What Made You Want A Freshwater Aquarium?

[lynda orourke]

I had a dream about setting up a large tank in the living room, it was a good dream so I desided to go a get one for real. I got a little 25l cold water tank whichI planted up and put kept a couple of fancy goldfish in. That was all good for a year or so but then they got ich and died. I was talking about my fish problems at work and my boss said he had a 150l tank and fish he wanted to get rid of, so now I have the tank from my dream.

 

[Loachie]

I've always loved animals, but never tried keeping fish (I didn't think they were interactive enough, LOL). When I went to college, it was my first time without any pets. I couldn't stand it, so I asked the dorm supervisor if I could keep something small. His reply, "If it can last 30 minutes underwater, you can keep it." He thought that was a clever way to say that only fish were allowed, but I took it as a challenge. I tried keeping a crawdad in a 2 gallon tank, but I was doing water changes every other day. So, I drove 3 hours to illegally purchase a turtle (selling live turtles is illegal in many Southeastern US states, due to salmonella fears). I felt very cool, having a contraband pet and I had two turtles for about 5 years. When they outgrew their 10 gallon tank, I put a goldfish in it. The goldfish had more personality than the turtles, and ended up having its own 29 gallon tank. I've had fish ever since. Now, 8 years later, I have a 29 gallon planted tank. When my newborn son cries, I put the rocking chair in front of the tank and he stares at the fish while I rock him. A new generation fish-lover!

 

[ShawnKaizen]

need of freshwater aquarium

Aquarium fish keeping has a long history and has been a relaxing hobby for centuries. The ancient Chinese is the first civilization thought to have kept aquarium fish for ornamental purposes. Even earlier than the Chinese though, civilizations were keeping plenty of fish in various types of holding containers for food purposes. We've come along way since then and hopefully we can help others enjoy this great hobby

 

[robertselbe]

Now I have 4 tanks within a month of having fish!

My son wanted fish and we bought him a ten gallon. Updated to a 29 gallon after the cicihilds were born. Then his Gourami got sick, so we had to go and get another 10 gallon to keep him alive. In the mean time, I thought I would surprise everyone by buying a 75 gallon. To be honest - I have no idea what I am doing. I have been reading to get educated. What our children get us into - what is cool is he has enjoyed watching the babies grow. Even though I have no idea what I am going to do with them.

 

[wims590]

i always wanted fish, i used to go down to the fish market with my grandad when i was younger in the little fishing town i grew up in peterhead, Scotland, i used to go around kissing all the fish..i know its gross!!
then i had two goldfish..spot and rover when i was around 5ish
then i had two fan tails..lance and rashid
then i had another 2 fantails ...dick and dom
then i thought i would like a big tank with exciting fish so i got my 260ltr.
i have always love going swimming with fish , really fascinated with them, went swimming with rays and sharks before and just really enjoy being around water and fish for some reason lol its so calming and relaxing.

 

[JesseL]

When I was a child, One of the foster families I lived with had A 10 gal. tank with orange swortails. I used to sit and watch the fish. They facinatated me. When I saw live babies come out ,I was hooked. It was years untill I got out on my own (I was passed around a lot in foster homes and group homes for kids without a home) so I could start getting my own tanks, but I never forgot that and aways said when I grow up I'mm going to to have an aquarium with swordtails just like I remembered.Over the years I've had many. When I was single I had tanks in every room. I am facinated with how different fish live, the details of water quality and how natural biolgical filtration works. I LOVE IT !!!!!!!!

 

[AndrewH]

A few co-workers of mine have reef tanks, and that's all they would ever talk about in the beginning I didn't quite understand what was so great about it... but after awhile it sounded pretty interesting. One day I saw a 10 gallon tank combo for sale pretty cheap and decided to pick it up. I knew nothing about fish keeping so I decided to do some research and learned fresh water was much much easier (which I already figured). After some research I set it up and bought 4 tetras and since then I have had several fish and haven't lost any either.

 

[rachaelsosilly]

Here is how I got started...

I started working in a pet store about 4 months ago. I was trained as a pet care assistant, where I would deal with fish and rodents and puppies and kittens. Clean cages, bag fish, etc. Well, I had already had a dog, cat, two birds, and pet mouse, and had never really given it a go at fish keeping. So I thought, why not? I'll get a Betta. Well, after vast research, I had to ditch the .6 gallon Betta bowl and get him something better, with a filter and a heater. 8 gallons later, I had gotten him a little Oto and ADF as a room mate. Well, that of course escalated and now he's rooming with a danio, platy, and guppy. They all seem happy. I don't think I'm ever going to get into live plants, because that just seems even MORE work!

Wish me luck on my new tank!

Rachael

 

[AquaScaper]

Instead of a saltwater tank i have freshwater because saltwater takes up extra work, and freshwater takes up less work.

 

[jim.m257]

Wow! I can't believe how long this thread has been open!
Anyway, not one to shy away from telling my story:

My grandad always had fish as I was growing up, mostly tropical FW.. When I was a little older my father bought a 3ft tank which housed a few platies, sailfin mollies, angels, guppies, tetras, mountain clouds, plecos and various other fish over the years it was in operation. That was my first community tank until the day I bought a couple of Kribensis. They were colourful and a bit of a step into the Cichlid arena, although not a very big one They bred and I moved them into a 2ft where they raised another couple of, unfortuantely canabalised broods.. Somewhere along the lines I lost interest or moved away, I can't quite remember. But I restarted in the habit by cleaning my girlfriends goldfish bowl the other day and buying her a new fish. This got me back on the Kribensis path and I've been hooked ever since!! If only I'd learnt about fishless cycling before I bought my tank, I wouldn't be changing water every day and worrying that my new male was going to make it! In any case I think he's going to be better fed than I am, variety wise, not amount wise of course..

I don't know why, but watching fish seems to take you to another place.. away from your troubles.. It's so relaxing you can't help but love it..

Jim.

 

[mike47517]

Well I had a 10 gallon and some feeder goldfish and a pleco at a young age. I eventually got a betta. then we had to move to Georiga (12years old at the time).All my gold fish would die from ick sooner or later.But now ive finely got another tank. small but good. My 2 mollies got the Ick And i finely got it right i think. The mollies are clearing up.
________________________________________________________________________
10 gallon-1 black molly, 1 black sailfin molly, 1 albino cory, and 2 crayfish.

 

[JesseL]

Rachael, never say never. I said the same thing now I have live plants too. It's addicting!

 

[Decamio]

3 years ago I saw my brother's aquarium and i really liked the combination between goldfish and guppies ( ). I didn't know anything about fish and compatibility, but i just wanted to have an aquarium, like my brother. So, in the next day, i bought glass and i made my 40 gallons aquarium with stand too. I didn't know anything about amonia cycle so, i put my first guppies ( 5 little fish ) after 4 days, and fortunately they didn't die.
I was so proud of them and i feld increasingly more responsable for each dead fish and for this reason i started reading and learning many interesting things... and now, they are my hobby, my passion and my lovely pets
It's with happy ending...

 

[Lordrip1]

Hey was up guy's ( new Guy here ) my first Experience with a fish tank was watching my Cousin cleaning his 55g gallon tank. I was only 3 or 5 I don't remember. I was amazed that they live in the water and I just did not understand at that age How they bathe in the water . So me being a curious type guy that has to know it every thing. (it explains why am smart *** now that I think about it LOL ) Any way I remember that I was not Happy with the Baby explanation, they gave me. So I made it my Mission to A. Find out how they breath air of the water ( which I did ) B. To own my own Fish tank ( Which I did as soon I got a Job, First tank was 10g ) C. To make the Move to a Big tank. ( For the Moment I have 55g ) D. make the Move to salt water when I have My own house. Right now I am taking the Dive in to a planted tank

 

[satch]

I bought my first 10 gallon tank when I was a young lad. I had no clue what I was doing and bought fish the same day I bought the tank and I wondered why I had a hard time keeping fish alive. 20 years later (10 years ago) I bought a 29 gal aquarium and did things right the second time around. I never get tired of listening to music late at night and watching the fish before I go to sleep. I think I'm addicted... gotta watch them every day!

 

[Gingersmommy]

My husband, Dyami made me want a tank. I started out with one of those purple ones with the light and rock and stuff already in it. I got 4 fish (I don't even know what they were- I just got to name them after my favorite band- the Rolling Stones) well they eventually died- Dyami said I had too many. We waited a few weeks, and he tool me to this pet store called JoMars, I liked the atmosphere, and we ended up walking out with a 10 gallon tank with all the rock, and plants, and of course- my Beautiful babies- Bonnie and Clyde (my Angels). I have been an addict since- I keep adding plants- and some fish occasionally- I htink the fish like all the flowers and things to hide behind. That's my storry (And plus it is awesome to sit down after a hard days work at the Shack and just watch all my babies like they don't have a care in the world- it is so relaxing).

 

[rob28]

well, my parents had a 75gal when i was a kid. At that age i thought it was GINORMOUS!! I loved smashing my face up against the glass to try to get an idea of what it was like to be a fish and toi see what they see. i would always feed the oscars by hand and laugh when they would practically eat my whole hand.

recently my wife started getting into bettas.....1 turned into 2 which eventually turned into, I think, 7 scattered throughout my house. she then decided she wanted to start an a aqarium an went to the local pet shop to buy a 1 gal set-up. then it went to a five gal, and then a 20.

Now, she was getting my attention....and it wasnt how "cool" the hobby is or how "pretty" the tanks are. Its how much friggin money she is blowin buy upgrading constantley. I said to her that instead of buyin these lil crappy tanks that you are gonna get sick of in a few weeks, why dont you just get a big one. OH BOY!!!

so.........now we have a 55gal with im not even sure how many fish and since i made an oober noobie mistake of buyin 3 iridescent sharks without researchin them....ive got a 240 gallon tank on the way and have met with a contractor to build a false wall in the living room to house it.

I HAD TO OPEN MY BIG FAT MOUTH DIDNT I!!

 

[joshcat]

My parents had a couple of fish tanks when I was a child. Thinking back, I believe they were 20 or 25 gallon on a double stack cast iron stand. I can remember laying on the floor in front of them, just watching them for long durations of time.

My obsession with aquariums began as a young adult (about 19). I had a girl friend who worked in a fish distribution center that bred and sold fish wholesale to retailers. She had aquariums of fish everywhere you looked, all sizes in every room of her house. She gave me my first aquarium, a 45 gallon and helped me establish and populate it.

From then on that was "all she wrote" my obsession began. I bought a second 45, then a couple of 55's then a 90 and 2 more 55's after that. This led to quarantine tanks and breeding tanks, I even bought small 10 and 15 gallon tanks for my girls when they were little to have in there rooms.

After a divorce and a career that had me working 80 hours plus a week, I took a break for quite a few years. But the addiction has returned full force (lol). I started again with a 29 gallon thinking I'll keep it small, no such luck, it only made me want more. So my husband now and I have the 29, a 55 and 56 gallon and are talking about going larger.

I can't think of anything more relaxing to watch, more rewarding than seeing juveniles grow into beautiful adults and it isn't bad for your health!

 

[mike47517]

I can't think of anything more relaxing to watch, more rewarding than seeing juveniles grow into beautiful adults and it isn't bad for your health!

same here. I especially love ottos and cories and the way they interact

 

[badbart]

I bought a 10 gallon tank for the kids because of their allergies to most pets. I got very interested in aquariums after researching on the internet. I now have a 20 gallon planted tank and love learning abut maintaining the tank and building apparatuses for the tank.