Discussion-Aspirations/Obligations in the Hobby

[Lupin]

When you first entered the hobby, what were you hoping to accomplish? Did everything turn out well as you had planned? If not, did you feel this hobby may not have been meant for you at all? What did you learn from your mistakes? Are you satisfied currently with the way things are running? Why and why not?

Everyone is free to express their thoughts at will, either it be a beginner, expert or advanced.

 

[channarox]

when i first entered the hobby,i was awing at tanks by DM,R1,neo,and plenty of others.
ive always set out to have a nice setup like R1's or DM's filled with the many monsters ive come to know and learn of in my journey.
never accomplished though...and i think thats the great part.
whats the fun of having everything and then having nothing to strive for?
i still have many fish on my list,some i have kept already,some not available to my parts as of yet.
but ive always and will always try my best to obtain what ive seeked out to obtain.
ive had a lot of mistakes in the past.most i learn from,some i couldnt figure out.
its all been a learning process for me.
im totally satisfied with what i have been doing and am keeping.
ive been able to keep many rare and monsterized fishes.
some not available in my country.
but of course,theres plenty of fish out there i have yet to keep and im still trying to create that perfect setup.

 

[dbcb314]

I just wanted to have a fun tank to watch.I got obsessed when my great aunt got her fish tank.. a 50 gallon african tank. I would just sit on the couch and watch them for a long time haha. So for my B-day in middle school, I got a 50 gallon tank.

Everything started out great for a LONG time. Me and my brother (he got a tank a year after I did). Only at one point did I think about quitting and that was when I was told some HORRIBLE advice on the internet which resulted in my entire stock being completely wiped out. I still miss that weird ass tank I had. I learned not to take everyones advice on the internet right there.. as there could be some dumbass onthe other end

After that there was a lull in my fish keeping. It picked up again towards the end of high school and I got re-obsessed 2 years ago when I got my own apartment.

I am happy with fish keeping right now. I hav ethe biggest tank I have ever had (75), I like my stock, and there have been very few deaths setting this tank up (2 deaths and an accidental eating lol). of course I wish I could have more tanks, bigger tanks, and more stock.. but what obsessed fish keeper doesn't?? all in good time...

 

[armac]

it's a hobby no aspirations and certainly no obligations, anything obligatory would take away from what it is................a hobby

 

[Lupin]

Folks, I'd like to encourage you to express your thoughts freely. Nothing wrong with opinions thrown here.

 

[Arturo]

It all started with a gold fish that my girl won at the fair, I just wanted a tank to put the gold fish in. I learned fast that was not the fish for me. Over the years I have learned a lot, I think experience is the best teacher. In this hobby you learn something new every day, that's the best thing about this hobby.

 

[micstarz]

When I started out in the hobby, I was only 7 or so. Even though my dad had kept big cichlids and bettas (notice they both are aggressive fish) like 20 years ago, pets were a big taboo in my household until one day I finally was allowed to get a critter keeper with swordtails. It was also at this time that I learned how to use the internet, so I began learning about fishkeeping and joined a forum. I kept learning from there until I was allowed to get a proper tank where I did a freshwater community when I was 10 for 3 years. During this time, I also started a 10gal terrarium, two newt tanks, a rack of 20 bettas and a 10gal guppy tank. This year I think I finally found what I was always itching for when I decided to start a saltwater tank and decided to stock it with a mantis shrimp.

I used to be a fantastic aquascaper, but now...not so much.

 

[Eoibio]

Well when I started I was always going to gt a 120 Long x 50 High x 40 Wide tank. I wanted to do predatory with mainly oddballs but I went for community because it would actually be nicer. Before the tank was stocked I wanted a trio of gulper catfish but I didn't get them because they were a little big for the tank. Some of the things I want to do in the hobby are - shoal of 600 cardinals, Large Brack setup, True eels, 1800 oddball set up and a shoal of 1200 platies..Pretty ransom..Arent they?

 

[Yanbbrox]

When you first entered the hobby, what were you hoping to accomplish?
I've always been a fish fan, I've been fishing since I can remember and always wanted a tank, back at my folks they have always had a pond with assorted fish and koi but it took until I got my house that we got a tank. A tiny 15 usg one that we quickly overstocked with balas, plecos and gourmai. Then we came into a little bit of money that went on a 110usg tank. Since then the hobby has grown to another additional 3 tanks and we are now running out of room.
What did you learn from your mistakes?
Don't overstock/ give yourself some breathing room to grow fish out to find a solution long term with larger fish
Are you satisfied currently with the way things are running? Why and why not?
At the moment everything is running fine, long term my goal is to keep my gouramis for life, which will mean a new much larger tank in the future, I've got about a year left of grow out until my current setups are too small which gives me plenty of time to plan an upgrade

 

[Otherone]

Interesting questions;

When I 1st started my goal was shock value - I bought 3 RBP's and was quite disappointed. I expected them to be indescriminant killers and to tear their food to pieces in front of an audience...............didn't happen. Then i dropped 2 black piranha in the same tank and got my wish they went to war and it was a very expensive lesson..........none survived. I've had/have piranha in my house for over 20 years some have been with me for 10+ some have died from old age some have died by my own stupidity. I've since moved on to include cichlids I have 10 cichlid tanks both african and american. Am I satisfied ...........almost. Have I learned from my mistakes ...........most definately ...........even better I'm learning from the mistakes of others..............I luv this hobby and belong in it 100%.

Shock value..........nothing like havin' xmas dinner with the family and having 8" Piranha swimming all around them near the dinner table.........P's luv turkey.