Greatest surprise... and Greatest disappointment

[TheCzarista]

Since you have been in the hobby, what has been the greatest surprise?  I mean, the thing that you didn't expect to love, but you fell in love with.

 

Also, what is your greatest disappointment? The thing that you really thought would make you happy, and just... didn't?

 

For me, the greatest surprise has been snails.  I got a mystery snail for a clean up crew, and I never thought I would really LIKE them, I just thought they were useful.  But I have fallen in love with snails, all breeds, all colors.  They are adorable!

My greatest disappointment was shrimp.  I really thought I would just be all about the shrimp, and watching them eat, and all that... and we got some.... and... they just don't do much for me.  They are pretty, and they are kinda cool, but they don't interest me like I thought they would.

 

How about y'all?

[Guppysnail]

I have to agree mine would be shrimp. I’m an old school water changer. We were not as fancy as things are nowadays. I got shrimp. Fell in love with them for about 3 weeks. Then they bugged me because oh can’t change too much water. Oh no trying to vacuum substrate then after the shrimplettes arrived..grrrr. Then they started to feel like tiny dictators because everything had to be just their way. I gave up and said little dudes if you can’t hang during water changes I’m sorry. My greatest surprise…they could hang absolutely fine.  They thrive and I do large water changes weekly and 20% each day with gravel vacuum…old habits die hard…..their tank is only 20L and stocked with outrageous waste producers and sloppy eaters. their tank has 2 BN pleco 4 adult mystery snail I can’t slow the CPD down enough to count them and now about 100+shrimp.  Now I like them again but I’m no longer as fascinated because they are still tiny dictators menacing all other tank inhabitants. 

Edited July 15, 2021 by Guppysnail

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Hahahah! Since you both brought up shrimp: My greatest disappointment is I can't keep the little buggers allive. I've tried ghosts and cherries- in 2 different tanks. Big no go. I think they're fun so that was sad. 

On the flip side, how did I breed Otocinclus? I picked them specifically for the fact that they couldn't be bred by a novice. Sweet I thought. So my 1 tank turned into 4 because of that- NOT for MTS. Hahaha. SURPRISE!!!!

Edited July 15, 2021 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[mountaintoppufferkeeper]

On 7/14/2021 at 6:54 PM, TheCzarista said:

Since you have been in the hobby, what has been the greatest surprise?  I mean, the thing that you didn't expect to love, but you fell in love with.

 

Also, what is your greatest disappointment? The thing that you really thought would make you happy, and just... didn't?

 

For me, the greatest surprise has been snails.  I got a mystery snail for a clean up crew, and I never thought I would really LIKE them, I just thought they were useful.  But I have fallen in love with snails, all breeds, all colors.  They are adorable!

My greatest disappointment was shrimp.  I really thought I would just be all about the shrimp, and watching them eat, and all that... and we got some.... and... they just don't do much for me.  They are pretty, and they are kinda cool, but they don't interest me like I thought they would.

 

How about y'all?

Greatest surprise: Pelvicachromis taeniatus Moliwe "kribs" .. I was more fish fostering them for a friend but they are so awesome they hooked me. I would not have purchased on my own but really enjoy having them in the room.

Greatest disappointment: daphnia. I was certain it would be a  perennial live food source and a perfect live food for me up here but i have yet to get the seasonal pond to overwinter successfully

[laritheloud]

Greatest Surprise: Sunset Thicklipped Gourami. This fish turned me into a gourami lover, moreso than my honeys (who I also adore). Totally underrated. Maybe not the prettiest or flashiest fish in the tank, but I find mine to be far too adorable to care.

Greatest Disappointment: Hmmmmm... Probably overloading my 29 gallon tank with plants. Don't get me wrong, I love planted aquariums, but as a novice, I have learned that I don't actually like tons and tons and tons of plants and would rather take a more moderate approach (and lots of patience to allow the plants to grow in) for my next tank. I'd say shrimp, too, but honestly I like my little Amano jerks now that they're out and about all the time. I have blue dream neocaridinas, too, and don't really concern myself much with treating them super delicately.

I'd say my diamond tetras might be a disappointment, too, but I've come around to enjoying their antics, and they've calmed down considerably since I added gouramis to my tank.

[Ben C.]

Greatest Surprise: Doing less sometimes means more. I was messing with my aquariums too much - doing 30% water changes, religiously cleaning the everything, testing all parameters, trying different co2 things, yada yada yada....once I just...stopped, things took off. Plants are doing amazing, fish are more confident and happy now, and plot twist, it really doesn't get that dirty once it's settled.

Greatest Disappointment: Bettas. Got in the hobby to keep some, and they just ended up a mess. Maybe I just got super unlucky. Too aggressive, all couldn't be kept with any other fish, and one couldn't even be kept with snails as he flared at them so much that he ripped his fins constantly. Maybe someday I will try them again, because I loved having the "wet pet", but they just caused so much frustration.

[mountaintoppufferkeeper]

On 7/14/2021 at 8:46 PM, Ben C. said:

Greatest Surprise: Doing less sometimes means more. I was messing with my aquariums too much - doing 30% water changes, religiously cleaning the everything, testing all parameters, trying different co2 things, yada yada yada....once I just...stopped, things took off. Plants are doing amazing, fish are more confident and happy now, and plot twist, it really doesn't get that dirty once it's settled.

Greatest Disappointment: Bettas. Got in the hobby to keep some, and they just ended up a mess. Maybe I just got super unlucky. Too aggressive, all couldn't be kept with any other fish, and one couldn't even be kept with snails as he flared at them so much that he ripped his fins constantly. Maybe someday I will try them again, because I loved having the "wet pet", but they just caused so much frustration.

The smaller wild mouthbrooder bettas were fun ; might be worth a look if you need a different kind of betta if /when you try betta again

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

@Ben C. or maybe try female next time. I actually picked a female this time not so much for the aggression thing (since they can be too)  but more for their shorter fins. My theory is they'll be less prone to the fin problems their male counterparts tend to get from being all puffy chested all the time. So far so good 😉 

[Fonske]

Guppies were both for me. When I bought my first pregnant females, I thought that getting their fry and growing them out was just a  step on the way to enjoy the awesome full-grown fish, especially the amazing-looking males. After raising several generations of different strains, I finally had to admit to myself that I don't really like adult guppies too much, especially males (what is wrong with me? ugh).  But baby guppies - oh yes, a ton of joy and fun to watch them grow in their tiny tank. 

[Guppysnail]

On 7/14/2021 at 11:50 PM, Fonske said:

Guppies were both for me. When I bought my first pregnant females, I thought that getting their fry and growing them out was just a  step on the way to enjoy the awesome full-grown fish, especially the amazing-looking males. After raising several generations of different strains, I finally had to admit to myself that I don't really like adult guppies too much, especially males (what is wrong with me? ugh).  But baby guppies - oh yes, a ton of joy and fun to watch them grow in their tiny tank. 

Male guppy:

I’m boss! No I,m boss. No I am boss! Ooohhh hey ladies. ’m boss! No I,m boss. No I am boss! Ooohhh hey ladies. 

Female: nom nom nom nom. Get away from me

BABIES: nom play nom play nom play 🤣

Edited July 15, 2021 by Guppysnail

[H.K.Luterman]

Hmmm I think my greatest surprise is how much I enjoy my blood parrot. I had only ever heard bad things about them for years, about how they're "abominations" and "deformed," but watching Cory's videos made me decide to give one a go; especially since they make good tank mates for the fish I keep. It's true they're a bit wonky looking (that's why mine is named Igor), but mine is one of my most active and personable fish. Any problem with her little mouth has been easily solved with just feeding the proper sized food. I enjoy watching her dig and rearrange the plants to her liking, and every few months I get to see her lay eggs, which I think is fascinating.

My biggest disappointment was trying to keep fancy guppies. They seemed fragile and the trio I bought just didn't thrive. I didn't like how their backs would bend from the weight of their tails, and the fry (despite being fed three times a day) would eat the parent's fins. They were beautiful, and I love seeing other people's tanks full of them, but they're just not for me.

[Ben C.]

On 7/14/2021 at 10:04 PM, mountaintoppufferkeeper said:

The smaller wild mouthbrooder bettas were fun ; might be worth a look if you need a different kind of betta if /when you try betta again

 

On 7/14/2021 at 10:45 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

@Ben C. or maybe try female next time. I actually picked a female this time not so much for the aggression thing (since they can be too)  but more for their shorter fins. My theory is they'll be less prone to the fin problems their male counterparts tend to get from being all puffy chested all the time. So far so good 😉 

Definitely will try either a wild type or female someday. Thanks for the suggestions!

[Perry]

Like you, @TheCzarista snails were my biggest surprise. A bladder snail showed up in my first tank while it was cycling. Initially I panicked but after a little research decided to let it stay and took it as a good sign that my tank could support life. I have a nice little population in both my tanks now and I just adore them.

My greatest disappointment was fortunately only temporary and that was my chili rasboras. I put 12 of them in a 10g tank with some cherry shrimp and it took them FOREVER (something like 2 months) to relax. There was a lot of "glass surfing" in the first weeks and I just found it so stressful to watch. I kept worrying that something was off with the parameters. An internet search told me that this was not unusual and I actually saw an old co-op live stream where someone had the same situation and Cory said they just needed time. So I waited, all the while sort of hating them. They finally settled in and are a joy to watch; for such tiny fish they have big personalities. It was worth the wait.  

 

[Bobbie]

My biggest surprise: I started out with only 2 anubias & a java fern in the corner of the tank because I didn’t want it to look messy, but now I’ve got a riot of 8 different types of plant doing whatever they feel like and it’s a somewhat overgrown jungle but I love it. 
 

Disappointment: Since I got my first betta a while ago I’ve been constantly fighting issues with his fins. He’s nice and personable and friendly, but the stress of medicating & not knowing if he’s getting better or worse has kinda put me off of bettas. 

[Patrick_G]

My biggest surprise was keeping a tank with few or no water changes. In the past when I kept fish only tanks I would change water frequently. Now that I have plants and established tanks I almost never have to do a change. Seven months ago I would have thought that was a recipe for a poorly maintained tank. Now I’m a believer. 
 

My biggest disappointment is that not all fish are compatible with plants. I’d love to have a planted tank with certain cichlids like Mbuna and a planted tank with a Green Spotted Puffer. 

[Streetwise]

My biggest surprise was how much I began to love sponge filters! When I was in my previous marine phase, I was all about canisters and internal powerheads. I thought running air was old-school. In my early days back in the hobby with freshwater, I ran a bunch of MF10 internal filters, and tried other internal filters and skimmers from Eheim and Tunze. I also enjoyed testing some Dymax HoB filters. I gradually went to all Co-Op sponge filters, or no-tech. The sponge filters are just so low-key, and mine haven’t clogged because the flow is low.

[Emika_B]

My biggest surprise was how much I love my opae ula shrimp!  They're small, red and fun to watch as they scurry about picking at everything for food.  And the babies are so fascinating.  Who knew that a tank that has no heater, no air pump, no filter, no plants could be the greatest thing ever!

My biggest disappointment was how many fish I tend to loose in quarantine.  I don't know if I'm doing something wrong or if the fish would have died anyway because they weren't healthy.  I mean, I'd rather I lost them in quarantine than the main tank, but it still hurts.  Other than a few who were obviously not well - ich or came from the store already in a questionable state - it's a real bummer to check the quarantine tank and find dead fish.

[Trish]

My greatest surprise is obtaining a growing shrimp colony started by only 4 shrimp after going through ellobiopsidae disease.  Berried shrimp galore now.

My biggest disappointment... learning the benefits of dirted tanks after the fact.   

[Dark River Aquatics]

Biggest surprise has been continuing to fall in love and be excited about every species of apistogramma I’ve ever had, no matter if they’re a run of the mill line-bred species or a cool nermy species or wild caught or whatever, they’re always exciting - their behavior, personality, colors & patterns, watching them breed & raise babies, making tanks especially for them, all of it just continues to excite me like I’m a kid again 

 

Biggest disappointment was saltwater - worked at the LFS as a teenager and saved up to create a 20g reef trying to emulate some of the setups we had at the store that I loved to watch, and ended up just not really caring for it. The type of maintenance, cost, etc wasn’t something I was ready for or really into at the time and arguably was just in over my head too early, but it killed any interest in keeping saltwater and that spark has never come back