aquanerd13
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Very similar to me. I got into the hobby 9 months ago. I now have a 75 gallon display tank, plus a 10 gallon. I am about to stock the 75. I am also 13.
What Made You Want A Freshwater Aquarium?
- Thread starter fishfreek
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Very similar to me. I got into the hobby 9 months ago. I now have a 75 gallon display tank, plus a 10 gallon. I am about to stock the 75. I am also 13.
technosguy
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2019
- Messages
- 22
When I was 7 years old, I was so sick, mum carried me to the doctor’s clinic at night, then dad followed us.
At the clinic while we were waiting for our turn to meet the doctor, we saw a huge aquarium, it was full of different weird creatures to me. They were so funny , so pretty and so weird. Mum is always excited around animals, she likes them, so she kept telling me about fish and how they eat while she was knocking gently on the glass to get some attention from them.
Now I’m above 30 years old and I have bought my first aquarium few months ago.
At the clinic while we were waiting for our turn to meet the doctor, we saw a huge aquarium, it was full of different weird creatures to me. They were so funny , so pretty and so weird. Mum is always excited around animals, she likes them, so she kept telling me about fish and how they eat while she was knocking gently on the glass to get some attention from them.
Now I’m above 30 years old and I have bought my first aquarium few months ago.
Remington
Aquarium Advice Regular
I like weird things. Fish are weird. Rather it’s the shape of a hatchet fish or the eel like shape of a weather loach I always was and still am drawn to the odd ball fish.
Aquarium.girl
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2021
- Messages
- 22
I started my freshwater aquarium because my 12-year-old dog recently passed away and I can't think of getting another dog, it feels like I would be replacing her. So instead I have decided to get a 10-gallon freshwater tank and have some fish in it. I have 3 ghost shrimp, 3 dalmatian mollies, and 3 neon tetras. Since I'm new I'm still learning as I go but I'm very happy that I started a little aquarium.
CardinalDiscus
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2021
- Messages
- 26
well lets just say when i was kid 14 years old i had saved up a year to buy a 210 gallon tank. most first timers dont usually do thisbut i put that used 210 gallon tank in my 14ft by 15 ft bedroom. I wanted a whole bunch of cardinal tetras and i got them about 200 they were cheap back then abou 20 cents a peice. I had some live plants in it and it was a huge tank i loved it and from then on i was addicted to the hobby. I have like 30 tanks now and they arent small ones lol smallest is 75 gallons.
Alexandria
Aquarium Advice Newbie
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2021
- Messages
- 5
When I was little my first pet was a betta fish and I loved him so much. Flash forward almost ten years later, my family and I have a dog, but I have no pet of my own, as I had recently given my guinea pigs to a friend due to trying circumstances. I really wanted a pet that was all my own, because that has always been something that meant a lot to me. I wanted a snake at first because my friend had one she would give me a discount on, but my mom wasn't comfortable with having a snake in the house, so I ended up asking for fish. I planned on getting a betta, but after a long month of research, decided on guppies, so now I have a five gallon freshwater tank in my room that I love to watch before I go to sleep at night or in between chapters while reading a book.
My almost 3 year old daughter really loves fish. My husband and I have no idea why since neither of us were aquarium hobbyists previously. Whenever we'd go to the pet store to get our dog's food, though, since about six months old our daughter would become upset if she didn't get a stroll the aquatics section to look at the fish. One of her first words was "fish," and she'd use it to express her excitement about them.
When our daughter was 2 years old my husband surprised both of us with a 10 gallon tank. We bought a betta fish for it because that's what she wanted. She named him Bob. They have a weird relationship. His tank is in an area of our living room before our kitchen area and her play room, so she's constantly running between the three "rooms" (it's open concept so not really rooms I guess). He'll swim after her as she runs from room to room. I'll sometimes find her just standing at his tank talking to him. One of her joys being able to feed Bob every day. On days when they have a conversation, I always wake up to a giant bubble nest left by Bob. In addition to having Bob, I also enjoy plants, so I started planted the tank. I put in a large piece of fake coral and a rock hidey hole, so Bob can hide (though he very rarely does) and a bunch of betta beds, which he enjoys. I find snails fascinating, so I bought a nerite snail and mystery snail to assist with the algae buildup.
Everything was going great, then the mystery snail died. My water tested fine by the strips I have at home, so I brought a water into our pet store for testing. The aquatics person at the pet store confirmed the water was fine. They said that mystery snails don't do well in heated tanks. They also said that the snails shell looked like it had calcium deficiencies. I had been wondering about the calcium since the shell had been developing white little pits and its growth rings weren't smoothing over like they had previously. I replaced the snail with another nerite since our nerite's shell looks fine and the aquatics person didn't seem to think that water temperature affected them as much as the mystery snails.
I joined this forum because I wanted to ask about using a cuttlebone versus a magic shell for calcium, and I'm just waiting for someone who knows the answer to respond. In the meantime, I'm having fun reading the forum and learning new things about aquariums.
When our daughter was 2 years old my husband surprised both of us with a 10 gallon tank. We bought a betta fish for it because that's what she wanted. She named him Bob. They have a weird relationship. His tank is in an area of our living room before our kitchen area and her play room, so she's constantly running between the three "rooms" (it's open concept so not really rooms I guess). He'll swim after her as she runs from room to room. I'll sometimes find her just standing at his tank talking to him. One of her joys being able to feed Bob every day. On days when they have a conversation, I always wake up to a giant bubble nest left by Bob. In addition to having Bob, I also enjoy plants, so I started planted the tank. I put in a large piece of fake coral and a rock hidey hole, so Bob can hide (though he very rarely does) and a bunch of betta beds, which he enjoys. I find snails fascinating, so I bought a nerite snail and mystery snail to assist with the algae buildup.
Everything was going great, then the mystery snail died. My water tested fine by the strips I have at home, so I brought a water into our pet store for testing. The aquatics person at the pet store confirmed the water was fine. They said that mystery snails don't do well in heated tanks. They also said that the snails shell looked like it had calcium deficiencies. I had been wondering about the calcium since the shell had been developing white little pits and its growth rings weren't smoothing over like they had previously. I replaced the snail with another nerite since our nerite's shell looks fine and the aquatics person didn't seem to think that water temperature affected them as much as the mystery snails.
I joined this forum because I wanted to ask about using a cuttlebone versus a magic shell for calcium, and I'm just waiting for someone who knows the answer to respond. In the meantime, I'm having fun reading the forum and learning new things about aquariums.
WildFish99
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Young start
I had a 1gal tank for as long as I can remember. Surprisingly I successfully kept at one goldfish alive in that for over two years.
Slowly I gained more interest in tanks and realized that mine was too small, so I switched to a 5gal tank for hermit crabs (dry setup with water dishes). When that ended poorly after about a year or so and further research just made everything about hermits seem like a bad idea. I stopped keeping tanks at all for a while.
My dad had a co worker back sometime in the 2000’s who was moving, so they sold me their 30gal and the whole setup for $75. I’ve been using that tank and 2.5,5,10 gallons for the last few years. The 2.5 was an attempt at a nano tank, of which ended up as a backup tank when my 5gal started to leak.
Currently I have my 30gal (29 breeder technically) setup with lots of live plants, a female betta splendin, and a small school of endler live bearers. I had some ghost shrimp in there but I had to move and they dont travel well.
About 9 years of having a 30 gal, and still so much to learn and apply!
I had a 1gal tank for as long as I can remember. Surprisingly I successfully kept at one goldfish alive in that for over two years.
Slowly I gained more interest in tanks and realized that mine was too small, so I switched to a 5gal tank for hermit crabs (dry setup with water dishes). When that ended poorly after about a year or so and further research just made everything about hermits seem like a bad idea. I stopped keeping tanks at all for a while.
My dad had a co worker back sometime in the 2000’s who was moving, so they sold me their 30gal and the whole setup for $75. I’ve been using that tank and 2.5,5,10 gallons for the last few years. The 2.5 was an attempt at a nano tank, of which ended up as a backup tank when my 5gal started to leak.
Currently I have my 30gal (29 breeder technically) setup with lots of live plants, a female betta splendin, and a small school of endler live bearers. I had some ghost shrimp in there but I had to move and they dont travel well.
About 9 years of having a 30 gal, and still so much to learn and apply!
pwypGlofish
Aquarium Advice Regular
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2021
- Messages
- 77
Well, when I was little my parents wouldn’t let me have any pets. They would say dogs and cats were too disorderly and inordinate. I used to have many kinds of pet when I was little, from goldfish to parakeets however I was so young I didn’t know how to take care of them, so my parents would do all the work.
Now here I am, with nine beautiful Glofish that I bought during quarantine fulfilling my dream of having my own pets
Unfortunately I lost one of them as a beginners’ mistake and felt deeply hurt; but most of that pain came into me realizing that beginners in the aquarium hobby have made many mistakes too.
Now my free time is spent giving tips and advice to various individuals to help them raise healthy fish and find happiness in the hobby as well.
Now here I am, with nine beautiful Glofish that I bought during quarantine fulfilling my dream of having my own pets
Unfortunately I lost one of them as a beginners’ mistake and felt deeply hurt; but most of that pain came into me realizing that beginners in the aquarium hobby have made many mistakes too.Now my free time is spent giving tips and advice to various individuals to help them raise healthy fish and find happiness in the hobby as well.
Well, it was more of a crapshoot, shooting from the hip kind of deal
I wanted stock for my 1/2ac pond and there’s nothing available nearby. So I decided on a whim that I’ve just about had enough of the 4hr travels for no reason and picked up some gear while I was in the city.
It’s very likely that I’ll have to end up moving these small comets into the pond or they’ll die before the tank cycles, in which case I’d bet that the much larger koi will have a feast. But, with any luck, it’ll give me all the goodies in the tank to get it cycled, then one more trip for some more smalls and I’ll be set! Ideally I’d like to breed my own stock to replenish the winter-kill and whatever critters feast on
I wanted stock for my 1/2ac pond and there’s nothing available nearby. So I decided on a whim that I’ve just about had enough of the 4hr travels for no reason and picked up some gear while I was in the city.
It’s very likely that I’ll have to end up moving these small comets into the pond or they’ll die before the tank cycles, in which case I’d bet that the much larger koi will have a feast. But, with any luck, it’ll give me all the goodies in the tank to get it cycled, then one more trip for some more smalls and I’ll be set! Ideally I’d like to breed my own stock to replenish the winter-kill and whatever critters feast on
Bass173
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I thought freshwater was the same as salt water. I honestly didn't even know there was a difference. I just got my tank, put some water in it, and I guess it just became fresh water? Hahaha idk
Alaecreaturae
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I'm a college student majoring in biology, and I love going to the aquarium. I have a bucket list of all the aquariums around the US (And the rest of the world) that I want to go to someday. Recently I went to Shedd in Chicago, which has been at the top of my list since I was a child. I never thought I would see it, but the love of my life brought me there. It was insane, they had nearly every order of fishes from different regions.
I can sit and watch a tank of fish for literal hours until something makes me walk away.
Got tired of my family/friends "rushing" me through aquariums (more like keeping me moving at a snail's pace). I also love caring for animals- so I started my own tank to have my own personal aquarium that I can take care of and study. Fishkeeping is a little stressful at times but it is so rewarding to see my little friends enjoying their space. I get to apply things that I learn in class to my animals every day.
I can sit and watch a tank of fish for literal hours until something makes me walk away.
Got tired of my family/friends "rushing" me through aquariums (more like keeping me moving at a snail's pace). I also love caring for animals- so I started my own tank to have my own personal aquarium that I can take care of and study. Fishkeeping is a little stressful at times but it is so rewarding to see my little friends enjoying their space. I get to apply things that I learn in class to my animals every day.
jaylach
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
While a lot of people think that you have to have salt water for colorful fish I think South American Cichlids are just as cool.
When I was ~13 years old, now 67, I saved up and got a 10 gallon tank and a pair of show guppies that I bread and sold back to the store. The pair of guppies cost me $60.00 but I ended up making a profit.
Years later I discovered rope fish and South American Cichlids and fell in love.
Later on, after 25-30 years without a tank, I inherited a tiny 2.5 gallon tank with a small pleco, a cory cat and a black skirt tetra. I'm not about to even mess with 2.5 gallon tank but it tripped my trigger and I decided to get a 20 gallon cube. I would rather a larger tank but I live in a third floor apartment and I don't trust the floor with something like a 500 pound 50 gallon.
Went shopping on-line and Found a cube sold by JBJ including a stand that I'm not even using that retailed for $638.00 but I had found a 50% off coupon and got everything for $319.00. I could not refuse the deal.
And here we go!..................................
BTW, my demon bird, a cockatiel, seems quite intrigued with the tank
When I was ~13 years old, now 67, I saved up and got a 10 gallon tank and a pair of show guppies that I bread and sold back to the store. The pair of guppies cost me $60.00 but I ended up making a profit.
Years later I discovered rope fish and South American Cichlids and fell in love.
Later on, after 25-30 years without a tank, I inherited a tiny 2.5 gallon tank with a small pleco, a cory cat and a black skirt tetra. I'm not about to even mess with 2.5 gallon tank but it tripped my trigger and I decided to get a 20 gallon cube. I would rather a larger tank but I live in a third floor apartment and I don't trust the floor with something like a 500 pound 50 gallon.
Went shopping on-line and Found a cube sold by JBJ including a stand that I'm not even using that retailed for $638.00 but I had found a 50% off coupon and got everything for $319.00. I could not refuse the deal.
And here we go!..................................
BTW, my demon bird, a cockatiel, seems quite intrigued with the tank
I went to a going away party at a work friend's house who had a million pets. I knew how hard it would be to move all those pets across country (I have had to do it before) and I also just love animals in general, so I offered to take in any animals that it would be too difficult to bring with her. She told me she didn't think her fish would survive the drive and I don't think they would have either. So I offered to take them and it started a whirlwind journey of my fiance and I getting super into fishkeeping to where he wants to be an aquarist for a career now. He is really into aquascaping too, that's a bit too fancy for me though.
My first ever fish I got when I was 17 but I had an awful sad experience with it and didn't ever want to get fish again after. Now here we are 10 years later with 3 fish tanks and wanting to get even more ?
My first ever fish I got when I was 17 but I had an awful sad experience with it and didn't ever want to get fish again after. Now here we are 10 years later with 3 fish tanks and wanting to get even more ?
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