What?
No one else is in this hobby? LOL
No one else is in this hobby? LOL
dogofwar
CCA Members
Exactly, Pat - would love to hear more stories!
Matt
Matt
Yep. I love finding out how people got hooked.
zenins
Members
In grade 7 the science room had two aquariums.
One was a community with livebearers, tetras, plants and Kuhli loaches !
The other was a larger aquarium with a Jack Dempsey, a Tinfoil Barb, a Pink Convict and a huge sailfin pleco.
I was hooked ... bugged my parents for an aquarium, but no way would they buy me one ... too expensive, so one of my older brothers that had a good summer job bought me my first aquarium, a 5 gallon Metaframe with the chrome hood and cover ... wow ... kept livebearers and kuhli loaches.
Later in high school when I had a part time job, I bought a whopping 20 gallon tank, my Mom almost fainted with all that water behind glass
I shut down the tanks when I went away to college, but during second year, another tenant in the building I lived in had posted a free complete aquarium and stand on the board in the laundry room, so I had to have it
After marriage, I kept one aquarium going until my kids came along and I thought we should put the livebearer babies in an other aquarium to watch them grow up ... kids loved it ... I used my original 5 gallon Metaframe aquarium for the babies.
I basically kept the same set up for many years. After my kids got their driver's licences and did not need Dad to take them to swimming, gymnastics, dance, judo, etc, etc I decided to join the local aquarium club. Shortly there after I bought some second hand aquariums, a 30, three 50's and a 100 gallon ... I have a few more smaller ones as well.
By the way, I still use the 5 gallon Metaframe tank for my Marble Crayfish
Today, I keep new world cichlids, barbs, rasboras, gouramis, tetras, rift lake cichlids, rainbowfish, livebearers, plecos, corys, goodeids, and about 12 species of Loaches
One was a community with livebearers, tetras, plants and Kuhli loaches !
The other was a larger aquarium with a Jack Dempsey, a Tinfoil Barb, a Pink Convict and a huge sailfin pleco.
I was hooked ... bugged my parents for an aquarium, but no way would they buy me one ... too expensive, so one of my older brothers that had a good summer job bought me my first aquarium, a 5 gallon Metaframe with the chrome hood and cover ... wow ... kept livebearers and kuhli loaches.
Later in high school when I had a part time job, I bought a whopping 20 gallon tank, my Mom almost fainted with all that water behind glass
I shut down the tanks when I went away to college, but during second year, another tenant in the building I lived in had posted a free complete aquarium and stand on the board in the laundry room, so I had to have it
After marriage, I kept one aquarium going until my kids came along and I thought we should put the livebearer babies in an other aquarium to watch them grow up ... kids loved it ... I used my original 5 gallon Metaframe aquarium for the babies.
I basically kept the same set up for many years. After my kids got their driver's licences and did not need Dad to take them to swimming, gymnastics, dance, judo, etc, etc I decided to join the local aquarium club. Shortly there after I bought some second hand aquariums, a 30, three 50's and a 100 gallon ... I have a few more smaller ones as well.
By the way, I still use the 5 gallon Metaframe tank for my Marble Crayfish
Today, I keep new world cichlids, barbs, rasboras, gouramis, tetras, rift lake cichlids, rainbowfish, livebearers, plecos, corys, goodeids, and about 12 species of Loaches
chriscoli
Administrator
My parents always had fish tanks so when we were little my sister an I each had one in our room. I remember that they kept a really amazing group of angels in the tank in my room for a while.
Later on in high school I found all of the old tanks and stuff in the garage and asked if I could set them up again.
I used to even haul two back and forth between home and the college dorm room.
I gave them away to a school when I moved out to DC and didn't have any for a few years but clearly it didn't last!
Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Later on in high school I found all of the old tanks and stuff in the garage and asked if I could set them up again.
I used to even haul two back and forth between home and the college dorm room.
I gave them away to a school when I moved out to DC and didn't have any for a few years but clearly it didn't last!
Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Grandfather was a successful breeder of a blue strain of guppies. Growing up I had terrible allergies so after my parents gutted my room and threw out all my stuffed animals they gave me a fish tank. They called it the fish graveyard though, everything died. Walmart fish I guess.
A few years ago my marriage had a very nasty end, and I am a tinker at heart and a mind that needs to research and build and play, so I got a 10 gallon tank. Within a year I had 14 tanks up and going (in an apartment). Back in a house, almost down to 4 but large tanks.
A few years ago my marriage had a very nasty end, and I am a tinker at heart and a mind that needs to research and build and play, so I got a 10 gallon tank. Within a year I had 14 tanks up and going (in an apartment). Back in a house, almost down to 4 but large tanks.
gravel_digger
Members
I had an uncle who gave me my first tank around 8 or 9 full of guppies and the itch was born from there along with a ton of fry and frustration on my mother's part.
I got out the hobby at some point during high and didn't jump back into it until around 1987 when I gotten stationed at Bolling Air Force Base. You can imagine the look of the barrack inspection officer when he walked in and saw a couple of tanks set up and there was nothing that covered aquariums in the barracks at that time so he didn't give me a hard time...
The addiction was started once I got married and moved off base the rest is history....
I got out the hobby at some point during high and didn't jump back into it until around 1987 when I gotten stationed at Bolling Air Force Base. You can imagine the look of the barrack inspection officer when he walked in and saw a couple of tanks set up and there was nothing that covered aquariums in the barracks at that time so he didn't give me a hard time...
The addiction was started once I got married and moved off base the rest is history....
Leffler817
CCA Members
Growing up we had a fish tank with mostly livebearers and the occasional gourami and/or angels. I can't remember how big the tank was but it seemed huge to me at the time. One time we kept a rock bass that I caught in a horribly polluted creek! We kept that guy for a long time too. It would eat chunks of hot dogs from my hand.
At different times, I was allowed to have a 10g or 20g on my nightstand. I got my first of these 'bedroom tanks because my sisters and I would go to the local fair and win gold fish. The gold fish would die off, but I got the keep the tank and get better fish!
We moved just before, I went into high school and got rid of the tanks. When I was in college I bought my mom a complete 55 gal setup after having a really tough year. She later bought me a similar setup as a birthday present.
At different times, I was allowed to have a 10g or 20g on my nightstand. I got my first of these 'bedroom tanks because my sisters and I would go to the local fair and win gold fish. The gold fish would die off, but I got the keep the tank and get better fish!
We moved just before, I went into high school and got rid of the tanks. When I was in college I bought my mom a complete 55 gal setup after having a really tough year. She later bought me a similar setup as a birthday present.
Andrewtfw
Global Moderators
When I was in high school, I went with a buddy to his buddy's house. That guy had a 10 gallon with a large silver angel and a dozen cardinal tetras. The angel was 12 years old. Her sold the set up to my friend for $30. We then went to the library and started reading about angelfish. We learned a 10 was too small. My friend got a 45 gallon soon after. I then got a used 45 gallon that I found in the Washington Post classifieds. After that, I was hooked!
Soon after, I had 4 ten gallons, a twenty long, a five gallon and the 45 gallon in my bedroom. There was so much humidity that my furniture swelled shut!
My friend still has one tank. I have 11 tanks.
Soon after, I had 4 ten gallons, a twenty long, a five gallon and the 45 gallon in my bedroom. There was so much humidity that my furniture swelled shut!
My friend still has one tank. I have 11 tanks.
Avatar
Plenipotentiary-at-large
This drunk pedestrian literally ran into my truck one night in DC back in '09 and knocked himself out. Piled him into the cab and drove him to the address on his driver's license, turned out to be Tony and the rest is history.
Miss you guys, and the life aquatic but do have a 100 gallon tank and built about a 12000 gallon pond last winter that at present has rosy red minnows and hardy water lilies in it. Thinking to go the butterfly koi route because my formerly fertile imagination hasn't come up with anything better for S. Indiana. It's 5'+ deep so it won't freeze solid but it will freeze. Any ideas?
I've supplied everything but the punchline...
mchambers
Former CCA member
That Tony! So dedicated to the club that he finds new members even when inebriated.
Nice to hear from you, Sam. We all miss you!
Matt
Nice to hear from you, Sam. We all miss you!
Matt
dogofwar
CCA Members
We miss you, Sam!
I'd go for some sunfish in the pond. There are some beautiful varieties and behavior is kind of like cichlids...
Matt
I'd go for some sunfish in the pond. There are some beautiful varieties and behavior is kind of like cichlids...
Matt
chriscoli
Administrator
Avatar
Plenipotentiary-at-large
Mild yawn. I was thinking more along the lines of giant freshwater grouper - something to mildly terrorize the local children and generate urban legends...isn't that why grass carp are available?
I'd do sturgeon but pretty sure they need running water like all the other really cool native giants - paddlefish, pike, pickerel and muskie - that have this little issue of eating absolutely everything that moves. Butterfly koi still seem like the second-best option...
Leffler817
CCA Members
Good to hear from you Sam. Hope all is well.
Would tilapia work in your pond? Then you could harvest them and enjoy the fruits of your labor. That is, if you enjoy such creatures.
Would tilapia work in your pond? Then you could harvest them and enjoy the fruits of your labor. That is, if you enjoy such creatures.
