Why Do You Keep Fish?

This is gonna sound bad..... but it makes me feel like a God. I'm the reason there in there, I'm the one who makes there world look the way it does, I'm the reason they have food and so on....

 

At first it served as a distraction to my daily routine, then it became one of my purpose in getting up everyday.

 

As the name suggests, why do you keep fish? I think fish are relaxing and keep me busy.

 

Watching fish is better then cable. Except when the cowboys are playing

 

I enjoy having a relationship with my fish and I love watching the fish dramas that play out. It's also relaxing cleaning the tank.

 

I do it partly because aquatic animals in any form have fascinated me since I was little. The way they move, the shape of their bodies, their social behavior, and the fact that they're so alien compared to the animals that we see everyday is just so amazing. Also because so many fish are mistreated and I just want to keep some of them safe from that.

 

I've got aquatic snails and am just starting to get into fish, but I keep them because I love them. Each one is a member of my family with a name and a personality. I've got some major anxiety issues and being able to fall asleep listening to the waterfall my filters create is really calming. I moved to a new state a few years ago, a thousand miles from everyone I knew, and I still spend a lot of time alone because it's hard for me to be comfortable meeting new people. And when the friends I do have come over, we usually end up watching the snails more than we watch the TV. They're so interesting!

 

I just started again after keeping them as a kid. I lost my dad about a year and a half ago and we were very close. He taught me about keeping fish and it helps me feel close to him. I love that I can teach my 2 year old daughter about them as she grows up!

 

For me it started when I was a kid and got my first goldfish. I grew up in well I'll just say a dysfunctional family and leave it at that. I could keep fish in my room with me. They were the first family members that offered me unconditional love and very little drama. Later when I moved out my fish came with me. If I didn't have enough money to buy myself food, they would always have plenty to eat. It had just gotten bigger over the years. I've not been without fish since I was 8 and can't imagine life without them!

 

I have had fish since kindergarten (I'm in 9th grade now) but I never took it to seriously. I had a 1 gallon bowl and a goldfish. Now I keep fish to give me something to do and help with my anxiety. I have I have 7 tanks now. Fish are fun to learn about and watch

 

I just love them. The filters help me sleep, bettas are so cute and I love their personalities, and it's relaxing to watch them. I've always loved fish though

 

This is probably really bad but years ago my mate had an indoor pond and a 300 litre aquarium and we would get together and just watch the fish, ever since then ive loved them and decided to get my own. I still love sitting and watching them

 

I have always liked fish and I have recently gotten back into them about 6 months ago. This time I have treated them better as I used to have 2 goldfish and 3 danios in a 9L tank, which would always die in a month or 2, whereas this time they don't die straight away and most are still alive and happy. The reason I got into fish keeping was because a friend had a fish tank, and they went to get fish, and I saw my favourite fish, the Dwarf Gourami, and I made it my aI'm to get that fish, and while I was waiting to get it, I did tons of research, which made me absolutely love the hobby!

 

When I was a kid I used to love going to walmart or pet stores and looking at all the little neon tetras and goldfish. My mom finally broke down and got a 3 gallon tank and filled it with goldfish, but they never lived obviously. I didn't have more fish until I was about 16 when my friend got me a betta. Then I really discovered that I kinda have a passion for them and after watching many many episodes of rivers monsters, I fell in love with catfish. It's just my luck though that the one thing I'm good at can't be a job like how reptile and tarantula breeders are.

 

I have had fish for most of my life. The last build was our first reef tank. We enjoyed the heck out of it but it was only 55 gallons and eventually got bored and the upgrade was more than we could handle at the time. We gave up the hobby for a while. Just 6 months ago I had a life changing event- a stroke at only 50 years old. Eliminating stress has been my life's goal since. I remembered how much I had always lived my fish and the relaxation and tranquility it served for me. Now we have a 75 gal freshwater build and I just want to say- it was the best investment I could have made for my healing. Thoroughly enjoying every moment. I spend a lot of time in our bedroom, office is here and it's my husband and my hangout so our tank of course is right here with us to enjoy. The healing properties are beyond what anyone could imagine. Below is a pic our our tank of beauties.

 

I have had fish for most of my life. The last build was our first reef tank. We enjoyed the heck out of it but it was only 55 gallons and eventually got bored and the upgrade was more than we could handle at the time. We gave up the hobby for a while. Just 6 months ago I had a life changing event- a stroke at only 50 years old. Eliminating stress has been my life's goal since. I remembered how much I had always lived my fish and the relaxation and tranquility it served for me. Now we have a 75 gal freshwater build and I just want to say- it was the best investment I could have made for my healing. Thoroughly enjoying every moment. I spend a lot of time in our bedroom, office is here and it's my husband and my hangout so our tank of course is right here with us to enjoy. The healing properties are beyond what anyone could imagine. Below is a pic our our tank of beauties.

What a nice build! I understand where you're coming from! I've had a LOT of health issues including a TIA at 46 (just three months ago)! There's way too much to share here but my fish have always been there to help me gain some calm! So glad you got back in the hobby!

 

I have a few mental health issues - nothing too major, but enough to keep my brain a bit off the beaten path, so to speak. My fish help reduce my stress levels and give me a good thing to focus my mind on... plus, I'm getting on in years, and keeping one's brain busy is a good way to fend off dementia - fishkeeping lore is full of science and there's always more to learn! If the busy brain thing doesn't work, I'll at least have fun on my way there... I love all critters, and it's fun to see happy, healthy fish - my oldest has been with me since 2004 (a Synodontis named Sid Vicious). I also like playing "mad scientist" when I'm doing the water parameter tests (though maybe that's part of my mental issues!)!!

 

I have a few mental health issues - nothing too major, but enough to keep my brain a bit off the beaten path, so to speak. My fish help reduce my stress levels and give me a good thing to focus my mind on... plus, I'm getting on in years, and keeping one's brain busy is a good way to fend off dementia - fishkeeping lore is full of science and there's always more to learn! If the busy brain thing doesn't work, I'll at least have fun on my way there... I love all critters, and it's fun to see happy, healthy fish - my oldest has been with me since 2004 (a Synodontis named Sid Vicious). I also like playing "mad scientist" when I'm doing the water parameter tests (though maybe that's part of my mental issues!)!!

Mad scientist! LOL! Just think of it as being a good fishkeeper! (The scientist part is just a way for us to feel smarter than we actually are!). Best of luck to you! Fishkeeping is more than just about the fish! For us it's a way of life!

 

Fishkeeping is more than just about the fish! For us it's a way of life!

I think you just put the whole thing into a nutshell right there!

 

Well actually, I figured you know all that money in my pocket is getting too heavy so I have get rid of it... nah jk Personally I am absolutely fascinated by fish. Where I live in the Philippines, we have some amazing beautiful untouched coral reefs. First I started diving and I slowly became obsessed with fish! Believe me, if I could afford it my house would be full of fish tanks right now! I'm planning on starting another tank stocked only with native fish, so native killie species, golden apple snails (invasive here but they count sorta), dojo loaches, Mindanao rasbora, halfbeaks, archer fish, tons of gouramis, the possbilities!

 

I got fish at 8, and I became fascinated. I wanted to know how they came to be like they were. Then I discovered I could breed them. But I also learned for a lot of species, you could only do that by learning about them. Isn't that the perfect world - constant learning and stimulation, combined with beauty?
This year is strange because it is 50 years since my first fishtank. That makes you sit down and look at an aquarium.
But I am still learning - about ecology. About species distribution. About foods. About evolution. About geology. All because an insurance salesman sold my parents a ten gallon with a pair of marble mollies and some short finned guppies.

 

I got into it when I bought my first betta, Ares, on an impulse buy in a .7 gallon tank. As soon as I found FishLore, I immediately moved him to a 2.5G, and am planning to add him to a 5.5. I got an account a bit later, and got jealous of everyone else's zebra danios. I got myself a school, and I think that's when I got hooked. Now I have zebra danios, Ares, another unnamed halfmoon, five female guppies, and a stunted golden wonder killiefish. I also love it because the entire time I've had fish, I've never stopped learning!

 

I got stuck with three carnival goldfish and it has escalated from there.

 

I always caught minnows in the ditch/river/lake what ever I could find. Eventually got a betta after begging for a fish that I could actually keep (cause I had to let the minnows go) I found it relaxing and now especially after being diagnosed with aspergers I find them even more peaceful. I've upgraded to a 60 gallon now.

 

At first, years ago, it was because I wasn't allowed to have any other pets, but a fish tank was fine to have.

Now, it is because they are neat to have, fun to watch and they don't give me too much stress!

 

I have a deep love of nature and love the connection. I also am a fan of evolutionary biology and live watching traits change in my livebearer populations.

 

Like BettaPonic, I love nature and biology. I have loved studying and observing animals since I was about 3 years old and first dreamed of being a scientist (a paleontologist, at the time). In a perfect world, I'd be able to see and study animals in their natural habitats 24/7, but since that's not always possible I fell in love with exotic pets. Plus, I find watching fish swim around very soothing.

 

Mostly because I like animals of all kinds. Liking nature was instilled into me by my parents and having pets is one way to instilled into our own daughters. My parents were always very responsible when it came to their pets big or small, took them to the vets, and tried their best to do the basic care correctly. My Mom was actually on the phone for two hours trying to get a vet for my pet rat's surgery, she didn't give in and my rat got the surgery. Growing up I had pet cats, dogs, birds, rats, and a disastrous goldfish tank. I say disastrous because no one knew how to take care of fish at the time, and our research (books and pet store employees) gave us all the wrong information lol. Even when I moved out of the house during my college years in a little apartment I kept pet rats, and albino clawed frog. The frog lived for ten years actually.

With my own kids we have had pet guinea pigs, fish, a cat, and gecko. We currently still have fish and Reggie the gecko. It's a joy to watch them grow as well as to see them through my daughter's eyes.

 

I tried to rescue a carnival goldfish, rehomed it, and ended up with an empty ten gallon that I couldn't let go to waste and now I have a wonderful betta friend and I'm feeling early symptoms of mts...

 

My parents didn't want a dog so I got a 15 gallon with like 30 fish in it. Hooked after that, over 10 years in this now.

 

I started out like a lot of people, probably - a kid with some goldfish. Then my fish started begging for food upon sighting me and I was kind of gone from there.

 

My two passions are chemistry and biology, and fish keeping is a perfect combination of those. I also love animals, and have been obsessed with water since I was a kid. Like oddly so. My first tanks were just plants I had picked outside and grew submerged in bowls and jars in my room. The fish came later at my moms suggestion.

Really I can't imagine not having fish, it brings me so much joy

 

I am a big fan of evolutionary biology. I think it is fun to watch generation after generation of fish and see slights changes with each generation. I love having a little ecosystem too. I also have a history of mental illness and they help keep me relaxed/not kill myself. I missed them so much in the hospital.

 

I started with an overstocked 10 gallon tank. I received the tank on my 12th birthday and we followed the LFS advice and got a bunch of feeder goldfish (all of which are dead). Now, though, I keep fish because I love it. I find it relaxing and peaceful to have fish and like taking care of them.

 

I got a free 29 gallon and was hooked, now I have 5 tanks lol.

 

I find everything about having and caring for fish to be very relaxing. Even when I have problems it still gives me something else to focus on. I truly enjoy the daily care and cleaning and I love just watching them. I have fallen asleep on the couch quite a few times from just sitting and watching my fish for awhile (something that used to never happen). They have been the second best form of therapy I have ever had. I wish I would have really gotten started with them sooner. It's not the same as having 1 Betta tank as having 4 or 5 tanks with all different kinds of fish and inverts.
I also have to add I am an extreme animal lover, have had almost every kind of pet you can imagine as my parents let me have a "zoo" growing up and I still have quite a few furry friends. Fish have always fascinated me and now I don't think I'll ever be without a tank again.

 

As the name suggests, why do you keep fish? I think fish are relaxing and keep me busy.

cause they help me with the stress of school and my dad literally put a 120 with his flowerhorn in my room

 

HI guys! Just wanted to start a thread about how we all got into Fish keeping!

I became obsessed with fish/aquarium at the age of 5 when I saw the Aquarium in Chicago! I've primarily kept Bettas but I've also had some tropical fish, and goldfish when I was younger. I find as I've gotten older that one reason I love keeping fish, is because watching/caring for them helps with my anxiety. My 18 month old son also loves to "help" me with water changes and watch the fishy swim back and forth as well.

Let me know how you got into Fish, and why you love them!

 

I went shopping with my dad, and one of the surprises was to visit the LFS first my first time, and get a betta.
First time meant that I had actually had knowledge of going, and only going to look at the fish.

I remember going with my mom and brothers, and we'd want to do is look at lizards, and feeder minnows.

 

When I was 4 years old mother got our first aquarium. I had one dream as I grew, to be a marine biologist. Life took some twists and it never happened. This is as close as I got to the one dream I ever had.

And of course there is my passion for photography. First camera at 8-9 years old. Aquariums and my love for closeup and macro are a perfect match.

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