Now I know that this hobby of fishkeeping can be expensive especially to the average monster fish keeper. I have a question for the experienced fish keeper though. For those who have grown fish for long periods of time e.g. fry into adults, and have kept healthy specimens of fish for long periods of time. How much did it cost you for the life span of the fish? Not including tank set-up but just the monthly maintenance of housing the fish, the necessities. Like fish food, electricity bills, water conditioner, etc. I'm trying to get an idea of how much I will prob spend on my single cichlid I am keeping for say 10 years. I know these prices will vary among different species and communities of fish vs single specimens and different tank sizes and so on. Post your thoughts!
Question for the experienced fish keeper.
- Thread starter SirSingsAlot
- Start date
our betta is going on yr. 3... he cost about 6$... and prolly costs us an average of 5$ a month? once everything is totalled up.. includeing the lighting and filter on his 5 gallon tank. TBH i don't know.. but it's small enough in general it's not a big issue... now that we've been keeping rays and gar for the past few years they are considerably more expensive day in and out... rays imo being one of the priceyst i'de wager cost on average about as much as a dog does yearly? the problem is there are sooo many variables.. i would guess/wager it breaks down something like...
hamster/gerbil = betta
guniea pig/rabbit = 29gal
cat= 55gal+
dog= 180gal+
lg bird= 500gal+
horse= 5kgal+
def some variables that get tossed in there with stocking ect.. but to heat/do regular water changes i've found it to break down somewhere in those brackets of other common pets.
hamster/gerbil = betta
guniea pig/rabbit = 29gal
cat= 55gal+
dog= 180gal+
lg bird= 500gal+
horse= 5kgal+
def some variables that get tossed in there with stocking ect.. but to heat/do regular water changes i've found it to break down somewhere in those brackets of other common pets.
Cost of keeping a fish mostly depends upon the size of the fish. The bigger the fish the more it costs (larger tank, larger food bill, larger electric bill, etc.). Once you have your tank setup your expenses are for electricity, food, water and conditioners, and light bulb replacement. Compared to keeping a dog, fish are much cheaper.
that is the sort of calculation I never do. Financially allmost nothing makes sense, hobbywise.
I comfort myself with the "invisible advantages " of doing something I like.
You will never, ever, get your ROE.
This happensa with dogs, with horses, with anything that is not dealt with in a business like manner.
As to my fishkeeping credentials: 40 years +
I comfort myself with the "invisible advantages " of doing something I like.
You will never, ever, get your ROE.
This happensa with dogs, with horses, with anything that is not dealt with in a business like manner.
As to my fishkeeping credentials: 40 years +
I have about 1000 gals of tanks, my energy and water cost (just for the fish) averages approximately $250 per month.
I don't heat 1/3 of the tanks water (300 gallons of cool water species), pumpage is @ 5000gph, and I illumunate 3/4 of the tanks, the others use sunlight.
Old water change water, is used to flush toilets, and in summer to water the garden.
Been at it for almost 50 years, but at the 1000 gallons volume only the last 25 years.
I don't heat 1/3 of the tanks water (300 gallons of cool water species), pumpage is @ 5000gph, and I illumunate 3/4 of the tanks, the others use sunlight.
Old water change water, is used to flush toilets, and in summer to water the garden.
Been at it for almost 50 years, but at the 1000 gallons volume only the last 25 years.
absolutely right!
in my 80 gallon I've had set up for two years- I run 2 canister filters, 3 power heads and 2 heaters, inside. Above it I also run a 70w metal halide for 8 hrs and leds each day. Taking in account for the once in every 2-3 month visit to the fish store purchasing live and dried food and the large water conditioner bottles: $25 each visit, and on every second visit new polishing filter pads: $10.
Now in our older building the tank cost added roughly 30$ but since we moved to a modern building our entire electric bill is $30 and the tank isn't the only thing using power.
I'll know in a couple of months what my new 180 is going to do to the bill- having been used to the budget of current setup for a while.
Mike
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this isn't to include the perks of selling off raised fish @ the lfs- since that was only once a year for me and considered it a treat to trade it for plants or other specimen and getting rid of my female stock..
I went all male to stop that madness
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I went all male to stop that madness
Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Mine is running about 30/mo, padded slightly for misc and unpredictables. I switched to buying food online vs petsmart though. online 1lb of food is about $4, at petsmart 1lb of food is $40, or a 4oz package for $10. Still a pound will last nearly a year with my smaller fish and I'm fine with pellets. If I needed live food that's a different story.