What Made You Want A Freshwater Aquarium?

[daileene]

I originally bought a fish just because my then 4 yr old (5 now) wanted one (my mother in law gave us her 10G). Little did he know that his mommy is going to be addicted to the hobby. So his aquarium became mine (of course he doesn't know it yet). Hehe! When I was in high school, my mom used to have an aquarium...but it was not really mine and didn't feel responsible taking care of it. But now...it's different.

Like most people here, it became an addiction (bringing me to MTS)! Specially when I become interested on having live plants. Now my focus aren't only the fish. Having a healthy fish plus healthy plants makes me happy. PWC's is always relaxing for me. Doing the tests at first is a real challenge but I am learning. Became an obsession on making everything right.

All in all, having a living thing in our home whether its only fishes or with plants, knowing that you contributed to their thriving conditions, makes me feel at least fulfiiled and satisfied in some way.

And yeah, they are definitely much easier to care for (dogs has to be trained with No, stay, sit, roll over, etc. (although I owned 4 of them before and loved them to death too) and cats needs to be trained to use the litter box, etc.) coz they cannot chirp/bark/meow, and you don't have to yell at them with the word "NO". LOL. They are the most quiet pet ever!

And my 5 yr old also named all the fishes as well and always tried to help me with anything to do with the tanks. He says "night night fishes" and "good morning so and so..." (citing all their names).

There is nothing more satisfactory than making everyone happy...I guess!

 

[Homedog98]

I had a goldfish when I was seven, but recently, I've started a ten gallon tropical because my friends and I decided to share the tank. That didn't work, and since I did most of the research, and payed for most if the thing, I got to keep it!

 

[JoyFunWow]

I went to the mall to buy dog food and I ended up`rescuing`a cup betta.. put him in a old 1 gallon tank.. then the internet said he needed a 10 gallon tank.. went to store to buy 10 gallon tank.. rescued another betta.. so needed ANOTHER 10 gallon tank.. one betta in a 10 gallon tank looks lost so.. add more fish. Now have 2 fully stocked 10 gallon tanks with 3 rescued cup bettas. I estimate that $3.99 cup betta has cost me about $400 at this point!

 

[George9]

Here's my story:
I wanted a saltwater aquarium, but my parents wouldn't let me. So, I ended up with a Freshwater tank. It's still just as good though, if not better!

 

[WendiDell]

Here's my story:
I wanted a saltwater aquarium, but my parents wouldn't let me. So, I ended up with a Freshwater tank. It's still just as good though, if not better!

Welcome George,
I used to think that you could only get the bright beautiful fish in a SW tank. But, keeping a SW tank takes a lot of time and attention. The water parameters are delecate as are most of the SW fish.
But I was wrong about the FW tropicals. The Cichlids I have now, have deep vibrant colors. And they are really easy to care for.
So I have to agree with you that in some ways FW are better, they are easier.
Not to say anything bad about SW fish. They are beautiful, without a doubt.

 

[silver_rose42]

Mine is a simple story. I couldn't bring my cat to college to live in the dorm with me, but I have the need to have life in my room. I started with a cactus, but that wasn't quite enough, so I ended up with a 10 gallon tank. I found that I could keep molleys and platys alive successfully, I kept getting them. I have a great tank now, with a few fry and possibly more soon! They don't make a lot of noise, I don't have to walk them, and freshwater tanks are so much easier and cheaper to maintain.

 

[WendiDell]

Mine is a simple story. I couldn't bring my cat to college to live in the dorm with me, but I have the need to have life in my room. I started with a cactus, but that wasn't quite enough, so I ended up with a 10 gallon tank. I found that I could keep molleys and platys alive successfully, I kept getting them. I have a great tank now, with a few fry and possibly more soon! They don't make a lot of noise, I don't have to walk them, and freshwater tanks are so much easier and cheaper to maintain.

There's nothing like having living creature's around to help maintain your sanity. Especially if your away from your family and friends.
It would be great if you could bring your cat with you.
I've had one kind of animal or another my entire life. But the house we live in now we can't have pets. We lasted about a month before I brought the first of many fish home.
A cactus wouldn't have done it for me either. My 10g has grown into 2 55g, the 10g and a 5g hosp. that I'm trading for a 10g hosp. tank.
Does your roommate like the fish? If so, you may want to try one of the 29g corner tanks.
Sorry I have a major case of bigger is better.

 

[DreD]

.

PWC's is always relaxing for me..

PWCs are worrisome to me! How do you do them? I always feel like i'm gonna accidentally squish or hit a fish.

 

[WendiDell]

PWCs are worrisome to me! How do you do them? I always feel like I'm gonna accidentally squish or hit a fish.

What are you using to do your PWC?
Before I got the Aqueon Water Changer I used a Gravity Gravel Vacuum and buckets, what a PITA.
Once I left the room to empty a bucket, when I returned my Gourami had swam up the tube and was stuck, I was horrified. I tried to shake him out, no luck. I tried blowing on the other end of the hose, didn't budge. I finally had to take the entire thing apart and blow on the tube till my face felt like it would burst, all the while keeping the tube under water.
He then somehow turned around in the tube and swam out. That was over a year ago and he's still doing fine.
In my 7 years of fish keeping, that was the only incident. And with 4 tanks, I do PWC every day.
For the most part you should be able to see your fish. If they are hiding out, most will swim very fast (except my Gourami) the other way.
If you can't see your fish for some reason, just move the vacuum tube slowly and close to your gravel. The fish should get out of your way. By moving slowly you stir up less poop and old food, so you actually vacuum up more of it.
You and your fish should be fine. Just take it slow.

 

[DreD]

What are you using to do your PWC?
Before I got the Aqueon Water Changer I used a Gravity Gravel Vacuum and buckets, what a PITA.
Once I left the room to empty a bucket, when I returned my Gourami had swam up the tube and was stuck, I was horrified. I tried to shake him out, no luck. I tried blowing on the other end of the hose, didn't budge. I finally had to take the entire thing apart and blow on the tube till my face felt like it would burst, all the while keeping the tube under water.
He then somehow turned around in the tube and swam out. That was over a year ago and he's still doing fine.
In my 7 years of fish keeping, that was the only incident. And with 4 tanks, I do PWC every day.
For the most part you should be able to see your fish. If they are hiding out, most will swim very fast (except my Gourami) the other way.
If you can't see your fish for some reason, just move the vacuum tube slowly and close to your gravel. The fish should get out of your way. By moving slowly you stir up less poop and old food, so you actually vacuum up more of it.
You and your fish should be fine. Just take it slow.

I do it a the Dre way I take the pebbles and sift through to get the waste and throw it in a grocery bag, then I take a vase and pretty much pull the water out that way...my fish love the vase =o= instead of hiding they get as close as possible to it.

 

[daileene]

PWCs are worrisome to me! How do you do them? I always feel like i'm gonna accidentally squish or hit a fish.

Hi DreD. I use the bucket way. I do two bucketful out from my 10G to do 65% PWC. And while I am taking water out, that's when I will examine my plants and clean out some poop and stuff. I know, it's icky. But I like taking my time and looking at my plants closely. So it is relaxing to me. My fishes would know when they see the top come off. They will just stay in one side until I will come back with a fresh water (with Prime). Then they will start swimming back and forth. I have a little OCD when it comes to arranging the appliance in my tank. The heater and the filter has to be straight. The stones has to be in a certain way.Things like that. LOL.

 

[Amicus]

Wrong Forum.

 

[eco23]

Why did I want an aquarium? My neighbors dog starts barking at 6am and I needed white noise in my bedroom to drown out the sound. The humming of the filter works nicely... Still wish the dog would shut up though

 

[beepboop]

I've always liked fish and wanted an aquarium. Saltwater tanks seemed like too much work and too expensive, so I went with freshwater.

 

[Scraps]

I always loved watching the fish swim, so darn relaxing. I always had little gold fish bowls, then came the day my mom took me to the mall. They had a pet store and I had $25 I had earned from raking the lawn I was 10 and thought I was rich . They had a little 10 gallon starter kit, my mom reluctantly let me buy it and made me set it up buy myself, luckily the gentleman who sold me the tank gave me tons of lititure and advice. To my mom's suprise I was absoulutely crazy about it. So 5 years later when I decided that I wanted a bigger tank she had my dad come with a flatbed towtruck come get it ( I actually painted tow trucks to earn the money to buy it!) It was a 55 and I kept the 10 gallon too, so when I picked a 45 gallon out of the garbage, she was okay with it.
3 years ago my daughter passed away and I gave it up only thing I kept was an empty 90 gallon and stand. I have missed it so we bought a 30 gallon for now and are quite happy for now. My son who's 6 wants his own tank, but I'm going to wait a few years who knows maybe I'll get another 55 and he'll get the 30.

 

[WendiDell]

I always loved watching the fish swim, so darn relaxing. I always had little gold fish bowls, then came the day my mom took me to the mall. They had a pet store and I had $25 I had earned from raking the lawn I was 10 and thought I was rich . They had a little 10 gallon starter kit, my mom reluctantly let me buy it and made me set it up buy myself, luckily the gentleman who sold me the tank gave me tons of lititure and advice. To my mom's suprise I was absoulutely crazy about it. So 5 years later when I decided that I wanted a bigger tank she had my dad come with a flatbed towtruck come get it ( I actually painted tow trucks to earn the money to buy it!) It was a 55 and I kept the 10 gallon too, so when I picked a 45 gallon out of the garbage, she was okay with it.
3 years ago my daughter passed away and I gave it up only thing I kept was an empty 90 gallon and stand. I have missed it so we bought a 30 gallon for now and are quite happy for now. My son who's 6 wants his own tank, but I'm going to wait a few years who knows maybe I'll get another 55 and he'll get the 30.

Welcome back to fish keeping, Scraps. I hope it brings the same joy for you that it did as a kid.
Also, you have my condolences. That is a pain I can't imagine and hope I never have to.
We started a 10g tank for my Grandson when he was 4. He had just been diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome and the Aquarium was very calming for him. Casey has always helped with the maintenance, even at 4. So if it's only a 5g-10g tank your son may be able to handle it now. If it turns out he can't, it gives you an extra tank for a quarantine tank (QT) or Hosp. Tank (HT). It's a win-win.
Casey's now 10 almost 11 and we have 2 55g tanks and 2 10g tanks. It's funny how tanks can multiply. Casey helps me so much it's kind of awesome. It's given us a hobby that we can do together and great one on one time. It's been fun teaching him to respect and care for all living things. We learned about cycling a tank together and now he's learning why and how to test the tank water. He has a little trouble reading the colors on the test kit card. some of them are to similar to each other. But it's great for us to do together
I think you'll enjoy AA it's a great place for knowledge and there are some good people here.

 

[mandy2936]

It's funny how tanks can multiply.

Haha! True that! I blame MTS!

 

[Scraps]

I know it is funny how they multiply, right now my husband still says no to him having one, but he did say we'll rediscuss it soon
Thank you, I've heard about Asburger's I'm glad he's doing well!

 

[WendiDell]

I know it is funny how they multiply, right now my husband still says no to him having one, but he did say we'll rediscuss it soon
Thank you, I've heard about Asperger's I'm glad he's doing well!

Thank you, it's always one day at a time , but he's doing great, for now.
Having his own 55g Tank has really helped with a slew of issues. I am the one that has to do most things, or clean up after him. But he's doing a lot of the harder stuff himself, with supervision of course. It's a great, but fun way to teach responsibility at a young age. While they still think we know something and they don't know it all

 

[Snorkleboy]

Last year I was working a garage sale, and I had to check if a friends tank was all working I filled it up and, thats when my love of fish tanks began.