Paul B
Premium Member
There are varying degrees of interest in this, and all hobbies.
I don't exactly where I fall in this because it is not really a hobby for me but a way of life as I have always had a tank of some type. But I think many people get into this when they are older and see a beautiful tank and want one. That is normal. Some of us are into the beauty of the tank and inhabitants and just think of it as a thing of beauty or an art form. Tanks in Malls and Dr's offices are there for that purpose as the majority of the people seeing them are just intrigued by the beauty.
Then there are some of us that like the technical aspect and buy all sorts of controllers, dosers, wave makers, ozonizers, test kits, oxidators etc. They like testing, tweeking, and generally having control over the parameters and enjoy the chemical aspect.
Others just love animals, all animals, Kawala bears, duck billed platypusses, oselots, llama's, horned toads, earthworms, Yeti's etc. And feel bad for the animals in the store so they have to buy them, name them, pet them, read to them put them in their will and if you are into that, that is fine. (Wierd but fine)
Then there are some of us (such as myself) who enjoys the thrill of keeping these things alive and getting them to spawn. I have been into this for quite a while so I feel that if I can't get an animal to live for at least it's presumed lifespan, I failed and if I get another one of those same animals I will treat it differently. It is not for me to say but if you keep buying fish and they keep dying in less than a year, you are doing something wrong and maybe should change something.
Now at this point in my life and it this stage of the hobby for me, I feel that I can keep almost any animal alive for it's normal lifespan. I have kept just about every fish available and not just one of each specimin so I have learned what to do and more importantly, what not to do.
My tank has had a few episodes of every malady and disease possable and some that are not possable.
I realize there are all sorts of problems and I cringe when I read some of the cures and treatments. I promised myself that I would not post on ich threads any more but sometimes I just can't help it.
Don't worry I won't talk about ich here as I don't see it as a problem and don't think fish should get that.
OK I have to stop. Anyway about keeping fish, as I have said numerous times it all comes down to our level of interest in the hobby and how much time and space we want to put into this. I purposely didn't say "money" because another thing I don't like to mention is that so many people spend so much on this that is un necessary, but again I hate to get into that.
Don't get me started on Hair algae because that is just one more topic I promised I would not post about as it is another simple thing but those threads are all arguements.
Getting back to food, I feel the biggest problem is that fish want to eat all day and we can only feed them once or twice a day (myself included). If we could feed fish a few times a day "with" the proper foods, our fish would live 10 or 20 years and be disease free. Feeding correctly is where I differ from many people as to what fish should be fed.
I know what to feed fish and as I said, I think I can now keep any fish. Even Great White Sharks. I mean everyone knows that they prefer surfboards. Every time you see that there was a shark attack, you see this picture of this surfboard with a big bite taken out of it, so obviousely, they eat surfboards.
I mean, is it me?
I don't exactly where I fall in this because it is not really a hobby for me but a way of life as I have always had a tank of some type. But I think many people get into this when they are older and see a beautiful tank and want one. That is normal. Some of us are into the beauty of the tank and inhabitants and just think of it as a thing of beauty or an art form. Tanks in Malls and Dr's offices are there for that purpose as the majority of the people seeing them are just intrigued by the beauty.
Then there are some of us that like the technical aspect and buy all sorts of controllers, dosers, wave makers, ozonizers, test kits, oxidators etc. They like testing, tweeking, and generally having control over the parameters and enjoy the chemical aspect.
Others just love animals, all animals, Kawala bears, duck billed platypusses, oselots, llama's, horned toads, earthworms, Yeti's etc. And feel bad for the animals in the store so they have to buy them, name them, pet them, read to them put them in their will and if you are into that, that is fine. (Wierd but fine)
Then there are some of us (such as myself) who enjoys the thrill of keeping these things alive and getting them to spawn. I have been into this for quite a while so I feel that if I can't get an animal to live for at least it's presumed lifespan, I failed and if I get another one of those same animals I will treat it differently. It is not for me to say but if you keep buying fish and they keep dying in less than a year, you are doing something wrong and maybe should change something.
Now at this point in my life and it this stage of the hobby for me, I feel that I can keep almost any animal alive for it's normal lifespan. I have kept just about every fish available and not just one of each specimin so I have learned what to do and more importantly, what not to do.
My tank has had a few episodes of every malady and disease possable and some that are not possable.
I realize there are all sorts of problems and I cringe when I read some of the cures and treatments. I promised myself that I would not post on ich threads any more but sometimes I just can't help it.
Don't worry I won't talk about ich here as I don't see it as a problem and don't think fish should get that.
OK I have to stop. Anyway about keeping fish, as I have said numerous times it all comes down to our level of interest in the hobby and how much time and space we want to put into this. I purposely didn't say "money" because another thing I don't like to mention is that so many people spend so much on this that is un necessary, but again I hate to get into that.
Don't get me started on Hair algae because that is just one more topic I promised I would not post about as it is another simple thing but those threads are all arguements.
Getting back to food, I feel the biggest problem is that fish want to eat all day and we can only feed them once or twice a day (myself included). If we could feed fish a few times a day "with" the proper foods, our fish would live 10 or 20 years and be disease free. Feeding correctly is where I differ from many people as to what fish should be fed.
I know what to feed fish and as I said, I think I can now keep any fish. Even Great White Sharks. I mean everyone knows that they prefer surfboards. Every time you see that there was a shark attack, you see this picture of this surfboard with a big bite taken out of it, so obviousely, they eat surfboards.
I mean, is it me?
