Giving Up the Hobby.....

[señor_pescados_felices]

think about it all the time,because in all the years Ive been keeping fish I still havnt found something I like enough to stick with.Then I remember I'm majoring in tropical aquaculture and quiting fishkeeping as a whole just isn't a realistic idea,lol.


-the Africans were fun but got columnaris and wiped out about $500 worth of peacocks.

-the SA were really fun for awhile till they reached sexual maturity and started to beat each others ass on a regular basis.(oscar,jag,GT,JD,pike,festae,etc.)

-the monster tank was fun but they quickly got to the size that they were eating more than $100 of food a month and a water change 2-3 times a week, not to mention the night time aggression I couldn't find a culprit for.....I couldnt keep up with all that then and still may not be able to keep up with all that.(clown knives,arowana,P.bass,Giant gourami,huge tinfoil barbs,big bichers)

-I tried "bling bling" fish and soon realized that, while they all look cool, the only people who know they are "fish bling" are other MFKers!!The only time those fish get respect is when they are shown on here!Your average joe who you might have as a guest would be more impressed with an oscar!

I know alot of people think about it as "well its your tank get whatever fish you like..."

I understand that but I also want to make a tank other people think are cool,not just MFKers but people who have never had a tank in their life.Also my main tank is pretty much the center piece of my living room, so it doesn't just matter what I think.As a decorational centerpiece its important that it is visualy appealing to my guests as well as to my fellow MFKers.

So I have decided to go with a silver arowana community,much like kojis but with Pbass.Its not going to break me,there shouldn't be much aggression,and even someone who has never kept fish can appreciate 7-8 aros swimming together.Only problem I'm left with is the eating over $100 worth of food deal again but I'll manage alot better if I'm actually satisfied with the fish I'm feeding.

my lengthy,rambling $0.02

 

[killerfish]

i've come close to haveing to get out of the hobby for personal reasons it looks like i'll be able to stay in it though hope so

 

[ShadowStryder]

I have kept fish for 22 years now and have never felt like quitting the hobby. And I have had some pretty rough times. Even during the roughest times I have maintained at least one tank during these periods. I will always be a part of this hobby for that is truly what it is to me, not a competition to see who can obtain the rarest, hardest to acquire or the most expensive fish.

 

[Cross127]

I have had the feeling about 4 months ago. I was about to quit entirely and just packup and go but then I had an Idea why not try breeding again so I bought my self a Female Manny for my male and cha ching back in business.

Now I am faced with the a dilema that I won't be able to keep my tanks in the next 2 or 3 years that is of course if I don't move out. Reason being is I am the youngest in my family and my youngest sibling is going to college next august and after that within a 2 year period my mom is moving in to a condo and won't be able to support the tanks in such a small space. Plus my fathers house is already filled with tanks.
Now if I open up my shop within 3-4 years I might be able to escape putting my tanks down and be safe for a couple more decades lol.

 

[1Gr8fizh]

Been in da hobby since H.S. 2 This day still in it at 39. left the hobby only 1 time 4 a few months but that was due 2 moving from east coast 2 west coast. but got into it a whole lot more here. and will most likely b init 4 a long time 2 come.

 

[Kilbane]

Started in 1983 till about 1996-97. Had to stop due to re-locating for a job.
Wanted to continue but was working 12-16 hour shifts, 6 days a week.
I realized i missed it when i went to a Public Aquarium and decided to get back on the wagon.
So it's more than a hobby to me, it get's in your blood.

 

[ethnics]

i think i've slow'd down in the hobby, never left it tho. occassionally i have switched it up, got rid of fish, and made what i called turtle land, had over 20 or 30 baby red ear slyders in my 150gal with so many rocks n crevesis for them to enjoy. eventually the turtles got big, i sold them all off, and straight back to the hobby i went. only thing is, when i went back to fish, i went over board cuz i found this forum lol

i never think about quitting tho, i enjoy my fish way to much. even tho i have so many hobbys, when im at home its all about fish

 

[FishGoneWild]

I was in fish keeping for 5 years and go bored of my ordinary collections from Petsmart & Petco. I sold all 3 of my mini tanks(46, 29, 18, 10). I was down to my one hospital tank barely enough to keep my angels alive. I was frustrated not being able to find a monster tank at a price I could afford and almost gave away all my angels. Six weeks down the line I finally found a place that has the tank in the dimension I want at the price I could afford. Two weeks later I got that tank up and running with the helpful tips of the MFK members here and moved the angels over to the big tank. I don't think I could quit this hobby since I've invested so much time and money into it. The key is to keep only the # of tanks you have time to care for and clean. Otherwise, it'll be come a chore and you hate this hobby.

 

[pwmin]

I gave up the hobby once before it only last 6months and i keep help myself. The more you online and in fish forums, checking out others people tank and set up it just make you want to get back in the hobby.

The best way to do it stay of internet and fish forums, that's including LFS and fish stuff. The more you see the more you want to get back. It happen to me once.

AMEN!

 

[benzjamin13]

I've never given up the hobby, but definitely over doing it was what got me in trouble. I had 10 tanks and a pond at one point. Raccoons would raid the pond from time to time and so I dismantled it. Fish were dying off left and right from lack of care. They were in every room of the house and it was hard for water changes all the time. My biggest tank was a 60g but I had no stand or lights for it. I eventually saved enough money for a larger tank with all the bells and whistles (currently my 75g). Most of my tanks were 10g tanks. But one tank wasn't good enough. I then got 2 20g and a 2 29g and a 20g long. And the lack of care started all over again. So I eventually came to my senses and realized that I needed less tanks but bigger tanks. I'm now content with a 75g and a 50g. I rebuilt a new pond which I just saw today is running the way I wanted it to...had some problems with it for the past 2 months. And now all is good...until I save up for a 240g+