Returning to aquarium hobby

[MetalSlug]

Growing up see my dad . Uncle keeping monster fish , arowana , oscar ……Last 2 month . I was going back to it . Bought 20 gallon and have 8 platy . 2 week ago bought my 75 gallon . Got all water set up . This 75 gallon will be just for a baby jardini arowana . In a year I will get a 250 gallon for his final home . I think I spent closer to $900 buck already lol


It’s good to be back though . It’s been so long 17 years.

 

[Creekside]

I always found watching aquariums fascinating and relaxing but never looked into the hobby. I imagine it’s a very expensive and time consuming hobby but what really isn’t anymore.

 

[MetalSlug]

I always found watching aquariums fascinating and relaxing but never looked into the hobby. I imagine it’s a very expensive and time consuming hobby but what really isn’t anymore.

that the main point of having a aquarium , so you can watch lol ,

 

[JTK]

I got back into the hobby around 2013 and still have the oscar and green severum I bought at that time. I've kept the pair in a 75gal which I make work water parameter wise, but it's not enough tank for them.

I've also got two planted 55g community tanks. One of them has also been going since 2013.

It doesn't have to be an expensive hobby. The big chain pet stores often sell standard sized glass aquariums up to 75gal for $1/gal. Lighting, filtration and your general hardware can be mail ordered for good prices.

 

[Leo99]

I had an arowana years ago. Bought it as a fry with the egg sac still attached. Cool fish but picky eater. It would eat freeze dried krill but they had to be moving so I had to get the grill into the water fall filter flow.

Post some pictures when you get it set up.

 

[71Chevyguy]

I have had fish tanks since I was a kid. I find the secret to be an under gravel filter. Everyone always told me it wasn't necessary or even bad for the fish. Well most of my fish in my big tank are 10+ years old so I must be doing something right. If it is set up right it doesn't need much maintenance. Just someone to sit there and enjoy watching the fish.

 

[JTK]

I have had fish tanks since I was a kid. I find the secret to be an under gravel filter. Everyone always told me it wasn't necessary or even bad for the fish. Well most of my fish in my big tank are 10+ years old so I must be doing something right. If it is set up right it doesn't need much maintenance. Just someone to sit there and enjoy watching the fish.

There's quite a few serious fish keepers out there that still use UGF's and reverse UGFs. I know that's what I used as a kid in the late 1970s and 1980s when I first got into fish keeping. I would use those along with Dynaflo hang-on-backs if you remember those. Today I use various canister filters, AquaClear hang-on-backs and sometimes sponge bubblers.

The problem I had back in the 1970s and 80s was my fish never lived long. I didn't know about changing water, the nitrogen cycle, keeping your nitrates low or any of that back then. None of the plentiful fish/pet stores passed that info on back then either. LOL

 

[MetalSlug]

kkk

 

[Jimmy_Russells]

I always found watching aquariums fascinating and relaxing but never looked into the hobby. I imagine it’s a very expensive and time consuming hobby but what really isn’t anymore.

Reef tanks are difficult and expensive but salt fish only, or freshwater are pretty easy. Planted freshwater can be tough too.

 

[Skippy722]

I’m trying to talk my wife into a bigger tank… I think a 125 would be a perfect home for my Texas Cichlid lol

If you don’t use canister filters I highly suggest checking them out. Super quiet, out of sight, incredible filtration, best thing I ever bought for my tanks.

 

[JTK]

I’m trying to talk my wife into a bigger tank… I think a 125 would be a perfect home for my Texas Cichlid lol

Oh you gotta do it! LOL

I'd love a 6 foot tank like that, but the only place I'd want to set it up is in the 'finished' portion of my basement. Texas cichlids are so cool.

My oscar and green sev have great personality to them and are a family favorite. The sev is by far the meaner fish. Oscars are total wusses unless your talking a breeding pair of them.

I like my canisters too. I've had many make/models over the years, but you can't beat the simplicity of an aquaclear. I run 110s and 70s.

 

[MetalSlug]

Post some picture

 

[wpod]

Watching an Aquarium is much better than watching the Tv. Started my first Aquarium in 5th grade and in 2002 gave my 50 gallon away to a friend. I always think about getting a 10 or 15 gallon tank keeping it simple.

 

[JTK]

Post some picture

Here's some pics I just snapped. I've kind of slacked on these tanks the past year or two. I keep up on my regular 50-80% water changes, filter maintenance and that kind of thing, but in terms of trimming and scaping, stocking, etc. Nothing has changed in a long time.

 

[sk_pete]

good stuff, and in three pieces

 

[MetalSlug]

Hey y'all . return to this hobby is not so easy for me at all . this hobby cause me slot of time and moneys and headaches . I don't know what to do any more .

In the beginning I bought a 75 gallon tank for a arowana jardini ( my goal is just have 1 big special fish ) . and in future I go with 250 gallon for him . i set up water and right temp and get water test , all ready for that fish . here is what goes down hill from here.....


I found a seller , well he seem like know slot about arowana , after send $141 , he won't send the fish and demand $85 more dollar for special heat box , never see the fish , later I found out its a scam and I'm not only one . after I post it some one told me about the scammer .

After a week I fought a local fish store sell a silver arowana , not the kind I look for but still same fish , bought it and took it home , well this fish is so jumpy and always scary and swim really fast and hit himself . I build a nest for the top prevent him from jumping out , I cover the tank , I turn the light off , and I woke up middle of the night check on him . make sure he not jump out ...here come the stress.... 4-5 day later after came home from work , open the door and he so scary and jump like he got electric shock or something , I say its enough , I pack up the fish and return it

Week go by , I though about a flower horn cichlid , my brother got one and he very friendly , like a puppy ....

I found a very reputation seller , and bought from him , the flower horn arrived at my door the very next day , I took a day off , after got the flower horn , open the bag , check him out , found the bag was leaking bad , look like he loose oxygen , I hurry and put the bag into my 75 gallon fish tank , after 30 min , I let him out , he swim and hide behind the filter , light was off so I don't check him out really good , the next day he just lay down behind the filter, I just ignore him thinking he still new to the tank ,

I sat there and watch tv , then I saw him come out and rub his head on my filter and rub his body on the bottom of the tank . like he try scratch himself . I already knew what its , I turn on the aquarium light and HOLY MOLY this guy cover with 100 white spot every where like some one dust whole bag of salt all over him , I immediately change 25% water and turn up the heat and add salt , ran to the store and bought a ich medicine . come home and add to the tank . next day he not hiding any more and start swim around , I gave him some new life spectrum cidlid pellet and he eat it , I give him time , he is very friendly now but his whole body still have slot of white spot , I felt bad . idk he can survive , I contact the seller and he blame on my water...

This my second day treat him now . he not hiding , very active , eat strong , but I'm not give him slot food , few pellet here and there thru out the day and cover the tank so he don't stress , I do 25% water change and add salt and ich-x medicine ,

 

[MetalSlug]

Warning this picture might make you sad . This fish got ich . White spot . Some call mushroom . It’s a fungus

 

[JTK]

The ich parasite is present in most water, but will typically only take hold on a fish that is weak or stressed, which is common on newly purchased fish.

Crank the water temperature up as high as the fish will tolerate. This will speed along the parasite's life cycle. Aquarium salt is an irritant to the fish. It causes excessive slime coat that can help shed the parasite from their skin / gills, etc. but the ich parasite will still be present in the water column and on the bottom.

Feed lightly, aerate the water, crank the heat up and do big water changes, including vacuuming the bottom several times per week and the ich parasite will go through it's life cycle and die off.

You don't need meds or salt for ich, but they can help.

 

[MetalSlug]

The ich parasite is present in most water, but will typically only take hold on a fish that is weak or stressed, which is common on newly purchased fish.

Crank the water temperature up as high as the fish will tolerate. This will speed along the parasite's life cycle. Aquarium salt is an irritant to the fish. It causes excessive slime coat that can help shed the parasite from their skin / gills, etc. but the ich parasite will still be present in the water column and on the bottom.

Feed lightly, aerate the water, crank the heat up and do big water changes, including vacuuming the bottom several times per week and the ich parasite will go through it's life cycle and die off.

You don't need meds or salt for ich, but they can help.

Yes sir , treating sick fish , feel almost like treat my kid when they sick, same worried

My temp is up to 88F

 

[Skippy722]

Yeah arowana’s are known to be jumpers, in nature they jump out of the water to catch prey. We had one at one point and it did exactly as you described, very fast and loved to jump.

Gorgeous flower horn though! I’ve dealt with ich a few times… always after adding new fish. Always had good luck with the API ich cure+crank the temperature, only problem is you have to remove your activated carbon in your filter and it turns the water a wicked shade of green.