The future of this hobby? growing or shrinking?

Do you guys think interest in this hobby is growing, declining, or maintaining?
I feel like once people are in it they stick around but not very many people discover it in the grand scheme of things, or is that just what I see?
Im 24 and I only know two friends who also keep fish/inverts.
I've had people tell me it was a booming hobby, then it dropped off, and now it is coming back.

What do you think?

 

Do you guys think interest in this hobby is growing, declining, or maintaining?
I feel like once people are in it they stick around but not very many people discover it in the grand scheme of things, or is that just what I see?
Im 24 and I only know two friends who also keep fish/inverts.
I've had people tell me it was a booming hobby, then it dropped off, and now it is coming back.

What do you think?

It depends on who you are friends with and where you are... Because with a forum like this it seems that almost a million people are enthusiastic fish keepers! Exaggeration of course. People who live where it is hard to find fish, such as Canada can be difficult, since they can't always get the materials and fish they want. I don't know too many friends who keep fish, I think beginners drop out of it because it is too much work and they don't know why their bettas or goldfish are dying in a small tank. Sheez I feel like the hobby used to be pretty strong and big, and is slowly dying out (not as popular as other pets, let's say dogs and cats for instance).

 

I think it is growing, than shrinking, so it probably stays the same. So many don't know about the nitrogen cycle, proper tank size, tank mates, etc. and their fish die and they quit because they think fish-keeping is hard because they just don't know any better.

 

I'm in Spain and somehow I still haven't found a single fellow fishkeeper

 

I'm in Spain and somehow I still haven't found a single fellow fishkeeper

I went into fishkeeping because a friend had informed me about a few topics about it. It seemed easy to care for and even though I made a few mistakes, I never repeated them. That friend now has a pond in his backyard and has multiple tanks with turtles, angelfish, and more.

 

I'm in Spain and somehow I still haven't found a single fellow fishkeeper

That's surprising.