factors that might make the hobby too hard

[skjl47]

hello; A thread started recently and was shut down quickly. It got me to thinking. That thread was about water restrictions in a USA state due to drought.

I begin to think more and more often about how much longer I will stay in the hobby. My background is I started keeping fish back around 1958-59 and with only short term gaps have been at it since. I will be 71 in August and age will eventually be one thing that will make it hard to keep doing. I already find the physical stuff harder. But age alone is not what is on my mind.

What if my water supply becomes an issue? Actual shortage due to drought or somehow very poor water quality are two things that happen to source water.

Financial considerations might come into play. I live alone so will not be having to choose tanks over food for children.

I often wonder how far folks with dogs will go to keep a dog around when things get bad.

Back to the thread which prompted these thoughts. I suggested the OP in that one educe the number of tanks or keep fewer fish so as to lessen the need for big WC. I do not know how that OP felt about such suggestions as a post that was considered too political got the thread shut down.

What are things that might drive you out of the hobby or make you cut back say 90%?

 

[J. H.]

I cut back on my water use (for $ reasons) by using aquaponics. I keep my 10g in the window so the sun does the work without the cost or electricity of an LED. Careful placement of filters and removing dirt by hand means less gph = less watts = less $. Smaller tanks, tanks other people threw out homemade tanks made from glass and stuff people throw away, cheaper fish, breeding your own fish, cut down on the required time and money investment. I could see myself downsizing a lot, maybe even to a 2.5 with a betta or goldfish in a plastic tub or less even, but it would take A LOT to make me give fishkeeping up altogether.

 

[krichardson]

During my run arounds throughout the city I often see a homeless woman with a pit bull in a shopping cart and I wonder how hard it must be for her to find enough food for the both of them every day.

 

[tlindsey]

Well in 2008 when economy got bad almost had to shutdown my 180 gallon but was fortunate enough to get back on my feet. If home water price increases I will shut 4 aquariums down. Love the hobby but family comes first.

 

[PYRU]

During my run arounds throughout the city I often see a homeless woman with a pit bull in a shopping cart and I wonder how hard it must be for her to find enough food for the both of them every day.

This seems to be common I wonder the same

 

[TwoHedWlf]

What are things that might drive you out of the hobby or make you cut back say 90%?

I don't think anything would. Well, there's always the possibility of a disease wiping out the tank, but then if that happens I have plans to convert it to coldwater native.

A drought...unlikely, but my house is supplied by rainwater and we've gone two months straight without rain while still watering the garden before we started almost running out. Normally we get about 60 inches of rain/year and about 180 rain days.

Power going up maybe. It's already about $.25-30 per kw/h. So much higher might convince me to insulate my tank.

Probably the most likely thing would be if I lose my job and can't get another. But it would definitely not be a quick decision giving up some of my fish that I've had nearly half my life.

 

[PYRU]

To be honest our last President about ended me as a monster keeper. Not going political but the insurance craziness on top of heavy sanctions on industrial killed my expendable income.

I use to have huge tanks but had to unload just to make it through tough times. I can't replace them now because people are smoking crack selling 55s for 300. I try look ahead and I'm pretty sure our next gov will be put the same restrictions on us so I try not to get over my head with animals I can't unload.

I'm a monster addict like most on here, but man it just isn't like it was in the early 2k's for me. Cost of living is insane, insurance is a monthly 625 with a payment of 335 on top of that for a deduct ( use to be like 200 a month) & I pretty much have to change jobs to get a noticeable raise.

I feel the op's original pain as well. I've been investigated by the water and power people in the past for excessive usage in my area.

 

[Hendre]

I'm in serious drought right now.. my solution? Go planted! I run all my tanks with plants and it really helps along with reduced feeding. My tank isn't as clean as I like it to be, but it works.

Cost is a big factor for me as a young person, but I've been slowly building up over time. The big thing to kick me out will probably be university

 

[Deadliestviper7]

I had to get rid of my old collection due to reasons I don't want to get into.

I really cut down on water usage by: going planted, using the water more than once (for example old fish tank water is used for plants).

I also advise that you keep emergency supplies (such as barrels of water in case water gets cutoff), I also place tanks where sunlight can get to it so the plants can make oxygen if and when power is shutoff (this actually has worked for me).

 

[Drstrangelove]

I'd have to move since water restrictions might make it impossible for me to do all that I want. Getting older as well, so there's that, too.

There are however still some ultra nice tanks and fish one can have in the under 75 gallon range, so that's an obvious alternative.

I might have to keep less water intensive pets like lizards, snakes, etc.