Ever ask yourself why?

[heavyhitter]

Every ask yourself why, you stay in the hobby? I feel this way after every 4th water change or so. I have been in the hobby for 32 years, all of those years except 90-91 and when I built my new house 2012-2013 did I not have at least one aquarium. So that's 30 years of cleaning, maintenance, millions of gallons of water changes, copious amounts of money spent and many hours of work.

I feel almost like a junkie, getting a new fix, when I learn something new or see a certain specimen. I think of this "hobby" as an addiction, a habit I just cant quit. A few years back when I didn't have a tank I was so happy to have no tank maintenance, all that free time on Saturday mornings yeah! Alas I still lurked on forums and in LFS living vicariously through others. I couldn't take it anymore and got a new tank, which spontaneous reproduced to a handful of others.

Not only do I have an addiction to fish keeping, I have a co-morbidity. I have and penchant for Central American cichlids. That means big fish, big tanks and big water changes, and in many instances one fish per tank. I keep trying to convince my wife that an in wall 2000 gallon automated tank is the way go.... I get no traction there.

Anyway, this goes out to all you guys and gals that have a love/hate relationship with this hobby. And my fellow addicts. When you are elbow deep in slime and washing out your filters, and your python has just spilled water all over you new carpet and you ask your why do I even bother doing this. To my brothers and sisters who aren't out having a drink with their friends because they are doing a water change, or up in the middle of the night with an "oh crap" moment draining that 180... I'm right there with you, asking why.

 

[giar]

it's my stress reliever. the sound of water, the beauty of the fishes, it is so relaxing to me.

i only keep predator fishes, when i need an extra entertainment, i just put some frogs or centipede/feeder fish and watch how ferocious my arowana, peacock, and oscars slaughter them all in minutes.

 

[kno4te]

Got those days all the time with loving/hating the hobby. Since reducing my tanks and big fish to smaller fish...ive kept the love going.

Plus the forum is the best place to get something out of it and to give something back. This reduces a lot of my irritation/frustration.

I've stopped asking why....now it's how can I help.

 

[xraycer]

......because at the end of day, its worth it

 

[Grinch]

it's my stress reliever. the sound of water, the beauty of the fishes, it is so relaxing to me.

i only keep predator fishes, when i need an extra entertainment, i just put some frogs or centipede/feeder fish and watch how ferocious my arowana, peacock, and oscars slaughter them all in minutes.

While there is no doubt live feeders are "entertaining" in their death, I find it disturbing that you find it "relaxing". Though I'm willing to attribute the word-use to being a non-native English-speaker and give you a pass, in which case you are actually doing a pretty good job

Edit: to the OP's query, I question my involvement every time someone over-feeds a tank... which is a regular occurrence around here.

 

[BIG-G]

I think all of us go through ups and downs in this hobby. A few times I have been close to giving it up. But something always pulls me back in. I was on my way out a few years ago and then my fish spawned. This reignited my interest. Now Im up to 13 tanks.

 

[Aaroncboo1]

I'm not sure I asked myself why anything in life. it's more fun that way. Do now think later that's how I ended up with everything I've got both fish related and farm-related. You get some interesting stories.

 

[giar]

While there is no doubt live feeders are "entertaining" in their death, I find it disturbing that you find it "relaxing". Though I'm willing to attribute the word-use to being a non-native English-speaker and give you a pass, in which case you are actually doing a pretty good job

the beauty of the fishes and the sound of water splashing from the filter output, that is what make me relax, and nothing to do with anything else.

the live feeding part is just for my own entertainment. you have your own opinion tho =)

 

[MrsE88]

I have not started asking myself that, yet anyway.
I've had many different pets over the years. Most make leaving for more then a day impossible. This irritates just about everyone in my family. Fish don't require as much from me. Yes they come with a whole different type of maintaining, but it leaves me with more free time in the end. This makes everyone happy. Except maybe my husband when the electric bill comes>.< He does support my habit, I mean.. hobby I am very grateful for that.
Once I started keeping fish I felt like I found the perfect pet(s) for me. Nothing is more calming then the sound of water, the gentle hum of the air pump, and watching the fish swim. I love it.

 

[Dieselhybrid]

for me it's simple. I'm a former addict. I've been clean for 6 years but as crazy as it sounds fish keeping still helps with my sobriety. I like building systems watching them grow and breed,gives me extra purpose. Sometimes that's all a man needs to get his #%$! together and back on the right track. Something important to be dependant on him.

I honestly can't stop. I'll be keeping fish for the rest of my life.

A properly plumbed drip system can cut down on frequency of maintenance a lot. Perhaps that could add one on the largest systems if you don't have one already.