The how and why..

[Johnez]

I'm not sure how I became obsessed with fish, but about 5 years ago my girlfriend got me a tank after I spent over a year reading every article and care sheet I could find on various species. It was a very freeing and light experience when she took me to PetSmart and told me I could any tank I wanted. I wanted a GBR setup, unfortunately that didn't work out so well after my first batch of tetras died. I moved on with easier fish and the tank is doing ok but I need a new challenge. I'm barely setting up my second tank, because I almost prefer reading about fish, habitats, and setups. Putting them together is fun, but I unfortunately am a perfectionist and want to make the perfect tank (biotope/natural) and sometimes have trouble finding all the correct elements for the species I want. An example is I've had a 75 gallon I wanted to set up with ameca splendens, however was stymied by the fact that I could not locate potamogeton natans for the life of me. I probably could have gotten away with using algae, and a few other plant species but I became stuck on that one plant. Was nearly tempted to set up an African cichlid tank due to the ease of not having to deal with plants, but became entranced with SA/CA cichlids and have the American continent another go. Currently setting up a Firemouth tank which is easy by comparison.

Almost forgot the "why?" For me, it's enchanting to be able to create an environment that animals can thrive. It is a challenge, water chemistry, research, setup, all the various pieces of equipment...it's something else. I love the DIY aspect as well, I compare it to how other people tinker on their cars.

 

[Toiletcar]

I started in the 80s and liked fish as most kids do. Now 48 and still have tanks. Now I enjoy the hobby w/ my kids.
One day, he’ll be doing the same probably lol

 

[Deadeye]

Why: I love animals, especially the predators. I also love the chance to set up a slice of nature, and know that all of your efforts go to keeping it alive. It is also very stress reducing to keep fish (as I constantly worry about them killing each other lol).

How: My parents kept fish for a while, but were never crazy about it. I must have been about 5-8 when they got a 60 gallon for a tropical community. That lasted for a bit until we picked up 3 leporinus and 3 pacu from petsmart (remember when they had cool stuff). And since then I’ve loved monster fish. Before and during that, I’ve had bettas (kept one alive for the full lifespan in nothing but an unfiltered 1 gallon bowl, go figure) and 3-5 gallon goldfish tanks (yep). Eventually (8-10 inches and 20-30 murders later) we got rid of the pacus and leporinus before moving (Since then I’ve vowed to get a pacu again). We replaced all of them with goldfish (except for one silver dollar that survived). We stayed at our grandparents house for a few months before going to a new house, and didn’t lose a single fish ( large goldfish and a silver dollar which were currently being housed in those 3 gallon bowls).At our new house, the goldfish sat for a few years, before ich took most of them. We lost the silver dollar much earlier after a power outage took his heater. We then transitioned to tropical (while goldfish were still in there), and that was when I got the true fish keeping bug. 5 tanks and 20+ species later I think I have done quite well...

 

[beau1990]

It started for me at an early age as an infant after meals my parents would set me in front of their 55 while I digested. I have that same 55 still(currently set up)

 

[Kolton13]

Started with my one side of parents I no longer lives old farm I took care of and a series of entertaining youtubers who now I do not watch realizing what they do. I now have 7 getting another 40g so gonna be 8 tanks with 1 having a crestie and others with CATFISH! and my 29 is getting an axolotl soon. But I have a gulper cat, jag cat and a syno decorus. I'm 15 and have so much fun, GL!

 

[FreshyFresh]

My parents let me buy a 10gal kit from a long gone department store chain. It was the late 1970s. I eventually upgraded to a 20g long in the 1980s. I didn't keep fish well as I never took the time to educate myself on it. Fish/pet stores were so cool back then though. There were several in every town and they seemed to have rows of tanks that went on forever. I quit the hobby from about 1989 until 2012 when I got the bug and started reading up on it on the innerwebs. Been at it since.

 

[FJB]

Since before I was born (over 6 decades ago) , there were aquaria and cement enclosures (outside ponds, in the 500g and up range) all around the house, mostly outside, as my mother was an avid aquarist and breeder. She persuaded a neighbor and friend who had an iron-smithing business, to build aquaria and stands for her and her fish friends, who behaved sort of a club; he became one of the most successful early aquarium builders of the time in Cali, Colombia. Eventually he ended up inheriting most of my mom's tanks and fish, but by then he had build his oen large ponds.
My own 1st tank may have been when I was ~10, and my mom had by then quit the hobby after decades, onto other hobbies like fancy canaries, competition german shepperd dogs, and others. All of this while raising 6 brats!
My aquarium may have been a 40g tall, built by the same fellow, with black iron frame, slate bottom, and black tar as sealant. It was great! Filtration was corner box filters.
I have had tanks since then, but there have been interruptions, due to studying, relocating, changing of interests, etc.; one such interruptions was nearly 10 years long; last one ended 5 years ago, when I returned once again. Cheers!

 

[fishhead0103666]

My dad has a pond with some goldfish and it basically went from that to me wanting to keep fish inside so I got my own tanks and it’s only gone downhill from there lmao.

As for why, I don’t know, I haven’t found many things in life I’ve actually enjoyed except for fish keeping so I ran with it and here I am.

 

[Niki_up]

This is a longer post than I intended.

Not sure how relevant this is and I even forgot about most of this but my dad was a fisherman, my other family members all made a living in the fisheries industry so I have been use to food fish my entire childhood. I spent lots of time of docks and around the water/boats and always loved seeing the fish. catching jellyfish and releasing them was a fun past time for me. Collecting muscles for dinner was always exciting. Turning over rocks and finding little crabs and other marine life was always interesting.

No sure if that started my interest or not.

My first childhood memory of an aquarium was one of my friends moms kept a lot of goldfish in a 30-40g fish tank, maybe 20-30 goldfish. I would sit and watch her tank every time we visited them.

In the 90’s Walmart still sold fish and I remember our local Walmart had a wall of fish, my mom would shop and I would be in the fish section. I never did ask for fish as a child but loved watching them.

my first fish was purchased in 2003 as a teenager. A betta in a bowl, I thought it was lonely so I bought him a goldfish friend. That did not go over well. After the betta died I didn’t keep fish again until 2007 (I moved to a landlocked province and missed the water) I bought my first 10g tank. Stocked it fairly well and my fish kept dying even though I did water changes and researched everything. Eventually I got rid of that tank as I failed at fish keeping again.

Between 2010-2012 is when I really started to keep fish (unsuccessfully I might add until about 2013-2015). Now I would consider myself a very successful fish keeper. I’ve bred a number of easy species, I have kept my stock alive for years without deaths caused by my mistakes due to water chemistry. People who buy my home bred fish ask me a lot of questions now and for advise. My tanks are nice and well cared for. I’m also moving into trying my hand at breeding a couple of more experienced species.

 

[Kelly_Aquatics]

I believe it was fishing that got me interested in aquariums I target bass and pike here in ontario which is why I like the predatory fish like big cichlids so now I have a 75g and a 125g and several other tanks I set up when I need to I also have a Blue tongue skink