What Made You Want A Freshwater Aquarium?

[bungle]

my friend used to have a freshwater aquarium with a jack dempsy, an oscar, and a shovelnose catfish in it. in another tank, he had an electric catfish. i realized that everytime i was over there, i spent more time watching his fish than i did the TV. thats all it took...

 

[Bioworldmaker]

I wanted a freshwater tank because although I like fish, many saltwater fish are just blown out of the natural coral reefs to be sold to aquariums. They are beautiful but if it can't breed in a tank it shouldn't be in it.

 

[smilla4]

I swore when I was a kid that I'd never have an aquarium - my mom got tired of keeping her tank and stuck in in my room She wanted me to take over, but I didn't. One day I came home - the tank had leaked out 2/3 of the water. I think the fish got flushed and the tank dumped in the trash. I still don't understand why people would flush fish.

Several years ago my sister tried keeping a ten gallon, everything died, except her snail. I got to hear the ins and outs of her frustration and confusion. I thought, hmm, maybe I'd keep a snail, but the rest, no way.

Last year my neighbor gave me a betta. I put it him a vase (no peace lily - just the biggest container I had). He was flashing from the beginning. Didn't know what that meant at the time. Also had trouble keeping the water clean, even with water changes (small container). Seemed to always have problems. Watched him suffer. Started reading books and online. Tried medication. Read that a tank was easier to maintain than a vase. Thought more room would be more humane. Got a 12 gallon tank. Cycled the tank. Added the betta. Saw the betta had fungus (or was it velvet)? Betta went back in the vase with medication, later died. Felt guilty that I killed him (still do).

Kept the tank. Have other fish. Lost a lot of ghost shrimp. Lost a fish to what appeared to be a blockage or tumor about 8 months ago. Lost a lot of plants. Currently trying to bring another betta back to health. Still reading a lot. Still hate it. Periodically want to punt the tank out the window. Or quit. Hate giving up, even if I'm barely getting by.

 

[julicat]

My inspiration for getting into aquariums (ha!) was Gordon. Similar to Bungle's reason (except for the Gordon part). Gordon had beautiful, large tanks with large, black angel fish and others. His house was nicer, he was much smarter and nicer and funnier than me, knew how to fix bicycles.... I had no control over the house I grew up in and did not hope to become a better person or to learn how to fix bicycles. So I got a tank. This was in grammar school.

After getting married and moving into a nice, old flat in SF, I decided that the 'pass-through' leading from the kitchen to the living room would be the perfect place for a fish tank. Absolutely this was reliving my childhood, but with (sort of) adult money and (sort of) the ability to plan ahead and (sort of) assess how everythings doing as I go. Unlike my efforts in grammar school, I hoped to be able to create a viable, beautiful aquatic environment for our home.

We now have a twenty gallon freshwater tank with a lovely assortment of tetras and two lovely, quaintly secretive synodontis cats that would seem too large but for the fact we rarely see them (we see them enough to know they are well).

Having a tank is SO addictive! And I am still learning so much. I got a book called The Balanced Aquarium, and only after reading this did I get - REALLY get - how imperative it is to change the water regularly. Now I am trying to learn how to keep the proper pH for the tetras without hurting the plants... All this stuff about C02 seems to be the way I should go, BUT we then get back to my wariness of technical things (note inability to fix bicycles above). Will perhaps explore introducing peat or something.

Since I've reached our tank's fish limit (more or less...) for the moment, I coerced a friend with two young boys to allow me to set up a ten gallon at their house. I set the tank up, got live plants, but neglected to tell them to turn the light on daily; went back a week and a half later (we hadn't added fish yet) to find, of course the plants dead and in bits. We bought a good light, another plant, and, to keep the kids' interest, one fish. Zebra danio. Will add more soon...

I am at work and avoiding work stuff...

Sorry to prattle on...

 

[Apocalypse_Gold]

I had a fw tank when I was younger. My aunt convinced my mom to let us get one. The I had goldish (the fancy ones). Then I didn't have any running aquarims for a while until my brother (Hashbaz on this site) gave a 10 gal to my little sister as a gift. Nice guy you're thinking. Ha! He had moved out and to no responsibilty for it so I clean it buy stuff for it, treat it, etc. Actually now we're back to my 20 gal and mostly my stuff but my sister thinks he's the greatest because he gave her an aquarium. Take that Hasbaz!

 

[rallycat]

I think I decided to go freshwater mainy because it's:
1. Cheaper (usually)
2. Easier to Maintain
3. Affordable Fish that look Just as Good as Saltwaters

I've been keeping fish since I was about 14, and started with a 10gal set-up with some pearlscales. Then I got a megadeal when our commissary overstocked 29gal curvefronts, so I snagged one for... $30.00!!! Sorry, just so stoked about that. Now I've got 3 betta bowls, a brank-spankin' new 29gal, my curvefront and a 10gal. Fish freaaaaak and lovin' it.

 

[frshwaterfinatc]

Omg, smilla! I'll take your fish for ya!

Got hooked on fish a long time ago... my dad loved to go fishing, and I always felt sorry for the fish getting hooked and sometimes eaten. Often he'd reel in a pumpkinseed perch and I thought those were the most beautiful things (see if I can add a photo later). I got to the point where i wouldn't fish, I'd just wade around lifting rocks admiring all the fish in 14 mile creek (near Ft.Gibson Lake, OKla). My cousin had and oscar and gave his tank to me when he got rid of the oscar. I caught a pumpkinseed, bluegill and small catfish and added live plants to the rocks... kind fo learned how to upkeep by trial and error. Those fish lived a year, maybe a little longer. The went on vacation and the housesitter destroyed my perfect little ecosystem. Years later, I still love fish and work at the petstore in the fish section. I have regular customers who come in and ask for me or call the store to talk to me about their tanks.

After I move, I'll set up our bigger tanks, but right now I have a 2.5 gal with sand substrate, live plants, one opaline gourami, black lyretail molly, dalmation molly, and their fry...

QT tank with an opaline gourami that kept getting attacked by the other gourami

seven bowls/vases with bettas

 

[frshwaterfinatc]

two pumpkinseed perch spawning

 

[frshwaterfinatc]

Another photo- absolutely amazing. Can you believe something so beautiful could live here in Oklahoma's waters?lol

 

[angelocarusone]

When I was in HS, I had a 40 that I used to keep 5 tetras in and two zebra danios, but I was very bad at it and ultimately just got frustrated and stuck it in storage. For example, I used to wash out the entire filter system every two weeks. My water changes used to be about 75% every week. I could go on, but it's probably best if I spare you all the horror.

About a month before graduation, my friend showed up in my dorm room with a new 2 1/2 gallon tank and an absolutely gorgeous betta. I honestly was not a big fan of having the extra hassle at all, especially during finals time. But after having him around a few days, I started to get attached to him and when I moved home, I wanted to get him a better place to live, so I bought a 6-gallon eclipse and now I am totally addicted.

I am currently in the process of researching and preparing to set up a 12 nano-reef, which should bring my enthusiasm to new heights and my pockets to emptier levels.

 

[ploughking]

I started 2 years ago (roughly) when my Dads friend gave me a huge tank. I got loads of goldgish (still here today) and then I moved the tank ( he other was breaking the table it was on). That was the first ten gallon. A few months ago I bought a tropical 20 litre tank for my birthday. I overcrowded it and killed a lot of fish. I feel ultra guitly now. But that didn't put me off. I bought another 10 gal a while ago and put the fish in it. They seem very happy and it has increasingly tempted me to get a 4-footer in the near future. Puh, yeah right. Like the lanlords gonna let me.

 

[groucheux]

Hi everybody! I'm brand new here...thought this would be a great thread to say hello.

I've just finished with a reef tank that I've had for the past four years. I kept freshwater tanks all through high school and have always been envious of the saltwater crowd. 5 years ago my wife gave me a 55 gallon tank for christmas and I set up the reef. I really enjoyed the reef experience, but after four years, I'm really looking forward to returning to the freshwater community. During the past year or so I've actually been rather envious of some of the beautiful freshwater setups I've seen. Reef keeping has it's rewards, but it is such a high stress, high cost, high maintenance hobby that I think it's easy to burn out.

Anyway, that's why I'm returning to freshwater...
later...grouch

 

[Toirtis]

My grandfather began keeping tropical fish in late 1931 and continued doing so until his death in the late sixties, at one time having a massive and locally famous fish room consisting of well over 100 tanks. My father started keeping tropical fish (thanks to his father's influence) in the late 1950's, and continued with them until his death in 1986. Growing up in a home full of aquaria, it just came naturally to me, and I started with the tank that was my very own in 1971...the rest is history.

 

[petitemonk]

Welp... ever sence I can remember I have loved watching fish, I did snorkaling and scuba, And i just love to watch them, But I wasn't alowed to have fish, mainly because of my parents that didnt want it in the house... But iam off on my own now, and After a visit to Laughlin and spending the whole week fooling around underwater watching the fish I decided to buy an aquarium. And that was today lol. So here I am on Day 1. w00t

 

[techiegirl]

I grew up wanting to be a Marine Biologist... they called me Joyce Cousteau.
Ever since I can remember, I loved water.. lakes, the ocean, aquariums, etc...
I had a 20 gal SW tank in junior high/high school and got into SCUBA diving -- I used to work at a SCUBA store in NorCal where I grew up.
I have a degree in Biology and was a Biologist/Chemist up until a few years ago when I got into Technology.
My nephew got into SW a few years ago with a 55 gal and then a 150 gal custom tank. I envied him but was totally broke after being in the Tech industry and getting layed off every quarter practically. :?
I had been thinking about getting an aquarium a few months ago and my friend said he would give me his 10 gal setup, stand and all! He has a few other tanks and wasn't using that one anymore. YAY!
So of course, I love researching stuff and imedialtely got online and found this place and went to the library and got some books.
At the same time, the 65 gal SW tank at work that one of the guys had brought from home, had been severly neglected and I asked if I could take it over and so I reset that up too.
This is so fun and so addicting!!!!
My nephew is moving and wanted to sell both his and was going to give me his 55gal but he ended up selling it! sadness.
I can't wait to get my own bigger aquarium at home now!

 

[thetmaxx]

When I was a kid my parents had a 15 gallon freshwater, they tried every kind of fish in that thing, but they always died... so my dad put all the equipment away.. when i got old enough that i thought i would lik to try keeping fish, my dad told me i couldnt use his tank. so i always asked for years and years, and they said no. so about a year ago, i bought a 1.5 gallon, just to keep a few danios, and i really liked it, then my freind gave me this 10 gallon, and i bought a bunch of stuff for it, liekt he lgiht, and decorations, and i absolutly love it!!! Im only freshwater now, becuz its so small. eventually i want a house full of fish... my gf likes my fish.

btw my dad said my brother coud have the 15 gal about 4 months ago.... blah he doesnt even keep it up or anyhting, it makes me mad....

 

[Meredith]

getting into freshwater was a slow process for me. About 5 years ago when I lived in an apartment, not much room, my husband and I had cats but I wanted more variety (of pets). So I got a large fish bowl and a betta. After a while I wanted more fish so I got a little one gal. tank and a little frog and some other little fish. My betta lived for about a year, I was very sad when he died. I buried him under the clover in the yard. I even made him a little cross marker out of tooth picks. After that, I wanted more fish so I got a five gal tank, then a ten, then we moved into a house. I was pretty content with my ten gal, until I learned that my pleco (which I dont have any more) was WAY to big for the ten. I told my husband that I wanted a 29 gal tank for my birthday, and he got me the 55. I think he has recognized my pattern. I love my tank and I think this will be it for me.... for now.

 

[Newbneedshelp]

well i was in florida over the summer for about 2 weeks i stayed at my grandmas but was always over my uncles. One day i saw his 55 gal tank which he had up and running before he moved hidden away in his shed. This made me remember the first time i ever visited them and i went with him to pick out some fish for the tank and we ended up with 3 freshwater angels. well anyway this made me sad and also made me want an aquarium.

 

[dud]

I helped my friend move and I noticed he had this 10g fishtank. I remembered he tried keeping fish before but they always died, but I enjoyed watching them whenever I visited his place. I asked if I could 'borrow ' his tank, and he said yes.

 

[Relic1882]

In my opinion nothing is more beautiful in the world than tropical fish. If you watch the discovery channel during the ocean shows you know that nothing looks more amazing than underwater sea life. I'm afraid to try saltwater still, so I'm doing freshwater tanks until I get better at keeping up with everything.