What got you started?

[michelle l]

What triggered your interest in saltwater fish keeping?
Mine all began when I was 18 and won a goldfish at a carnival. I had to get a bowl for it at the LFS, and from there it morphed into what I have now, 19 years later.
That was one expensive goldfish.

 

[johnbob]

Last year I went to the Dallas World Aquarium and saw a porcupine puffer. I looked up the fish and found out you could keep it in a big enough home aquarium. Thats what sparked my interest and then other fish caught my eye when i started to research the hobby.

 

[poniegirl]

My first grade teacher had a seahorse only tank in the classroom. I never could get enough. Still can't.

 

[jam1e]

One year my father got a 90 Gallon tank for Christmas from my mother and I watched him learn and grow in the aquarium world and I became obsessed with the idea of so much beauty in such a small tank

 

[fishfatty]

just seeing all the neat fish in the saltwater section at my LFS

 

[mimzy]

Being like 4 years old and falling in love with the spectacular lionfish at the baltimore aquarium.
oh
my
GAWD

 

[thangbom]

i always had a intrest in wildlife and such but expecially in water. i love everything about fish ( how they look, swim and expecially tast ) so i decided to have a peice of the ocean of my own so thats how i started..

 

[ukcats]

I got started one day when i found that I had far too much money laying around!!!

 

[mimzy]

Originally Posted by ThaNgBom
i always had a intrest in wildlife and such but expecially in water. i love everything about fish ( how they look, swim and expecially tast ) so i decided to have a peice of the ocean of my own so thats how i started..
Thang... darling. I love to read your posts and to look at your pix and I've taken your advice on occasion as well but I cannot STAND to see you say "expecially."

 

[susieq]

My daughter and I were going to save a lobster from the grocery store. We started the tank then decided to stick with fish.

 

[diane4]

I always had a 30 gallon freshwater tank with tetras in it. Never found them exciting, nor fun.
What got me hooked in getting bigger freshwater tanks are the 2 adult Oscars that were poorly kept at a local indian restaraunt, what a horror storry that was. I took them home of course and gave them a home that an adult Oscar deserves - excellent filtration in a 90 gallon tank.
What roped me into saltwater fish BIG TIME, was my dog face puffer that I saw at a lfs that I HAD TO HAVE. I love him to death. I bought the fish before I bought the tank, stand and equipment. I bought him from the store that had him and transfered him to a better pet store where they kept him for me while I bought the stuff from them and setup. I love puffers, especially my Ipo (means my sweatheart in Hiwaiai) and my Guinea Fowl puffer buddy. I also love my harlequin tusk, foxface fish, 4 clown fish, triger and my reef animals.
Great thread.

 

[bronco300]

haha...i had a 75gallon saltwater with some baby turtles and fish...and then i thought hey, why not try a saltwater tank, i have a 10 gallon tank, and the filters, etc....then my obsession progressed quite quickly into having what i have today...a 40 gallon, a 75 gallon, and empty 75 gallon, and empty 12nano...empty 20(into a refuge)...and soon to buy two tanks that are CONNECTED....that shall be my purchase tomorrow probably....ay...its getting bad. lol

 

[thangbom]

Originally Posted by Mimzy
Thang... darling. I love to read your posts and to look at your pix and I've taken your advice on occasion as well but I cannot STAND to see you say "expecially."

sorry but i cant help it now.. i just type whatever that come out , thats what happen when you start tryping shorthand in chat room for a long time.. ( try talking to 5-10 people at the same time and you will see why , even though it's not a excuse to butcher the language the way i do.. )

 

[mimzy]

Originally Posted by ThaNgBom
sorry but i cant help it now.. i just type whatever that come out , thats what happen when you start tryping shorthand in chat room for a long time.. ( try talking to 5-10 people at the same time and you will see why , even though it's not a excuse to butcher the language the way i do.. )
it's ok... I mess up English left and right... but that's one of my pet peeves... that and people pronouncing it "Expresso" ...THERE'S NO "X!!!" IT'S AN "S!!!!" E-S-P-R-E-S-S-O
FOR THE LOVE OF GAWD!!!

 

[hardcrab67]

Well this hit a nerve! Reluctantly, I have to give credit to my dad. I can remember he had a FW tank w/ Angels, Mollies, etc. He was one of those "Look, but don't touch" fathers. We moved and I don't remember having any other tank. Strangely enough when I got out on my own, I wanted some fish in my new place, rather than a TV.I on the other hand encouraged my son to read and learn about it when he wanted some fish. He's up to a 20 gal FW now and has been studying breeding different species(He's 9). I've been at it for 20+yrs now and had just about every species in freshwater and still trying to breed discus(love a challenge) Only been in salt for a year now. My wife said" Build us one", boy I bet she wishes she'd never said that. She told me she thought the 55gal was big enough, WRONG, I'm going to move the reef to a 150 here soon. Thx, Dad!
Thought for the day- Take a kid fishing and when you're done, take him to a fish store :joy

 

[snccoulter]

Well I started off with an 80 gallon FW that I bought from a friend. I had that for about 6 months and decide to look on everyone’s favorite auction site and saw a 75 gallon SW for 300 with lights stand pump and fuge. I convinced my wife and was hooked on it ever since. We mover to Hill AFB in UT and the LFS I go to has a125 with pumps stand hood 55 gallon sump and all the fixings for 1100 so again it came back down to begging my wife she gave in and I sold my 75 to help pay for it. It is great fun. But now I want an even bigger one for my new home and I also want to plum everything into the basement so I can run a couple of tanks off of one fuge.

 

[mimzy]

Originally Posted by hardcrab67
Thought for the day- Take a kid fishing and when you're done, take him to a fish store :joy

 

[poniegirl]

Originally Posted by Mimzy

Kids, natures terra-sponges

 

[fedukeford]

i went snorkling in Hawaii last summer and i loved all the colors of the fish and coral, so when i got back i went and bought a tank

 

[sea horse]

We remodeled our house and for the bathroom we picked tile that looked like water, decorated with ocean themed stuff, and there was a big gap in bettween the two sinks... I love horses and wouldn't it be neat to have sea horses?

I haven't got sea horses yet but mabey someday...