nyb440 Posted February 19, 2006 Report Share Posted February 19, 2006 So, I ran across this picture today: http://members.shaw.ca/nyb/fish/fishbowl.jpg Yup, that's how I started fishkeeping. A one-gallon bowl that was given to me with three goldfish in it. No gravel, no filter, just a little bit of water and too many fish. Besides something really silly like shoving three oscars in there, I think that has to be a really good example of one of the worst ways to start fishkeeping. I shudder to think of how many goldfish shuffled off their mortal coils in that bowl before I moved on to other things. Eventually, a betta found a home in there, and that of course was a big improvement (i.e., the fish lived for more than a week!). Then a 10 gallon tank came my way, followed by the typical progression to larger, more numerous, and better kept tanks. Oh yeah, and you can guess in what era that picture was taken by the really spiffy audio equipment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted February 19, 2006 Report Share Posted February 19, 2006 i started with bettas, i just had males, in their own bowls, oh and at one point a males with 2 females in a one gallon tank, though he killed them both. And i learned that was a stupid idea anyway, when i started breeding them. but yah, know ive the fish i got. much easier to take care of if you ask me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmer107 Posted February 19, 2006 Report Share Posted February 19, 2006 I was about 10 when someone gave me a 10 gallon with some common guppies and a cory cat. I had them till I left home and then gave everything away. I got back into the hobby after I got married and settled down. I've mostly kept cichlid pairs, but I also have a small tank with common guppies in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vapor Posted February 19, 2006 Report Share Posted February 19, 2006 Started off obout six months ago with a 27 gallon community tank. Recently added a 90 gallon that I am slowly starting to fill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thefishdude Posted February 19, 2006 Report Share Posted February 19, 2006 I was given a 33gal starter kit from my grandfather when I was 12 years old. Kinda came out of the blue but it was definetly a gift I will never forget. Around the age of 16 I got out of it as my priorities shifted. After I was done college I started getting the bug again and thankfully I didn't sell the tank - still have it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Prawn Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 I started with 3 aquatic turtles when I was 11 or so, and had bettas galore up until I was 20 or so, when my room mates betta jumped over the divider in our tank and killed my betta. I took a break, turned 23 and here I am today with 10 tanks after about 6 months. -Hideo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowape Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 I started in the mid 80's with a 20g and 4 oscars,that mistake didn't take long to show itself!!! Got out of the hobby for a lot of years because my job kept me out of town lot's. Last year the bug hit again and now I'm considering an addition to the house just for a fish room!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanker Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Fun question! As a young kid my dad had oscars and angels at different times. Don't remember much about them other than having the fear of all that is holy instilled in me if I ever went near the oscars. I was scared they'd come right out of the tank and eat me whole. Dad still keeps a couple oscars... they are bigger than his dog. As for me, specifically: About a year and a half ago I was at a friend's place who keeps assorted Af-lids and after a couple conversations we went and picked up a one gallon UGF tank and set it up with a red betta. Then at the February auction, the same friend bought me a five gallon tank; my first glass tank. This is the point I consider myself 'in the hobby' as that is when I had more than a single fish in a single tank. As we approach the first anniversary of that momentous occasion (for me, at least) I find myself actually decreasing the number of tanks and the amount of tank-care I do... no more planted, no more community... just a couple specific species I enjoy, and I am breeding them. I look at it as taking a year to experience several facets of the hobby, and now I want to cut back a bit as the next few years are going to be very time-demanding for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 When i was little we had a 15g. My sister was in brownies and my parents bought it so she could get the "pets" badge. So we had it setup on and off throughout my childhood. We did everything we possibly could wrong and the fish never lasted too long. Then when i was about 14 i decided to start the tank up again. I bough some fantail goldfish and some zebra danios. Within the month they were all dead. So I decided to look on the internet to see what went wrong. There began my addiction. I took a couple weeks to research things before i bought any other fish. When i was ready i bought 5 tetras and an angelfish(it was free with a coupon,lol). Thankfully everything worked out better the second time and that angelfish is still alive along with a couple of the tetras. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Whenever we went shopping w. Mom, I always insisted that we go to a mall w. a pet store. But, I didn't get my first tank 'til I was 12. A 10gal w. a VERY prego guppy. Within a couple of months, I had over 100 guppies in a few tanks. Sold them when we moved back to Edmonton. When I was 16 or so, I met Henry at DADs Fishroom.... we've been friends ever since! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAlberta Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 In my early teenage years I had a few tanks. Like many teenagers I then discovered sex, drugs and rock N roll (I should point out I was successful but not in that order) Twenty years later we were looking for something to keep Tammy occupied with her time as she was trying to quit smoking. Over the next few months we kept building on the hobby, getting rid of things to sit on being replaced by fishtanks. Currently we have 13 tanks set up with five more in "inventory". (We just picked up our 70 gallon tank yesterday! YAY!!!) For those of you trying to quit smoking I encourage you to spend your money on fish stuff! You will never look back!!! Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toirtis Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Its all in the family.....my paternal grandfather began keeping aquaria in the very early 1930's....he passed the hobby onto my father, who began keeping aquaria in the 1950's, and he in turn started me with my first personal tank (we had a house full, but this one was mine specifically) in 1971 (a wonderful 10 gallon metal-frame tank with an assortment of tropical fish that included Corydoras, guppies, and some tetra)....I have had aquaria ever since, usually no less than 5 or so at any given point....so an unbroken 75 years of aquarium-keeping in my family to date....and my 8 year-old daughter has had her own tanks for 4 years now, so I anticipate the family tradition will live on well into this current century. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishBrain Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 I was given a 10G from my brother for XMas when I was 10. We had goldfish in it until he found a turtle in the spring and we had that for a year or so. My mom made me get rid of anything that didn't meow back then. I few years ago I got back into the hobby with a 20G long that I picked up for a song and dance, and now well....I have just gone overboard, 12 Tanks (running) from 10G to 150G. Excellent topic!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nyb440 Posted February 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 I find it interesting how many people here have either cut back on their number of tanks, or eliminated them completely, and them come back to fishkeeping in full swing. I had 13 tanks and a pond going at one point, but then 3rd year university hit and there just wasn't any time left, so I got rid of most of them. Right now, I just have two tanks, a 55 gallon and a 35 gallon. I'm just hoping that I get to keep them with the new condo bylaws looming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earthgirl Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 I started out with a 30 gallon tank for my 18th b-day. My dad built me the stand that was also used for my college books. I had goldfish and a black moor :heart: Then I moved onto a 50 gallon that they were moved into and bought some more goldfish. Then we moved from Ontario to Manitoba and my wedding gift from my hubby was a 72 bowfront. It was filled with angels and blackghost knife and common plec. We then moved to Alberta (YAY! :beer: ) and he bought me my 230 gallon tank that we now keep 3 sting rays and an jar arrowana, and bought a new black ghostknife Good topic, make me think of where I started and how far we have come Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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