tried a number of other fish over these short couple of years, and now I find myself specializing in wild-type bettas and Plakats (though there are still a couple of fish hanging out in the community tank, can't decide what to do with that tank). I've even set up a fish room for my fish (hoping to get pics and post those in the ocming weeks).

2. Age when you got your first tank?

Late 20's (still in my late 20s)

3. Gender?

Female


4. Current occupation

Spatial Analyst/Scientific Illustrator (I make maps and draw artifacts)

 

[Griz]

1. What started you fishkeeping?

My parents, I suppose. I had a love of nature instilled in me at a very early age and always had a variety of pets. I'm sure that my first "tank" was a goldfish in a bowl and that would have been at a very young age. Been keeping fish and various other critters ever since.

2. Age when you got your first tank?

Around 4?

3. Gender?

Male

4. Current occupation

Federal government employed paper shuffler

 

[Dwarfs]

My dad got me started, he gave me a tank when I was 4

 

[rdd1952]

4. Current occupation

Federal government employed paper shuffler

Sounds like an IRS agent that doesn't want to be explosed. Just kidding, actually my best friend is an agent for the IRS and has been there for 34 years.