Such a rewarding hobby.

[esoxlucius]

There are so many aspects to our hobby that can be fantastically rewarding.

Whether it's breeding fish, or experiencing that feeling of accomplishment after a DIY project, and the money it's saved you! or growing tiny juveniles to tank busting size, or being successful at keeping a species which is notoriously difficult to keep, or going out collecting your own native fish, or just looking forward to visiting your LFS, whatever, it is such a multi faceted hobby.

The aspect of the hobby I find most rewarding, and look forward to every week, is water change day believe it or not.

Up at the crack of dawn every Saturday morning. All alone, just me, the fish, and maybe Diego, my cat. The radio on low volume and a pot of strong coffee. Water change morning, to me, is unparalleled bliss, almost therapeutic. A time for quiet reflection, and of course there's a job to do, which is so much easier without the unnecessary distraction of other family members.

What is your number one most rewarding thing you get from this great hobby of ours?

 

[Midwater]

My aquariums are windows onto a non demanding world.

 

[tlindsey]

Whether it's breeding fish, or experiencing that feeling of accomplishment after a DIY project, and the money it's saved you! or growing tiny juveniles to tank busting size, or being successful at keeping a species which is notoriously difficult to keep.

Yes It is very gratifying imo.
Having the knowledge now to take care of fish properly to the point they spawn is #1 rewarding to me.

 

[tlindsey]

The aspect of the hobby I find most rewarding, and look forward to every week, is water change day.

Not rewarding for me I do wc's Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday. ?

 

[Redshark1]

The most rewarding thing is I got what I always wanted and I enjoy them every day. I turned 60 this year and I'm satisfied with what I've got. I've got my two favourite fish in two aquaria that I'm happy with. Six Clown Loaches in a six-foot tank now twenty-eight years of age in a tank that was set up in 1995 and a shoal of Cardinal Tetras in a successful planted cube tank that's been set up since 2008. I enjoy them just the way they are and I don't hanker after anything else. Its what I always wanted since I was a kid. Just this.

 

[Dexdomitor]

I love everything about it, water changes and all. I'd say my favorite thing is building and aquascaping a tank in a way that I think will make its inhabitants most happy. So rewarding to sit back and watch them frolic around and appreciate the world I've created for them. After a long workday of blood, tears, and screaming cats and dogs in an animal ER, all I want to do is come home and chill with my fish and fuss with my plants. ♡

 

[GolemGolem]

I like my Saturday morning water changes as well, but my dogs make it a bit loud and annoying when I go out to turn on the hose. I love the dogs though because they are always right there and want my attention even if it gets annoying at times. I like my fish for almost the exact opposite reason I like watching them, but outside of some of them begging for food or hiding from my shadow they really don't seem to notice or care about me. Good for someone who likes to watch.

 

[duanes]

This thread made me ponder where the hobby has pushed.
The many phases of fish keeping over almost its 70 year span, from community tanks, to keeping lunkers , to breeding and distributing somewhat challenging species.

But it also lead to a long career as a chemist/microbiologist in a water facility.
And prompted travel to the countries my favorite fish came from, and to spend time with them underwater.

Now in what I see as the closing phase, it has pushed me to move to one of the countries that some of my favorites are endemic,
and to keep biotopes of species of fish and plants I, or friends collect, and placed submerged, or emerging from the surface of out door tanks.


And the challenge is to keep water quality as close to the pristine conditions these plants and animals experience in their natural habitat.

 

[Deadeye]

I’d definitely enjoy water changes more if the siphon would drain any faster lol
For me, there is something so satisfying about building a tank and watching how it and the fish grow in. If you do it well, you will be rewarded with naturally behaving fish that give hours of enjoyment. I managed to spend half my day this past week just watching ghost shrimp swim around.
Another of the most rewarding parts of the hobby is being able to save a sick or injured fish. Just a few years back, I wouldn’t be able to save a fish from ich. Thanks to being here, I’ve learned so much, and there is nothing better than watching a fish happily swim off after being cured of a disease, or rescued from damage (or choking like my recent bala).

 

[esoxlucius]

The most rewarding thing is I got what I always wanted and I enjoy them every day. I turned 60 this year and I'm satisfied with what I've got. I've got my two favourite fish in two aquaria that I'm happy with. Six Clown Loaches in a six-foot tank now twenty-eight years of age in a tank that was set up in 1995 and a shoal of Cardinal Tetras in a successful planted cube tank that's been set up since 2008. I enjoy them just the way they are and I don't hanker after anything else. Its what I always wanted since I was a kid. Just this.

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I have 11 clown loach and I can safely say that if they get anywhere near the size of your beast, then the sense of achievement and satisfaction will, for me personally, eclipse anything i've ever done in the hobby. Clown loach are very much an exceedingly long term labour of love, lol.

Congratulations on your achievement.