How did you start off in the the hobby?

[African_Fever]

After BEGGING my parents for whatever pet I could get in grade three, they finally gave in on fish (not as stinky as hamsters, birds, gerbils, lizards they said), and I got a 15 gallon from a garage sale. I remember my dad having a tank when I was much younger, and was always intrigued by fish. Had the usual guppies and mollies, and then got a paper route to get more tanks (I think I had 9 by the time I was 14).

The hobby kind of waxed and waned, and I've only ever sold one tank (and still regret it). My interest really peaked when I was back in University and 'knew' what I wanted to do, and then off to Malawi three weeks after I finished my BSc for 5 months living with my fish.

[Murminator]

I started in about 1976-77 with a 10G with the chrome trim and the cotton an carbon filter. I went through several goldfish in my 1st year then a truck came to town sell rainbow trout fingerlings to the farmers for trout ponds. So I got a couple and not long after 1 died and I had the other for about a year before he got to big and we let him go in a deep dugout. Then in about 1982-83 I got a 20G with plastic trim and I moved into tetras they were sooooo much cooler than goldfish. After that I had guppies for about 10 years. Then I got out of fish for a couple years when I moved to Alberta. Then I got back into tetras which we are still doing but in a couple 47 gallons. I still have the the 20 year old 20G. It now houses a saltwater reef. I kinda jumped of the cichlid stage which now i trying to get into

[nevchewy]

I would have to say this was passed down from my Dad. My mom hates fish and even refuses to feed them.

When I was younger my dad had 2 tanks, both around 30 gallons where he just kept community fish from guppies to mollies. His main interest has always been angle fish and when we moved he sold the tanks to a family friend.

About 4 years ago i decided that i wanted to get back into it as i bought back the tanks from this family friend.

I started off with the same type of fish and started breeding guppies. I had angel fish, swords, tetra's, cory's and other community fish.

A couple years ago I started looking into buying a bigger tank and looking for a new type of fish to get into. I was thinking salt but... the cost and the time it looks like it requires wasn't something i can do with the day job and night school. I came across Cichlid-Forum when i was looking up German Rams and started to read all the information from their site. This is where i found the Mbuna are very colorful and would live longer than my guppies. Val referred me to AA from CF and I was happy to meet other fish heads close to home!

I purchased an 86 gallon tank and then a 60 to house these fish.

Searched forever to find my Saulosi and thanks to African_Fever (Kyle) who was nice enough to sell me his saulosi F1 pair.

Saulosi king in training is where i'm at now. I now have a tank full of them and they are breeding often! :beer:

that is my story from beginning to present time.

I can see myself buying another bigger tank as soon as i buy a house. my next tank will be at least a 6' or larger.

nev

[k9outfit]

My sister got a goldfish bowl with a goldfish & black moor in it when she was ~8. Needless to say they kept dying, and after 4-5 replacements, the bowl stayed empty.

Fast forward ~8 years.... I smuggled a tankfull of guppies downstairs, and kept them hidden in a spare room. Eventually my parents found out, and I had to go through the usual promises, tears, etc., before they could join my other critters in my room. Got up to 4 small tanks, each smuggled in, with the standard procedure of snivelling & whining to be allowed to keep them. Also had a rudimentary sw, but all the fish cratered while I was in BC at a dog trial for a week.

Fast forward again...

A few years ago, while I was away for a few days, the kids surprised me with their own 29 gallon tank. Had the usual guppies, neons, etc. Novelty wore off and I ended up taking care of them. So we decided to get another tank for the fish I wanted, a nice all male show tank; but then my all male tank ended up producing babies. ....And the rest is history... Smallest tanks are 10 gallons, largest is a 180 (loveseat in storage)... and a whole bunch in between....

[Mighty Prawn]

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

I see from your profile you have a basset, is he/she a monster? Mine is...

-Hideo

[Madness]

My dad had always had a community tank since I was born, when I was 8 I got a 10 gallon starter kit for christmas, and put 2 convicts in it, which turned out to be a pair, and bred for me, a lot of the young survived... until 40 or so fish in a 10 gallon started to take its toll and all but the original pair died. They never bred again but they did live for about 5 years. After that I didnt keep fish until 3 years ago when the bug hit me real hard, and was up to 13 tanks at one point (not bad for a poor bugger working retail).

I have since moved out of the parents place, and just have 3 tanks with me now (no way was I moving a 175 and 180) and am dying for a real big tank for the 2 Florida Stingrays (Dasyatis sabina) that I got into my store a couple weeks back.

[vic]

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.

Also by the chair. If I am not mistaken that is Vilas Colonial. My folks had a house ful of the stuff. I still have three armless and on captains dining chairs.

Cheers;

[Molino]

My parents had a tank in our basement when I was a kid. I think a zebra danio, tetra and something else. The poor fish would be in a tank filled 2/3 with water because of the evaporation, but lived for years. Being in the basement sometimes no one would go downstairs for days at a time.

About 4 and a half years ago I got a 10 gallon tank and 3 Convicts. Sadly I did not know at the time that a 10 was much too small for Convicts (especially three). One did not make it. The other two were shortly moved to a 33 gallon tank and I still have them today. I now have a total of 7 tanks running including one 125 gallon tank.

[neatfreak]

I thought about this for awhile.

my first was when I guess around 6ish,

sleep over at friends,scared at night,

they had a tank that soothed me to sleep,the hum.

I must have forgotten about it until

I was pregnent with my first baby.

I went out and bought a 10g,

the soothing sound wasn't just for me now,

but for the comfort for my unborn as well.

had tanks up untill, while on vacation[2000], a friend had over feed both 33g,

killed everything.I was so upset I gave everything to salvation army.

I started up again around[2003]

you never lose it do you???

[nyb440]

I'm not sure what style the chair is. All I know is that it's maple, and the name Roxton (sp?) comes to mind. It's still in use today, although the finish isn't quite as pristine these days.

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.

Also by the chair. If I am not mistaken that is Vilas Colonial. My folks had a house ful of the stuff. I still have three armless and on captains dining chairs.

Cheers;

[Oxquo]

I started off with a 5 gallon metal frame aquarium "the kind where if you touch the water and the light, POW you'd get a loving shock" in winnipeg and luckily ran into a fellow named Ron at Fintastics, We cycled with guppies and He told Me how to reuse water from previous tanks to start up bigger tanks so I went bigger to a cool 10 gallon. Then one day in his store I saw them, it was love at first sight... Wild kribensis man what color!!! they spawned in his store while being Quarantined so He lifted the stone and removed the eggs, He said they will spawn in Your tank first. After that I was hooked. I never even ordered fish I just walked in and Ron would say here, got these for you only $40.00 each. When I was leaving winnipeg He only gave Me one small hint of advice, when You get to Edmonton go see henry at Dads, He is an old apisto breeder like Me he'll take care of you. Ron was right, Henry knew his stuff and My hobby grew to 40 tanks quickly. Meeting the right people and meeting people who will take the time with a newbie makes all the difference I think. Had I have gone to Petsmart or walmart, I would likely have sold My first tank and quit. After all the money was spent I am not sure whether to curse them or thank them LOL

[Ichthyosporidium]

My parents were avid fish keepers / breeders so it was kind of a birthright in my family. I also had an eight year career at a LFS which started when I was sixteen. When most kids were dreaming about their first car, I was dreaming about my first mini reef system.

If you were looking for me, and couldn't find me, all you had to do was go to the nearest slough, pond or tributary and you would find me somtimes pits deep in mud or water, searching for all kinds of specimens to add to my collections back at home. It didn't do my social life any justice, but I found it quite rewarding and I still do!

[Barracuda-m]

1975 - Easter - My parents bought me a 20 gallon metal frame tank with submersible filter (nasty yucky things) with 3 small goldfish. I was only 4 years old, but I remember picking out the fish myself, and naming them. Miki, Kimi and Ikmi, I don't remember why, thats just how it was.

I fed those suckers baloney and crackers every chance I got, and they grew to epic proportions! (don't yell at me, I was a tot!) At least adult fist sized......

They passed peacefully away many years later, and I remember dreaming that the walls in my room were floor to ceiling fishtanks!

I lost interest when I discovered boys, makeup and music, and turned to rats. I had about 5 or so.

Age 18 I decided I wanted fish again, so I got a 33 gallon at a yard sale and got me some gouramis.

I left home at 21, left my tank behind, and just got reacquainted with aquaria a year or so ago. I have a cichlid setup, and a shark setup, a 10 gallon growout tank, and just got a 20 gallon glass bowfront for something, I don't know what yet . Oh yeah, I have 3 tree frogs in an big exo terra terrarium.

Soon, my recurring dream of wall to wall and floor to ceiling tanks will become a reality, if my husband doesnt protest too much........hehehehe

[maniac]

I thought that fish keeping was stupid originally and then I got to college and started to learn more about the hobby but what really got me is that a buddy of mine had a very aggressive oscar.....sorry i should say suicidal oscar. I found myself doing a lot of homework in his room because the fish kept me company and i found myself missing him so i bought myself a twenty gallon tank with a Jack Dempsey and now have expanded.

Maniac

[a1foxes]

I bred guppies as a kid. Then we inherited a couple 33 gal tanks and a 125 gal

with a huge oscar (14") and a big koi as well. I kept fish most of the time after

that, until my husband wouldnt let me buy anymore after the last one died. We

wound up leaving the tanks behind when we moved, that was 10 yrs ago. I got

involved with someone who has fish, fell in love all over again(twice!) , then

started collecting the odd betta and pleco. I got a 55 gal for my birthday, and

the rest is history.