Jump to content

When did you get into the hobby?


FrozenFins
 Share

When did you join the hobby?  

61 members have voted

  1. 1. When did you join the hobby?

    • 1970s or earlier
      10
    • 80s - 90s
      13
    • 2000-2010
      9
    • 2010 - 2019
      13
    • The Year of Covid (2020s)
      17


Recommended Posts

On 3/9/2021 at 3:18 PM, Daniel said:

I got in big trouble for bringing a copperhead to class in 5th grade. The science teacher put it in a 10 gallon aquarium with a screen top and killed it by pouring formaldehyde on it.

Heh,similar story here, though I was not the culprit. I grew in a rural farming town in SW Texas. It must have been 2nd or 3rd grade, we caught a Louisiana Milk snake, and one of my friends/classmates took it to school the next day and let it go in the class. It was 'found' in the classroom water fountain. The teacher thought it was a coral snake, overreacted and class was evacuated for a bit while they found someone to catch it. My friend tried to tell the teacher what it was, and he/we were responsible, but she was having none of it, and would not let us pick it back up.

Shrug, good memories.

  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My parents bought me an old slate bottom, metal-framed tank that came with a lid, light, and 2 tiny HOB filters that didn’t even have all the parts since it had been set up for one to run into the other, then back into the tank.  I got it for my 13th birthday.  It was 100% my responsibility and everything after the initial tank purchase was paid for from my allowance, then jobs.  I had to reseal the tank before it was usable and I had to deal with a snail infestation immediately from snails that resurrected out of the gravel.

That started me on a life long journey that included my first reef tank in ‘83, breeding bettas for a short time, having up to 19 tanks, etc.

I had a very challenging job with way too long hours and finally shut down all my tanks for almost 10 years.  Sold everything but one tank (that’s been a hospital tank for many different creatures) and a dab of miscellaneous equipment.  Restarted almost a year ago after rescuing a pair of Jack Dempsey cichlids and I’m already back up to 20 tanks if you count live food culture tanks (they have snails and plants so they count, right?).  I’m glad to be back in the hobby that I loved for so long.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was in sixth grade, so around 1986. I won a goldfish at school carnival, and miraculously it survived the first night in an old one gallon pickle jar. So, the next day I got my mom to take me to the local pet/ LFS to get a tank for it.  It just went on from there, and by the time I graduated from high school, I had 10-12 tanks in my bedroom and was raising a couple strains of angelfish and had my first discus and working to get them to spawn. The only time I didn't have at least one tank running for about a year in my late 20s. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My brother had Piranhas in the 1980's. I watched him care for his tank, and then get another tank just for his feeder fish (which were goldfish, and I loved them). He always had huge tanks and a beautiful outdoor pond. So, as a child, liked the idea of fish, but didn't have the confidence, or knowledge to even think about starting in this hobby. I was always around all kinds of animals. 

Most doctor's offices, had fish tanks.. and I would stare at them the whole time being there. I love fish.. they are so Zen! I knew eventually I would get a tank.. 

I always wanted a betta, but the corporate office would not allow animals of any kind. Once I fully became a regional employee (work from home), was when I decided to just DO IT! I purchased a 20 gallon kit and being a green thumb, dove into real plants as well. The plant thing has turned out well, the fish thing.. meh.. it was a rough start, but its getting better. 

I must like it.. I now have the original 20 gallon, 10 gallon QT tank (my husband calls it the MASH tank), I have a 5 gallon for a pea puffer, and just set up the 40 gallon breeder (no fish yet, just a lot of plants and scape). The last tank will be for a Betta! 

Not bad for someone that started Dec 2020! LOL 🙂 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...