My mothers father (grandfather) use to work at a university with animals (testing, breeding) he was a professor of some sort, when my mother was growing up, she always had tanks and aquariums around, they use to have a garage full of stands and aquariums, more so than your local fish supply! (so she says) he use to make everything most things from scratch, he showed me how to make a thermostat and heater (this was before they were 15 bux each) lighting fixtures and aquariums. They use to breed all types of oddballs (and being part of the government) he was allowed to keep RESTRICTED fish, (Piranhas and other highly illegal fish)
Dad also had a very impressive collection, his fish (now all sold) were in a number of tanks around their house the most impressive fish were his 2 treasured tanks 8x5x6 and his 6x6x6 cube.
He has had a huge collection sold recently, as he is getting old and no longer has the time to devote to his monsters, some fish included 3-4ft RTC, a 3ft ,X back aro C.I.T.I.E.S certified, pair of Peacock Bass about hitting the 1.5-2ft mark a 3 giant gouramis each about 40cms
There were many more smaller, but they were the some of the bigger ones.
I got my first tank when I was 5 it was a 2ft tank have had some weird stuff in that, from prawns, mullet, yabbies/crayfish, goldfish, snails, planted aquarium, and up till recent, it was home to a 8inch redclaw yabbie, which died about 3 months ago! Now it plays home to a group of cichlids!
From there, the tanks have gotten bigger and heavier and more expensive, the stock list has been HUGE, ranging from the exotic, and extremely rare, to the common pleb fish.
Also, I think hanging out with a lot of people who are pretty into aquariums/fish (rare and exotics) doesnt help with addiction, I mean hobby, they are always selling and showing videos of their new additions, making it hard NOT to buy similar species.
I think I need new friends! LOL
So to answer, kind of grew from a combination of things I think that fish are in our family blood!
LOL!
Ive sold my tanks, I have a 5ft which I am going to set up with archers, that will be my monsters until I have enough money to do some renovations, I was thinking something along the lines of a feature wall. Most of the tanks may have been sold, and the fish gone, but the hobby still lives and thrives with in me =)
wow, that's a long post.

sorry!
