Giving Up the Hobby.....

[dbcb314]

I have never quit, i have become less interested at one point, but i still had a tank.

To me, it seems that on this site at least, people get burnt out and quit when they just have too many tanks. They get caught up and having every single "fish of the month" on MFK instead of keeping what they really like. So they end up with 15 tanks for all these fish they don't really even lke, they just have so they can post them up in the picture forum.

 

[Red Devil]

i only have a 180 and 90 gallon right now. so, i dont feel overwhelmed or frusterated. im looking to buy another 180 for SA/CA cichlids--then that will be it for me. i enjoy fishkeeping, and even dont mind cleaning the tanks (though my hubby dreads it). the only time i get upset is if an older fish gets sick or dies-it makes me wonder if im good at this or not. I just had an old yellow lab (african) die on me a month ago- i really loved her ,and she fought hard to live but was just too far gone. i felt really bad.

I think not having enough money to keep up with the things you need to do and purchase would be distressing enough to make me feel i needed out of the hobby.. improper fishkeeping would definitly make me want to call it quits,because taking care of any type of living thing you cannot skimp and still do it right, you can have good judgement or decide what it priority etc but you need enough money to buy the nessessities..so if i felt i was having difficulty with affording it i would cut back rather then see anyone have to do without... i agree with Navy lady i feel bad when i lose one and that is when you do ask yourself if you did everything right, but keep in mind even if you did do everything perfect there would be something else that would happen that you could not control .....fishkeeping has alot of issues about it that we do not understand or cannot predict..

 

[RBE17]

I haven't kept an aquarium since 2001. In 2003 I gave my Dad my 125g since I wasn't using it and didn't have place to keep it. We moved in 2005 to a new house that has plenty of places for large aquariums. I starting missing having fish. I then joined MFK and have been acquiring new tanks and equipment. Since the beginning of the year I've bought a 75g tank, stand, hood, 125g tank, 29g tank, 44g tank, stand, hood, eheim 2217, AC110 and various tank decor. I still don't have any up and running, but I've been doing a lot of research about the fish I want to keep.

 

[doozie01]

I think not having enough money to keep up with the things you need to do and purchase would be distressing enough to make me feel i needed out of the hobby.. improper fishkeeping would definitly make me want to call it quits,because taking care of any type of living thing you cannot skimp and still do it right, you can have good judgement or decide what it priority etc but you need enough money to buy the nessessities..so if i felt i was having difficulty with affording it i would cut back rather then see anyone have to do without... i agree with Navy lady i feel bad when i lose one and that is when you do ask yourself if you did everything right, but keep in mind even if you did do everything perfect there would be something else that would happen that you could not control .....fishkeeping has alot of issues about it that we do not understand or cannot predict..

I 100% agree!! While I currently dont' have any monster fish, it's not because I don't have the space or that I dont' want any. It's the fear that I won't give them the care that they need. That's one reason I love MFK, I can look at other people's monster fish and though at times I'm envious, I still hold on to the knowledge that yes, someday I'll get to post some cool pics on here but why rush it. Even though I don't have any monster fish, MFK still makes me feel like part of the family. Okay so this is getting really cheezy!

 

[tyl089]

i only have a 180 and 90 gallon right now. so, i dont feel overwhelmed or frusterated. im looking to buy another 180 for SA/CA cichlids--then that will be it for me. i enjoy fishkeeping, and even dont mind cleaning the tanks (though my hubby dreads it). the only time i get upset is if an older fish gets sick or dies-it makes me wonder if im good at this or not. I just had an old yellow lab (african) die on me a month ago- i really loved her ,and she fought hard to live but was just too far gone. i felt really bad.

Wow, I feel for you; I lost my big male yellow lab a couple of months ago; almost had him for five years. But, he was old, and it was his time. Went to his favorite jar at night, and never woke up next morning.

Anyway, back on topic, I will feel frustration esp. when I found my glass tanks leaked (3 times) or my favorite fish has passed, but never felt the urge to give up on the entire hobby. Just can't do it.

 

[tyl089]

Pacu Mom, your story was great, and what a great thing you did for those fish.

Inspiration to me and hopefully a lot of other people here.

 

[Demonfish]

I started keeping fish when I was about 8 or 9 and it started with a single betta in a one gallon tank. During high school it ballooned to about 10 tanks in my bedroom, fresh and salt, and it got kind of stressful and time consuming having to maintain all those tanks. When I left for college I sold all my fish, but kept the tanks. I went fishless my first two years of college, but ended up getting a single betta and keeping him in a 2.5 gallon tank for his life (about 3 years). After I graduated and moved into my own place, the first thing I did was go get my 55 gallon out of my dad's basement and set it up. Here I am 5 years later and have a 30, 55, 75 and 90. I think that keeping a reasonable amount of tanks helps me stay sane and interested in the hobby. Plus I am not one to always go out and buy new fish. My tanks are lightly stocked and I view the fish as "pets". That's what keep's me from getting burned out. I can't tell you the last time I had a fish die from anything other than old age.

 

[BushFishRox]

Bah!!!!

I might have too...

Apparently an 18 hour drive will take "Delivery: 3 to 9 business days TBA" so I might have to sell my fish and start fresh after I move...

oh ya that is for my move from Ontario to Nova Scotia...

 

[NilePufferFanatic]

I began keeping a spreadsheet of my costs broken down by year month and week. I was appalled that my puffer alone is costing me over $300 in food a year. I began figuring out if I cut out tanks how much I could save...

Then I came to my senses. My hobby is not having a fat bank account; my hobby is fish.

 

[Red Devil]

I 100% agree!! While I currently dont' have any monster fish, it's not because I don't have the space or that I dont' want any. It's the fear that I won't give them the care that they need. That's one reason I love MFK, I can look at other people's monster fish and though at times I'm envious, I still hold on to the knowledge that yes, someday I'll get to post some cool pics on here but why rush it. Even though I don't have any monster fish, MFK still makes me feel like part of the family. Okay so this is getting really cheezy!

you probably will have some monsters in your future. your thoughtful and plan and learn .. then you decide..very smart.. and theres no rush..