total dissapointment with FW tank

[talal101]

hi,
well like the title says im very dissapointed with my FW tank. i have set it up with my favourite FW fish and after a couple visits to the LFS and seeing their SW fish i am completely unhappy with my current tank. has anyone else had this experience of just setting up a tank and being disapointed with it because you seen another kind of fish.
i cant start another tank and the even better kicker is the $700-$800 to convert to SW......

 

[lsgraulau]

I've kept both fresh and saltwater aquariums and was out of the hobby for a while when I kept aquatic turtles. When I came back to the hobby I went straight to freshwater without second thoughts. I don't know if it's just me but saltwater aquariums aren't really appealing for me to keep.

 

[talal101]

the only thing about SW that appeals to me is the bright colorful fish, i know that freshwater has bright colorful fish but nothing really comes close to SW fish colors. i know that some species of cichlid can be quite colorful but you just dont see the neon glow that is present in SW fish

 

[zoohouse]

Saltwater is beautiful, but it costs way more in the long run. Most fish have short life expectancies due to the stress they see during collecting and they 3-4 tanks they see before yours. Not to mention costs for water changes(ro and salt). And the dreaded salt leach, you never knew it was there until you break down the tank and discover the wall has grown salt formations and rotted itself. I loved my salt tanks but life is way easier and cheaper since i keep only freshwater now. Want to go cheap do a nano-reef. I set up a biocube for my mom for only like $175. (I got the tank and stand new for $75 on clearance and the rest went into test kits and cleaner stock, it has been stocked with coral mostly for free through the local reef forum I had her join) I see on cl alot of biocubes with all the sand and rock you need for around $100 .

 

[TaratronVaeVictus]

I say it depends on the freshwater you keep. Small guppies, bah. But I'm a huge fan of Lake Tang tanks and plecos. You could do a damn nice false marine setup with Lake Tang shelldwellers, crabs, frontosa, etc.

But I do want to add that a few years ago I went into a buying frenzy of fish online. I'd see something like an oil cat, read that they could breed in captivity, and would buy a dozen or so. I did the same thing with wild bettas, various loaches, guppies, cories, plecos, etc. I'd keep them for a few months and then get bored and sell them. After a while I realized I was wasting money and fish. That is in part why I am leery of starting a Bangaii cardinalfish tank or a dwarf seahorse tank. If I get bored with it, that is a lot of money gone and fish I'd need to rehome.

 

[HungDang]

the out side is like gold and silver! but the inside I don't think salt water is more fun then fresh water!

 

[DMD123]

I only have a 210g and can not even house the type of monster freshwater fish that I want such as a black arrow, ray, p. bass. Some do but I know this tank is not large enough for full grown specimens. My problem is that if I went salt I would want something even bigger; a monster grouper or something of that sort.

 

[Owain4]

Native fw tanks are the most appealing imo. they are native to where you live. Alot of species to collect and they are beautiful and you can have lots of fun designing lake tanks. I've never been interested in keeping any other fish. i find cichlids boring

 

[Water]

Native fw tanks are the most appealing imo. they are native to where you live. Alot of species to collect and they are beautiful and you can have lots of fun designing lake tanks. I've never been interested in keeping any other fish. i find cichlids boring

Natives, are boring.

 

[talal101]

Saltwater is beautiful, but it costs way more in the long run. Most fish have short life expectancies due to the stress they see during collecting and they 3-4 tanks they see before yours. Not to mention costs for water changes(ro and salt). And the dreaded salt leach, you never knew it was there until you break down the tank and discover the wall has grown salt formations and rotted itself. I loved my salt tanks but life is way easier and cheaper since i keep only freshwater now. Want to go cheap do a nano-reef. I set up a biocube for my mom for only like $175. (I got the tank and stand new for $75 on clearance and the rest went into test kits and cleaner stock, it has been stocked with coral mostly for free through the local reef forum I had her join) I see on cl alot of biocubes with all the sand and rock you need for around $100 .

I wish I could start up a second tank, but my parents would have a heart attack, I mean in reality I would be quite happy with just a 12 gallon nano cube but I know that if I even thought about starting up a tank my parents would be on my case.

I say it depends on the freshwater you keep. Small guppies, bah. But I'm a huge fan of Lake Tang tanks and plecos. You could do a damn nice false marine setup with Lake Tang shelldwellers, crabs, frontosa, etc.

But I do want to add that a few years ago I went into a buying frenzy of fish online. I'd see something like an oil cat, read that they could breed in captivity, and would buy a dozen or so. I did the same thing with wild bettas, various loaches, guppies, cories, plecos, etc. I'd keep them for a few months and then get bored and sell them. After a while I realized I was wasting money and fish. That is in part why I am leery of starting a Bangaii cardinalfish tank or a dwarf seahorse tank. If I get bored with it, that is a lot of money gone and fish I'd need to rehome.

I use to have that trouble with all my pets until I found my cat whom I love and adore. He taught me to appreciate things for what they are. I used to buy so many pets that at one point I had a parrot, some finches, a budgie, CHICKENS, frog tank, fish tank. I kept going after the craze till kitty walked in and now I'm way past that.

the out side is like gold and silver! but the inside I don't think salt water is more fun then fresh water!

FW is a hell of a lot easier and cheaper not to mention I could buy 10 nice FW fish for the price of many SW FISH.

I only have a 210g and can not even house the type of monster freshwater fish that I want such as a black arrow, ray, p. bass. Some do but I know this tank is not large enough for full grown specimens. My problem is that if I went salt I would want something even bigger; a monster grouper or something of that sort.

I'm not into monster fish I just want small to medium 3-6" bright fish. In my current setup I have a mixup of community fish, in that mix is a couple really nice looking swordtails and even though I love them they just are not bright enough so it's very disappointing.

Native fw tanks are the most appealing imo. they are native to where you live. Alot of species to collect and they are beautiful and you can have lots of fun designing lake tanks. I've never been interested in keeping any other fish. i find cichlids boring

You know I thought about that like 100 times but many of the common fish we have grow to a few feet and I don't want huge fish, not to mention I want COLORFUL fish not drab silver, brown, black and if I'm lucky green.