have anyone else felt this way

[JK47]

no, but what I find is that when I add another tank and do something different with it (eg plants, discus, saltwater, whatever) it re-engerizes my enthusiasm for the hobby.

you might think getting another tank is the exact opposite of what you would want to cure the doldrums, but trust me it works.

anything to get you excited again, and a brand new setup with something new is the best way to do this.

maintainence should not really be an issue as it takes very little time.

you should probably only be spending 1 hour per week maintaince on your 180

if not, you may not be doing water changes as efficiently as you could. are you using a python?

This is sound advice. I was thinking of throwing the towel a little while back, not from bordem or whatever but frustration. I was battling a disease that was winning and I was losing prize fish daily. So I bought a 300 gallon and put it in the garage. Nothing ignites passion again or curbs frustration quite like a big 'ole tank to plan from scratch.

 

[RedBellyRhen]

I get that feeling sometimes but only when it comes to water changes/cleaning the tank

 

[LBathory]

sounds like you need to give me your dats.

 

[the big kahuna]

sounds like you need to give me your dats.

lmaothanks i needed that

 

[flipstylex]

i fell this way sometimes, when that moment comes, i try to exchange and trade fish. change the tanks decorations. when the worst comes, my last option is buy feeders, get a 12 pack of coors light. and sit back and watch the predators be predators

 

[Morganj2]

dont sell your fish! a few years back i had a nice reef setup, and i was getting bored with it, and a friend offered me a really good price on the setup so i sold it, and just now im getting back to where i was before i sold it, just do the bare minimum or maybe setup a small tank with something new, maybe try saltwater its really a rewarding experiance

 

[David K. Bradley]

im feeling like i've lost interest in the hobby all together--i've changed the scenery inside the tank bought new fish but for the last two months its been no excitement for me with this hobby---tank maintenance that i used to look forward to is now a nuisance even though i do my regular maintenance ----have you guys ever felt this way and how did you overcome this "slump" im ready to sell everything

After reading the entire thread up to this point, I would say there have been some excellent suggestion for you. Changes are a good solution. Whether it be the tank set-up, the stock you own or the location of your tank. Maybe if you look at these possibilities, your depression will remove itself and you'll be rejuvinated with great intrest in you fish keeping. Over a 15 year period of owning fish and tanks, I have owned five-55 gallon tanks. Most of them within 6 months of each other as 3 of them were rescue tanks, with stock and accessories. 2 were owner abuse cases. 1 was a rescue as a guy was relocating overseas. He was given 24 hrs. notice and he was to ship out in 36. He had no one to sell it to right away. I bought it from him cheap, but ended getting another tank to split the fish in the one. The occupants were just to huge for all of them to be put into one tank. I ended selling the occupants of those two tanks and restocked with some fish that would not outgrow the two tanks. My suggestion to you is to rethink as to why you're bored with your current tank. Keep it, but find ways to make it interesting and exciting for you. Maybe trade/sell your current stock to a LFS and get different compatible fish for your exhisting tank. Relocate the spot where your tank is currently at. Put it in different location of the same room or put it in a different room altogether. If your current stock seem dull to you for excitement or entertainment, sell them if you can to your LFS and restock with a couple of Oscar's as an example. I had two (Albino and Red Tiger) which I started them in a 35 gal. and within 3 months I moved them to individual 55's. I placed them end to end so they could see each other and they got along really good, together and separated. I would talk to them when ever I was around or close by. I'd check them to make sure they were doing well. As time progressed, I eventually trained them to play volleyball with each other using a ping pong ball. I only did this under supervision [1] so if they attempted to jump out of one tank into the other, I was there to rescue one or the other. [2] If the ball went out of bounds of the tank(s) I could retrieve the ball and continue the game. Don't be limited to just what you "do not or can not have". Think and strive for what you can have. You limit yourself to your own immagination. But be reasonable and use common sense. I hope this has helped with your dilema of being bored. Good luck with making positive choices. David

 

[MonsterMinis]

I agree, second tank... and go compleatly different from you usual likes. Doesn't have to be big or have alot invested into it. Large predetory fish are actually my newest interest in the hobby.. started w/ a typical community type set-up... went to salt both reef/fish -only.. FW planted tank.. I think I can safely say at this point I've traveled down just about every aquatic path at least a little bit.

or sell your stock and throw the tank in storage ( you'll be setting it up in all liklyhood again in under a year).

 

[azpunisher24]

i feel you man. you should try discus =D

 

[nomad]

Are you on any illicit drugs? Because all the fish that he listed generally have tons of personality (minus the dats.) Especially the peacock bass.

I think you're the one who's high ....ever owned a widebar ?