Tropical Fish have really changed me for the better

This is silly, I know, but over the past two weeks I've taken up fish keeping.

and I've learned a lot about life.

In taking care of fish I've learned about the concept of stress, which I honestly had never really considered at all until I started keeping fish. I also realized the importance of environmental factors such as good ventilation and diet. Again, something I had never really put much thought into until keeping fish.

Since keeping fish I have

1) gotten some plants for myself in my living space
2) have started cleaning my own living space of common pollutants like dust.
3) stopped following politics as obsessively as I had.

last one is the biggest improvement

 

that's nice I learned how to be responcible for my animals like my other dogs and ive grown smarter in fish yay!!

 

I'm new to this hobby as well, started in feb. Those are good points. I am thinking about getting some plants for my space as well! #3 I don't get what it has to do with fish.

I like to add patience. Cycling a new tank takes awhile, acclimating new fishes. Adding stock, can't add too much at the same time. So many things involving patience in this hobby.

 

Seeing how sensitive these fish are to the water quality in my tank really makes me think more about pollution in general

 

My fishies died yestreday I guess it was the water :'(

 

My fishies died yestreday I guess it was the water :'(

I'm so sorry to hear that .

 

yeah dude I know how u feel cause I still remeber when my first guppy died but just think its in a better place now and not suffering :')

 

I watch tv less. When I get home, I'd rather watch my fish. Sad, isn't it?

 

I watch tv less. When I get home, I'd rather watch my fish. Sad, isn't it?

Well, at this point I think I"ve seen all tv plots, so tv isn't that interesting anymore.

random patterns of nature are so much better

Making my aquarium has made me realize that this is basically the same thing that you're doing in games like Civilization, or in computer building.

 

Its a learning curve, that's for sure. Many people are shocked to be told that they are effectively killing their fish or that their fish really don't belong together or that their tank is overstocked. The nitrogen cycle is always the toughest part right next to having to actually return fish. But it all makes you better for it. You learn to put the animals needs in front of your wants. In my case, I have opened up career opportunities. Being that I take part in running the school tilapia farm and maintaining the fry grow out, ive made a name for my self where ever I go. We have many people come to visit the school farm, and everyone wants to see the tilapia production unit. Being that I'm the only guy who can answer questions on how it all works, and this is where I give a shout out to my friend Mike, for making everything work(honestly the best aqua-mechanic I know, and that means I get to meet everyone. The mayor, civilians, principals, college students, guest speakers, the whole lot of them. Simply because I have a talent in relaying fish knowledge.

I was in a speech competition for the FFA, and one of the judges offered me the chance to go to one of the biggest local fish farms in FL, all because these judges had never heard of a aquatic fish farmer, not as many of us as youd think. To put it simply, out of some 5 schools in the county, we are the ONLY ones to have a working tilapia production, 3 of them gave up, 2 of them gave us their tanks and supplies to use.

To say fish keeping has impacted my opportunities for the future, and to say it can impact the future of anyone else is a understatement. You just need to know what to do with it, and I mean, look at me, I'm 16