What would you tell your past newbie-at-fishkeeping-self if you had the chance?

[Sanityassassin]

If I could go back in time and have a word with my younger naive self I'd say, "make sure your future wife likes fish....and has loads of money."

 

[sharkweek178]

The teenager me who had a fish tank, I would tell "Don't do it. You're going to make too many mistakes because you don't have the resources to learn more."

The adult me who got into it, "Be patient. Don't rush. Let the tank cycle. And live plants aren't that difficult."

 

[emeraldking]

What would you tell your past newbie-at-fishkeeping-self if you had the chance?​

It's addictive... My parents never told me that! Rehab didn't help...

 

[CalamityAngel]

"No, bowls are not for fish, get a proper tank instead" And, "Goldfish are NOT as straightforward and simple as you may like to believe, they have a ton of issues you need to be aware of first"

 

[Alice B]

rinse plants very thoroughly or your tank will get snails. I was not thorough enough

 

[davros]

rinse plants very thoroughly or your tank will get snails. I was not thorough enough

I wonder if that is even enough, a dip in something maybe? how long would one need to quarantine plants to know no snail prodigy exist? I also struggle...

 

[Mikeyboy123]

to not believe anything that lfs staff say.

 

[connorlindeman]

The Nitrogen Cycle Exists.

 

[Fishmanic]

Me when I was a newbie
Just fill 35 gal hex tank with water and GO GET SOME FISH right away.
lesson learned...cycle your tank before adding fish

Buying my first fish:
Me at fish store talking to store employee:
"Oh what great looking fish. I'll have 2 of those bala sharks, 2 of those clown loaches, 2 of those angel fish, throw in a bunch of tetras. Oh...and I love that big one....the Geophagus. They should all look great in my 35 gallon tall hex tank."

Lesson learned: research all fish you want to buy BEFORE buying. Realize that fish get bigger as they age and may grow too big for your tank.

 

[davros]

I now consider hex tanks a mistake all 'round, and they all seem to be "tall" - even worse. IMO

 

[sharkweek178]

I now consider hex tanks a mistake all 'round, and they all seem to be "tall" - even worse. IMO

There has been a hex tank here at the house. I used to look at it and think, "...maybe". But now I'm a hard no on doing anything with it.

 

[Alice B]

I wonder if that is even enough, a dip in something maybe? how long would one need to quarantine plants to know no snail prodigy exist? I also struggle...

I'm struggling too. I went to a plant swap, got some plants, rinsed both in the sink, and one in the 55 must have had ONE snail egg. That snail has done a fine job of building population. The plant in with my trilineatus cories didn't have a snail egg.

 

[Lillypad101]

Can I really only pick ONE thing? There are so many mistakes that I made when I started, like:

1. Don’t put two goldfish in a 5 gallon aquarium
2. Don’t put one goldfish in a 5 gallon aquarium
3. RESEARCH FISH BEFORE BUYING THEM!!!

 

[sharkweek178]

I wonder if that is even enough, a dip in something maybe? how long would one need to quarantine plants to know no snail prodigy exist? I also struggle...

I'm finding different hatching times for snail eggs. From two weeks to 3 months or even longer.
I treat my plants with a hydrogen peroxide dip when I get them and that doesn't kill snail eggs either.

 

[Fishies4Ever]

rinse plants very thoroughly or your tank will get snails. I was not thorough enough

I didn’t wash mine at all so now I have snails, I think I got rid of most of them but they layer eggs too so just hope I got all of those as well.