What is your thought on making an entirel room a huge saltwater fish tank? I’m building this house from the ground up so it’s not going to be a problem getting water to the one room and building the aquarium. Expensive tho
Hello, I have been doing research about how much pellets a beta fish should be eating and how many times a day. And something that keeps popping is that people left them one day of the week (Sunday for example) without food to help their digestive systems and prevent bloating or constipation. Is that true?
One unexpected side effect from keeping fish, is that my mental health is exponentially better. Spend 20 mins with any of my betta tanks, then I can do the thing called life again.
Me too! I revamped my 55 gallon after some neglect. I rehomed my 2 large goldfish that were in there with a friend who has a nice pond. I added some guppies, mollies and glow tetras for the orange stripes. Literally every day after a long hard work day I come home and my fish family are hungrily greeting me and I feed them and watch them explore the tank. Also watching my plants thrive and grow is super nice to see. Literally today I came home and saw my female guppy had gave birth to one baby! I immediately ran to the store and got a breeder net for them and threw hornwort inside for the new babies to hide. Hopefully tomorrow there will be more!
@@gorillariot123 This is so true! Whenever I feel stressed out or thinking about committing not alive, I just play with my betta or do a water change, reminds me that I have something that relies on me.
On the fish death topic - nothing 'softie' about caring about your animals. In my book, if someone doesn't get at least a bit upset when one of their fish passes then they should, frankly, not be keeping fish in the first place. This is a hill I will die on.
Can we share the hilltop? The view is great 😆 Seriously though, working at pet store, you'd think I would become desensitized to dead fish. Far from it. I try to make sure that they are getting fed, isolating the sick, doing water changes, trying to optimize the sump water parameters by an average, improving the food and being food specific. But then the cashier wants to "help" by turning the tanks into snow globes 😐 and then me and my mentor seethe over it.
But he continues to have aquarium which is prison for fishes...same for the dog he is keeping as pet. If you care for animals, you would not be domesticating them or eating them. Otherwise ur fooling urself.
@@SenthilKumar-pb3nu I agree that if humanity didn’t domesticate dogs then it’d be bad to keep them, but we have, and in the world we live in giving the dog hospitality and a loving home is the best thing you can do for them. Same goes with fish…we haven’t domesticated them but we are saving them from being kept as objects…us in this hobby think of them as pets and we care for them, we don’t treat or view them as “just another fish”, we try to give them the best home we can.
@@SenthilKumar-pb3nu generally if your in one of these channels you won’t overstock. I have a betta in a 10 gallon because I don’t want to keep her in a “cage” in the wild bettas don’t roam as much anyways she can’t live in the wild anyways with her vibrant colors and chilled life style of having food hand delivered to her. The same could be said about my dogs and my cat. As for eating animals… well my fish eats powdered dry bug flakes. My cat eats salmon chunks (and she doesn’t like it she prefers the unhealthy wheat soy version I have to mix it together) my dogs know to come back to me when I whistle for them. I remember there was a hurricane and we had to go to my aunts to evacuate and we left them outside with the horses (10 acres). And after three days they stayed at the door begging to come inside but they had a whole garage to themselves they could go in whenever (couldn’t leave them in the cold). We take care of our animals. Including fish
@@SenthilKumar-pb3nu If you truly give a fish a good home with enough space, it's not like a 'prison' for them. Sure they'll never have just as much space as they would in the wild (even though some species don't even use as much space as they could in the wild) but it's definitely not a prison if they're well cared for and as happy as you can make them. As for domesticating animals, most people aren't domesticating animals, whether they care for them or not. In most cases it's not a thing where you just jump up and go "Ah yes, I would like to domesticate something!" (if we exclude programs specifically looking to domesticate certain species) It's a gradual process, that sometimes happens/has happened accidentally, especially with dogs, which were the animals you were mentioning. Most fish are not domesticated (I'm not quite sure if some species would qualify, maybe?) but even if, in general domesticating animals is not that bad as long as you do it well. If you treat the animals well and make sure they are adequately cared for and that you can truly provide them with a happy life, as well as breeding towards a end goal which would actually be healthy (unlike pugs, for example) Of course, it'll still be motivated by some sort of selfish desire for either a companion animal or a working animal etc. etc. But the domestication itself is not neccesarily always bad. Plus, the person keeping a domesticated animal had nothing to do with domesticating the animal. Dogs today are happy if you give them a good life and everything they need, despite what you think about them being domesticated in the first place, the end result is an animal which can be kept humanely and happily. I do understand what you mean in a way, that animals should have just been left alone. But at the end of the day, things went how they went, and we have domesticated animals that can happily live with humans. Everyone is allowed their own opinions of course! This is just what I think about it and explanation as to why.
You just talked me out of getting my first Aquarium. I'm kidding. About 35 years ago my 5 year old son won a goldfish in a tiny jar. I ran out and spent $180 on a 10-gallon tank, hood with lights, a filter, and an iron stand. I was saved from buying a $30 heater because goldfish like cool water. I eventually got a 20 gallon, then a 55 gallon, then a 60 gallon, a 120 gallon, a 75 gallon, a 90 gallon, and my biggest tank a 125 gallon. I had at one time 15 tanks. My 125 for Afrcan Cichlids, and my 90 gallon for Discus were in my Family room, the basement was filled with tanks of fish I had to have that couldn't go in my big tanks and a few were for breeding. Yes, fish keeping can be addictive and expensive. I didn't have a single filter system, every tank had its own filter and heater and my electric company loved me. I eventually sold everything and went out to the yard, took a shovel and started digging, and built a 3500 gallon Koi Pond with a good filter, UV light and a nice waterfall. Good is never good enough so every year I worked on different landscape surrounding my pond, new water plants in the pond. I live in New Jersey where we get cold winters and snow so the pond plants had to be replaced except a few that would winter over by sinking them at the deepest part of the pond. It's all expensive to get started, there are the things you don't need but gotta have anyway and everything always needs to be redesigned. after a few years I had all kinds of equipment and decorations that got swapped out in buckets and plastic storage bins, all kinds of rock, plastic plants, air pumps, filters, heaters, drift wood, and Mopani wood just to name a few things, trust there was so much more. After a while I sold all my stored fish tank equipment I didn't need at a fraction of what it cost, and that's another thing. You can spend $500 on a tank setup and a year later sell it for $200, used stuff is a bargain hunter's dream.
Also, buy lots of towels. Towels are you friends especially when doing water changes and tank maintenance. YOU WILL SPILL WATER! Towels on the floor first , helps with any spills and clean up.
I used what is know as a python to do water changes in my bigger tanks and got distracted while putting clean water back in the tank and overflowed them a few times, towels and wet-vac required for me.....LOL
Yes! I got a big pack of bar towels and they’re awesome. I can get them nasty and bleach them after, and since they’re so cheap I don’t feel bad if a few aren’t salvageable. Super absorbent and easy to store, too!
@@jeffb5785 Wet Vac is also a good idea! LOL! Unfortunately we do not get the python water changer here, I would love one. So yeah I am still do things the old fashioned way. Using buckets! LOL!!!
When i started the hobby, i thought i would be happy and content with one betta.... Haha 😂😂😂 nope. We now have a few tanks plus a mini pond. Thank you for your vids John and Lisa. You help me be a better fish keeper.
Here is a very random one to add to your list! You can also severely injure yourself if you fall face first into the side of a fishtank, smashing the glass and nearly drowning yourself. How do I know? It happened to me when i was 3. I ran towards the tank, tripped over and went face first through the side of the tank into the aquarium. I have no recollection of the incident (so i only know what happened from my parents), but i have several scars over my face as a reminder!
@@fishandfloral I am currently counting my blessings, after years of neglect and not knowing proper care, I would carry my 10 gallon (I am a 110lbs woman) from my room to my bathtub 1-2 times a month to do what I thought was a “good” cleaning. 😭 surprisingly all my fish and I are still here
The water damage issue is real, even if it doesn't leak! I took down two out of my three aquariums in prep for selling my house (not "planned", but rather, due to unexpected family situation). Neither tank (20L and 45) had even been set up for more than a year. Small spot on laminate floor where tiny water vapor droplets from the sponge filter (yep, just a sponge with nano pump) ended up on the floor - even with a tight fitting glass hinge lid - the tiny hole where the airline comes out is enough for a bit of moisture to escape. Also the wall behind both tanks (and also my q tank taken down a few weeks before) had visible "water drop marks" even though no actual drops of water ever hit the wall. Just the humidity did it. I cannot imagine what it could do to carpet. I still have precious Cosmo and he's moving with me (that process is NOT going to be fun, but I'm too worried that if I rehomed him, they'd put him in a smaller tank - he loves his 10 gal, so I'm not going to do it).
For me, I think one of the most frustrating things in the hobby is how costly it can be here in Canada; all the tanks, plants equipment, feed and fish are overpriced and expensive compared to the U.S. prices. I bought my first 29 gallon aquarium from a Petsmart for $200. A 29 gallon aquarium in Canada costs about $300.
I don’t even have an aquarium (yet 😊) but I love your videos, I totally relate to what John said about animal death. I’ve had to have 3 cats put to sleep over last 10 years and it is heartbreaking. The other day I couldn’t find one of my goldfish in my pond when I was feeding them and the feeling of panic was horrible- she eventually appeared thank goodness, wasn’t expecting to feel that way but whether they are furry or have fins they are our companions, best wishes from the UK 🇬🇧
0:53 that's not how I got into fish keeping. When I met my partner she had a goldfish in a bowl on her kitchen bench, for about 3 years the fish seemed fine ( or so I thought ) it was when this fish died that I started researching how fish should be kept and was shocked about how much we were doing wrong, so I went out and got a 65gal and some new goldfish to redeem myself for torturing the last one, I never even noticed the tropical fish in my lfs until about 6 months after I'd learned about cycling a tank, two whole walls of fish I just didn't even see, it was at that point that I upgraded to a 175 gal so I could have rainbows, almost 4 years after my first fish bowl I found the actual fish I wanted. 6 years later I've still got those Lacustris 😁 Not everyone starts the same way 😉
The best tip I got online is that Petco price matches their online prices. Prime was 8.50 at the store but it was 4.50 online. That’s just one example. You can save so much! You guys are awesome.
I’ve had an aquarium for over a year now. Stated with a 10 the. Got a 40 back October. I saw no way out of not getting into this hobby. I’m a handyman, and one of my customers is Petco. I go there multiple times a week for 4 years now. I rescued a red half moon betta from a their floor drain that just happened to be clogged with sand and pitch black water. A couple weeks ago he passed, he lived much longer than I thought he would. Then a week later my 40 sprung a pinhole leak somewhere 2in from the bottom. I fixed that and got it working again, everyone fine. But, this whole time I told myself I’m sticking to only one tank. Here I am, setting a 10 gal column tank for shrimp.
I'm glad you guys are adapting the new format. Sometimes you want something fun and snappy. Fish keeping is stressing enough for a beginner sometimes you want to relax and watch something fun and interesting and informational. Love yo guys videos greetings from Mexico
My mom only has one 55 gallon aquarium... that I take care of along with my 5, 10, 20, and 125 gallon aquariums, wife said I can't get anymore till we buy our own place
Wait, what?! Not everyone uses only a bucket?! 😂 I’ve finally invested in the Python system but gotta watch a few UA-cam instruction videos before I start using it though. I’m over sloggin’ so many buckets!!
@@elly7199 I just got one recently too, and not sure I've fully worked out a system for me for emptying the tanks. But oh boy! Filling them back up is sooo much easier!
The nickel and dime thing is so true but it’s not horrible. A lot of the stuff you have to have or like to have last a long time or goes a long way. The master test kit , chemicals , substrate, and decorations really get a lot of mileage out of them.
If you have never had aquariums before, then this video on what at I call, "Counting the Cost," is the BEST video I have ever seen! I am an older guy with now 10 small tanks, 2@20 Gallons, 3@5 Gallons, 5@3 Gallons, and they are all beautiful, and I started in the hobby when I was 10 years old, took a few years off, but now I am back. All the points I experience, except I have fortunately never had a tank leak on me. Only two of my tanks are glass, and I know if one has glass tanks they need to get Silicone for repairs, just in case the Tanks start leaking. The problem with acrylic tanks, (other than usually a higher price for the larger ones), is it is more difficult to remove algae on acrylic than glass, though maybe acrylic aquariums leak less. It is a great hobby though!
Best size starting tank would be a 20 gallon. I started with a 10 and that tank was a pain to keep clean and stable. The 20 was great! Only had to do a gravel vac twice a month. Now I have a 55! Thinking of setting up the 20 again in my office!
I have a horror story about fish and bird sitters. While we were away, I had my Guyanese neighbor look after my aviary and koi pond within. He was experienced with birds, but not so much with fish. I kept a pint container next to the pond and threw the fish a handful twice a day. But there was a language barrier, and a misunderstanding... He ended up throwing the whole _pint_ in twice a day, for two weeks!!! Needless to say, lots of dead fish, lots of rotting food in the pond!!! I had koi the size of snook, Red Tailed Sharks, and other exotic fish, all lost. The birds, however, were just fine.
BTW, if you are handy, you absolutely CAN build your own aquarium stand, for any size aquarium. Just do yourself a favor and make sure it can handle the weight you're putting on it. err on the side of overdoing the sturdiness. Test it if you can by putting actual weights on it. I Agree about leaks. I've only ever had one. it was a forty year old ten gallon that had been sitting unused for at least 30 years. Fortunately, I knew this, and tested it, and discovered the leak before actually setting it up. A little silicone sealer, and it was good as new.
The worst part is the death of fish 😢. The feeling of guilt and second guessing what you did can be painful. Right now I have something mysterious causing my fish to die off...I suspect some type of gill infection but those who know more than me looked at my city's water quality reports and think it could be a contaminate. The helpless feeling of "what the heck happened?!!" Can be so sad and frustrating.
I started working at a pet store a couple of months ago that sells fish and it's been nothing but incredibly fascinating (and stressful!) to learn about taking care of them - the training I've been given combined with your channel has made me decide to take the plunge (pun not intended) to start my own tank! Once my pay rise goes through in about a month I'm going for it! Already I'm buying little bits and pieces to spread the cost a bit 😂 best to practice what I preach!
I will say I’ve had issues with tank kit items. The filters are cheap and come with those god awful cartridges. When I used one, my tank never cycled and the fish were swimming in toxic nitrites even after months. I got into modifying the filters and purchased filter fiber, biological media and sponges. Finally, the filter was decent. Also the heaters tend to be screwy.
I used to have so much trouble with betta fish until I came across this channel. Now I have two bettas which both were purchased from you guys ❤️ and they’re both in 5 gallon planted tanks and are thriving
There's two irrational fears I have. One is that every outlet in my house is a ticking fire bomb. The other is that my 55g is going to burst at any moment and just ruin our front room.
The thing I love about my fellow hobbyists (not the fish abusing "decorators") is the deep love of life and care for the creatures in our homes. FishTube gives me hope for our future.
I told myself I would only have one tank,but as I went on,I wanted more fish,but I only had a 20 gallon tank,so I bought a 40 by the way I had 50 fish in my 20 gallon tank,I felt bad until I fired up the 40 gallon and transferred them to the 40,big problem fish fights chasing stressing and a lot of dead fish,100 count in my tank,so I built a jail out of the 20 gallon and put all the mollies back in the 20,it was completely empty,came back one day and had 53 baby mollies,so transferred them later as they grew to the 40,bored with them,I bought a 60 gallon marineland tank,its cycling now until September, for a month,that'll give me time to decide on the kind of fish I want🤔🤔🤔🤔💯 One thing this hobby has taught me is patience...and Love again,now I want kids..🥰
About having one aquarium. I got my first aquarium a few months ago, and I thought “oh I have to get a hospital/quarantine tank if anything would happen” buuuuut, then I thought “a beta would go really nice in that tank” so I ofc had to get a new hospital tank. And the story goes on...
Something just made me check my tanks and one filter was barely trickling. Just not really working. Intake sponge completely blocked. Fixed working and no dead fish, thanks John.
I'm really lucky because when I goon holiday my parents come over and take care of all the animals. They even do water changes and other tank maintenence!
yes they are expensive he hit the nail on head for my experience i didnt see that one coming when i started. when i was in college i had a 5gal in my apartment , that was easy and cheap to set up. but when i wanted back in the hobby i though i would start with a 30gal but my uncle being very big in the hobby said he would just give me a 55gal, i just though so cool a free tank bigger than i would ever buy and i dont have to even buy it he even bought me a aqua clear 110 a really expensive 100$ filter . thats where cheap ends i had to buy the lights, substrate , heater , lid, repaint the old stand get decorations then fish and chemicals, a 30gal bucket and electric pump i could not believe that in a few weeks my "free" tank turned into well over 600$ of stuff , yes i could have shaved a bit off but i wanted it to look nice and not spend all day with water changes the old way. now i want an axolotl but they dont go with my community setting so im looking into a 29gal separate for that but i dont have that money yet
I know I was always meant to keep tanks. According to my parents, I was obsessed with my dad's aquarium as a toddler. So much that I managed to climb up and smash it with my mom's coffee mug. They considered the replacement tank mine. Water on the floor is a serious issue. If you have carpeting, be sure to put down tarp/towels anytime you go into the tank. I don't leave any equipment on the floor in my tanks in carpeted rooms anymore either. Everything is on hanging shelves I install above, below or next to them. I remember moving equipment one time and discovering a huge black mark on the carpet because something was leaking too slow to create a puddle or anything, just a few drips a day, but after a month mold/mildew was well set in. Never again.
Overall, this is a great video. I completely agree with your opening about multiple tanks, and the likely growth of a hobbyist. However, more channels do need to advocate for staying at just 1 tank for extended periods of time. That expansion in tanks quite literally multiplies labor, work, equipment, cost, space, weight, power consumption, and time invested. Staying with only 1 tank or 1 system (should you have say a sump), is a way to keep that heavy work load to a minimum. Less can quite literally be more in this hobby, with direction and self control in regards to buying fish and plants. It is ultimately a choice made by every hobbyist. There is nothing wrong with having many, many tanks; if you can care for them. However, there are a multitude of advantages in sticking with one tank or system over the long haul. Speaking for myself: Keeping to only one system is why I've been able to stay engaged without feeling burdened or pressured. It also allowed me to purchase higher end equipment and specialty items like automation; to limit labor and chores, while maintaining a high standard in appearance and water quality. I have one main display and a moderately large sump, that is bristling with devices I could not afford to buy 3 or 4 of. I've also been more successful with a heavily manicured tank, with chores like trimming carpet plants, and propagating stem plants; as I only need to focus on one display rather than dividing my time and focus. Testing too is easier as I only need to perform each test once over a given period, allowing me to easily stay on top of water parameters and spot trends over time. Instead of adding tanks, I've always upgraded the one I had. First nano-tanks, then a 30, now a 70 gallon. With the hardscape, diversity, and equipment expanding with each upgrade. But the substrates, live stock and plants simply carry over from one to the next along with my existing equipment. I've had only one system (in various iterations) for over 10 years now. But yes, their will inevitably come a time where a hobbyist wants something else. An expansion is likely inevitable, but it should not be rushed into. Again, speaking for myself: What eventually caught my eye was coral. I'm building out a second system slowly, to function as a reef tank. It started as a way to stem the boredom of last years covid lock-downs. And while I will eventually have two full systems, the same mentality applies: Less tanks = less labor, more flexibility and investment potential.
I started off with a 100 liter tank with 4 goldfish which grew and grew and grew and turned into monster fish so I had to get another 100l and separate them,then I got some guppies a friend didn't want(he had hundreds) so I had to get a tank for them,then another tank to house all the guppy babies,I have another 150 l ready to set up as soon as I find the space and my son in law has become hooked and has just bought a 250 liter tank,it's never ending🤣I had an accident when one of my cats took a flying leap trying to get on top of a cupboard abd sent everything flying smashing one aquarium as a result🤯(all fish were saved)
My daughter's friends always come over and the next day I get a call from their parents about what fish do I have and how to keep them. I always keep an eye on who has 10 gallon starters on sell to tell them. I spend most of my time trying to convince them to just get the 10 gallon and not a 2 gallon. The one thing that I think is really missing from these starter kits is a dose of quickstart or smartstart --- they will include a fake plant or rocks but not this. Noobies don't know about the cycle or don't want to wait. This would cost them pennies to put in the kit and would help educated new people while selling more of their products. The number one failure I see is people not putting in anything but conditioner to start the tank and all the fish die.
we had a beta fish that we kept in horible condtions and we didn't know he had really bad fin rot and died so we got another one and searched up why he died and watched all of you videos and thats how we know all we know and not to brag but we are awesome fish caretakers!
The struggle is real! I unfortunately have came home to 75 gallons of water projecting across the room from a 1/4" separation. Thankfully I had the tools to get it under control but nothing can fully prepare you for 2" of water in your living room floor. This video is great to show what we deal with as aquarium keepers.
Just got home from a long weekend to find out my "smart" thermostat decided to turn off my HVAC.... My 20 gallon saltwater tank was destroyed.... I'm devastated. I'm desperately trying to revive my two damsels. I've had them for 5yrs.
When you ask family or friends to feed your fish when you are away, you can also use a medicine box. There are boxes with seperated compartments for every day with days printed on them. So just fill the compartments with the right amount of food per day.
Do to disability, Im down to 0 tanks, but I remember the days when I was a founding member of our local aquarium society and had 17+ Tanks. And cleaning them all, hauling that much water, it was a pain. But I did it. Sometimes I would sacrifice entire weekends cleaning tanks. Of course these were the days before 9/11. I remember bringing fish home on the airplane because fish i wanted were rare in Juneau Alaska, even decent Mollies. Infact, in the 90's most of the mollies in owur town were ones that I bred and sold to my local single store. No big name stores in our town. So I would fly south for medical, and on the way home two to three times a year, I would visit shops on the way to the airport to pick up replacement males for new blood, and bring them home on the 2 hour flight from Seattle to Alaska. In a cooler under the seat in Coach as a carry on. Never had a tank leak thankfully. My bigsgest tanks were 55 gallons. Biggest i could get back then. No custom made.
Guess i’m getting that ocean front in Arizona. Have only 1 tank. a 10 gallon with a betta and tetras. will never get anymore. probably won’t even upgrade this one. for the reason that it is a lot of work already.
Fish death is so hard to deal with! I had a group of calico lion head ranchus in my 560litre tank, lost one on a Friday evening, by Sunday night the tank was empty 😢 I never worked out what happened, I had no measurable ammonia, everything seemed stable, I was heart broken! I had raised so many of their fry over the years. I very nearly turned my back on the hobby altogether but my wife convinced me to start again. I have gone super old school on the tank now, UGF driven by powerhead and sponges on air
Yeah the first tank from Petco. About 5 years ago in the dark of a very depressing cold January night. Cat litter only and do not look around! Petco loves people like me. 5 gal complete setup. Plus all the extras. In 2 days I spent over 250 dollars. On day 3 I got the fish. Just a blast. So now I have 2 10's and 1 20. Lots more fish, plants (very painful time right now). I am moving about 20 gallons per week. With a 3 gallon bucket. But yeah it's worth it when the guppies come up like a pile of puppies when I feed them. Nipping at my fingers dancing around food food food...They are so darn cute and beautiful besides. Just the buckets. Thank you for the video. Dead on
Worst mistake when I had my first aquarium was not buying a test kit. I used to wait until algae formed to consider it cycled. A basic test kit with ammonia included costs about 45 bucks. Considering it’s gonna save you time (by finding ideal water change timing) and prevent fish death, it’s worth the money.
You are absolutely correct even though i haven't seen any lasting results from the tanks. But being as careful as you can be...you are gonna get some water somewhere...lol. it's still worth it though
I all the only person that I know in the hobby who has only one aquarium. I went with a 29 gallon. Oscars are my favorite fish, but I decided against a larger or multiple tanks. I have pet parrots, I work full time, and I’m a student. I felt my fish would suffer if I went larger or multiples. As much as I want to keep Oscars and have multiple tanks, I’m happy with my 29 gallon community tank aquascape. I also have some mystery snails and a gourami as my centerpiece. It has taken A LOT so self control and will power. Lol!!!! 💛💛💛💛
I always find your videos not only informative but inspiring. Love the way you and Lisa present so many topics thanks you have both become my go-to guys for the Thanks from the UKinformation.
I am new to the hobby, and i am getting ready to start my 3ed tank... There just a little addicting... But i love it and i will sit in my fish room and watch my fish and my axolotl for hours!!😂
I had my 120 gallon tank burst at 4 am. Thankfully I had an empty tank so no fish died but the experience was honestly traumatizing. I still randomly wake up and go check my tanks just to be safe.
I've had 3 large tanks leak. One was 150 tall that I had to reseal. It's my show tank now. Frontosa. Another 150 tall were the bottom cracked and lastly a six month old 125 that the back glass cracked. Smh.
I found it hard when my new guppies died one by one. These didn’t like my mix of tap: RO water (3:1). Whereas my zebra danios are fine with it. I get squeamish seeing the dead bodies...
Mould is serious, a 2 or 3 yr old died from it here in the UK not long ago and my kids ended up with asthma because of black mould and we didnt even have fish at the time.
Burritos for a week....lol Toco Bell has that beat in 30 min or less *insert taco bell sound here*....MTS lol I got it, started with a 7 Gallon Betta tank for christmas, then a 29 Gallon tetra community tank with a common pleco (SMH) Found out a common Pleco gets Big, like REALLY BIG, so I bought a 75 Gallon Tank and got Oscar and Jack Dempsy, fell in love with them, now on hunt for 150. (and if I am to be 100% honest, was looking for used tanks and seen a 300 gallon tank for pennies on the dollars, sad thing was it was a 6 hour drive away....but I already know if I am looking for 300 gallon tanks I need help). And now I realize (from one of your other videos) I should have a ten gallon tank for hospital/quarenteen tank.....burries head in hands.
I have a question I have two tanks, 300-gallon square, 125 long, and I have pecoks and fontosas. I want to separate them from each other, where do I place them and why?
Started with one tank. Now i have five. Would be more but I'd need to get a bigger house. Water changes used to be syphon the water out and fill back up with buckets. Now each water change is done with a very long hose pipe and power head pump.
Quarantine kinda sucks too. I learned the hard way like many people by putting sick fish into my main tank. Do you think they were already sick? Or did the stress of moving from the pet store make them sick?? Also, when I'm done quarantining, can the fish get stressed and sick again during the transfer process??
I got my first fish 20 years before I got my second fish. A betta that somehow lived for two years in (I’m very ashamed of this but also I was 6) horrible conditions. My family was duped into thinking they didn’t need space or heat. My second betta was in a 5 gallon that was upgraded to a 10 in about two months when I had figured things out. That fish passed due to illness and my second betta was a rescue that only lived a few more months. Now I have a planted 20 gallon for my single female koi betta and I can’t wait to have the space and time for a second tank
Not only can tanks leak but filters can back up also. I came home to almost a quarter of my 125 on my livingroom floor an i have wood laminate. I almost gave away all my tanks right then. Lol but stuff happens an itll snap you out of whatever daze ur in for sure. I mainly use sponge filters now 🤣
I would like to add equipment failure to the list. Years ago I had a heater break and temps got up to over 100 degrees, killing most of the fish in the tank
MTS is real. I started with one tank, a beta, and 5 tetras. Worked out great. Then I added guppies. They disappeared lol. Bought a beta tank, moved her in it. Unfortunately the pink gravel died the water and she became weak and lifeless. She is in a hospital tank with warmer water and salt/medicine. Hopefully she recovers. Had any one else had that problem?? My first tank with blue and green rocks didn’t bleed like the pink did
❤ for multi tank syndrome. I have started with a Betta, then I watched your video and upgraded him to 5 gal. Then I saw clownfish, and decided I want them. That's how my second tank appeared, thank God its nano (30 gal). Keeping in mind that I want to have acroppra growing there, I had to buy all that superexpensive staff like chillers wave pumps dosers Neptune Trident etc. And now I want a third tank. For FOWLR with copperband butterflyfish 🤣🤣🤣 And Im renting with no-pet policy. It's just fish, it's no at dog or a cat, right? 🤣
Am I the only one who only has one tank? I did have a small emergency tank until I accidentally smashed it. But I simply don't have the time, space or energy for another aquarium. When my fish do breed, I take them to my local fish store to trade.
Yep, I agree with you on the dog/barn scene in Of Mice and Men. When the move Frankenweenie came out I lost my 16 year old chihuahua. I still have not watched that movie because it reminds me of the pain of losing her.
Fish deaths are 😞i recently had 2 of my 7 Saltwater fish die and honestly it made me consider tearing down my tank. I had both of them for a while but i liked them alot and they weren't cheap either.
I started with 1 then went to 2 then 3 but then went back to 2 as I was not able to find enough time to manage so now I have 2 and I take care of them like anything. Tip: have what you can manage
When planning a new tank, stick an extra sponge filter in your existing tank for a few weeks and then add that and/or seasoned filter media from a HOB to the new tank- really helps. Also helps to add fish slowly - for example if you want schooling fish, get a few at a time over several weeks instead of all at once.
🛒*Check out our website and shop LIVE BETTAS and all of your aquarium supplies!*
keepfishkeeping.com
What is your thought on making an entirel room a huge saltwater fish tank? I’m building this house from the ground up so it’s not going to be a problem getting water to the one room and building the aquarium. Expensive tho
@@jacobfischer5168 If this is for real then you will LITERALLY be making my dream come true!!! 😄😄😄
You said a store in az where is that ???
Hello, I have been doing research about how much pellets a beta fish should be eating and how many times a day. And something that keeps popping is that people left them one day of the week (Sunday for example) without food to help their digestive systems and prevent bloating or constipation. Is that true?
I don't want to sound mean or anything, but I'm not really a big fan of the thumbnail of this video
One unexpected side effect from keeping fish, is that my mental health is exponentially better. Spend 20 mins with any of my betta tanks, then I can do the thing called life again.
Me too! I revamped my 55 gallon after some neglect. I rehomed my 2 large goldfish that were in there with a friend who has a nice pond. I added some guppies, mollies and glow tetras for the orange stripes. Literally every day after a long hard work day I come home and my fish family are hungrily greeting me and I feed them and watch them explore the tank. Also watching my plants thrive and grow is super nice to see. Literally today I came home and saw my female guppy had gave birth to one baby! I immediately ran to the store and got a breeder net for them and threw hornwort inside for the new babies to hide. Hopefully tomorrow there will be more!
So relaxing just watching fish interact!
Aside from all the things we can complain about, the sense of calm and pride is worth it all.
100% agree Heather, keeping and watching fish is a great way to support good mental health :)
@@gorillariot123 This is so true! Whenever I feel stressed out or thinking about committing not alive, I just play with my betta or do a water change, reminds me that I have something that relies on me.
On the fish death topic - nothing 'softie' about caring about your animals. In my book, if someone doesn't get at least a bit upset when one of their fish passes then they should, frankly, not be keeping fish in the first place. This is a hill I will die on.
Amen to this...
Can we share the hilltop? The view is great 😆
Seriously though, working at pet store, you'd think I would become desensitized to dead fish. Far from it. I try to make sure that they are getting fed, isolating the sick, doing water changes, trying to optimize the sump water parameters by an average, improving the food and being food specific. But then the cashier wants to "help" by turning the tanks into snow globes 😐 and then me and my mentor seethe over it.
It’s never a bad thing being sensitive to animal death…we need more people like you
But he continues to have aquarium which is prison for fishes...same for the dog he is keeping as pet. If you care for animals, you would not be domesticating them or eating them. Otherwise ur fooling urself.
@@SenthilKumar-pb3nu I agree that if humanity didn’t domesticate dogs then it’d be bad to keep them, but we have, and in the world we live in giving the dog hospitality and a loving home is the best thing you can do for them. Same goes with fish…we haven’t domesticated them but we are saving them from being kept as objects…us in this hobby think of them as pets and we care for them, we don’t treat or view them as “just another fish”, we try to give them the best home we can.
@@SenthilKumar-pb3nu generally if your in one of these channels you won’t overstock. I have a betta in a 10 gallon because I don’t want to keep her in a “cage” in the wild bettas don’t roam as much anyways she can’t live in the wild anyways with her vibrant colors and chilled life style of having food hand delivered to her. The same could be said about my dogs and my cat. As for eating animals… well my fish eats powdered dry bug flakes. My cat eats salmon chunks (and she doesn’t like it she prefers the unhealthy wheat soy version I have to mix it together) my dogs know to come back to me when I whistle for them. I remember there was a hurricane and we had to go to my aunts to evacuate and we left them outside with the horses (10 acres). And after three days they stayed at the door begging to come inside but they had a whole garage to themselves they could go in whenever (couldn’t leave them in the cold). We take care of our animals. Including fish
@@SenthilKumar-pb3nu If you truly give a fish a good home with enough space, it's not like a 'prison' for them. Sure they'll never have just as much space as they would in the wild (even though some species don't even use as much space as they could in the wild) but it's definitely not a prison if they're well cared for and as happy as you can make them.
As for domesticating animals, most people aren't domesticating animals, whether they care for them or not. In most cases it's not a thing where you just jump up and go "Ah yes, I would like to domesticate something!" (if we exclude programs specifically looking to domesticate certain species) It's a gradual process, that sometimes happens/has happened accidentally, especially with dogs, which were the animals you were mentioning.
Most fish are not domesticated (I'm not quite sure if some species would qualify, maybe?) but even if, in general domesticating animals is not that bad as long as you do it well.
If you treat the animals well and make sure they are adequately cared for and that you can truly provide them with a happy life, as well as breeding towards a end goal which would actually be healthy (unlike pugs, for example)
Of course, it'll still be motivated by some sort of selfish desire for either a companion animal or a working animal etc. etc.
But the domestication itself is not neccesarily always bad.
Plus, the person keeping a domesticated animal had nothing to do with domesticating the animal. Dogs today are happy if you give them a good life and everything they need, despite what you think about them being domesticated in the first place, the end result is an animal which can be kept humanely and happily.
I do understand what you mean in a way, that animals should have just been left alone. But at the end of the day, things went how they went, and we have domesticated animals that can happily live with humans.
Everyone is allowed their own opinions of course! This is just what I think about it and explanation as to why.
They have good information, but some of there videos aren't my favorite imo
You just talked me out of getting my first Aquarium. I'm kidding. About 35 years ago my 5 year old son won a goldfish in a tiny jar. I ran out and spent $180 on a 10-gallon tank, hood with lights, a filter, and an iron stand. I was saved from buying a $30 heater because goldfish like cool water. I eventually got a 20 gallon, then a 55 gallon, then a 60 gallon, a 120 gallon, a 75 gallon, a 90 gallon, and my biggest tank a 125 gallon. I had at one time 15 tanks. My 125 for Afrcan Cichlids, and my 90 gallon for Discus were in my Family room, the basement was filled with tanks of fish I had to have that couldn't go in my big tanks and a few were for breeding. Yes, fish keeping can be addictive and expensive. I didn't have a single filter system, every tank had its own filter and heater and my electric company loved me. I eventually sold everything and went out to the yard, took a shovel and started digging, and built a 3500 gallon Koi Pond with a good filter, UV light and a nice waterfall. Good is never good enough so every year I worked on different landscape surrounding my pond, new water plants in the pond. I live in New Jersey where we get cold winters and snow so the pond plants had to be replaced except a few that would winter over by sinking them at the deepest part of the pond. It's all expensive to get started, there are the things you don't need but gotta have anyway and everything always needs to be redesigned. after a few years I had all kinds of equipment and decorations that got swapped out in buckets and plastic storage bins, all kinds of rock, plastic plants, air pumps, filters, heaters, drift wood, and Mopani wood just to name a few things, trust there was so much more. After a while I sold all my stored fish tank equipment I didn't need at a fraction of what it cost, and that's another thing. You can spend $500 on a tank setup and a year later sell it for $200, used stuff is a bargain hunter's dream.
Also, buy lots of towels. Towels are you friends especially when doing water changes and tank maintenance. YOU WILL SPILL WATER! Towels on the floor first , helps with any spills and clean up.
I used what is know as a python to do water changes in my bigger tanks and got distracted while putting clean water back in the tank and overflowed them a few times, towels and wet-vac required for me.....LOL
Yes! I got a big pack of bar towels and they’re awesome. I can get them nasty and bleach them after, and since they’re so cheap I don’t feel bad if a few aren’t salvageable. Super absorbent and easy to store, too!
@@jeffb5785 Wet Vac is also a good idea! LOL! Unfortunately we do not get the python water changer here, I would love one. So yeah I am still do things the old fashioned way. Using buckets! LOL!!!
When i started the hobby, i thought i would be happy and content with one betta.... Haha 😂😂😂 nope. We now have a few tanks plus a mini pond. Thank you for your vids John and Lisa. You help me be a better fish keeper.
And the mini pond is soo necessary 😂🐠
Yeaaaaa...hows that work out for you...lol
@@jswyka8 well, i can't wait to have more 😂
This could have been my comment word for word. Cheers!
@@zeppypaige are you planning on your monster tank? 😂😂😂
Here is a very random one to add to your list! You can also severely injure yourself if you fall face first into the side of a fishtank, smashing the glass and nearly drowning yourself. How do I know? It happened to me when i was 3. I ran towards the tank, tripped over and went face first through the side of the tank into the aquarium. I have no recollection of the incident (so i only know what happened from my parents), but i have several scars over my face as a reminder!
I pulled a 29g over on top of myself. Glass, gravel, water and fish everywhere but I amazingly didn’t get cut.
@@fishandfloral I am currently counting my blessings, after years of neglect and not knowing proper care, I would carry my 10 gallon (I am a 110lbs woman) from my room to my bathtub 1-2 times a month to do what I thought was a “good” cleaning. 😭 surprisingly all my fish and I are still here
John you were right, I was wrong. Thank you for the slice of humble pie!
The water damage issue is real, even if it doesn't leak! I took down two out of my three aquariums in prep for selling my house (not "planned", but rather, due to unexpected family situation). Neither tank (20L and 45) had even been set up for more than a year. Small spot on laminate floor where tiny water vapor droplets from the sponge filter (yep, just a sponge with nano pump) ended up on the floor - even with a tight fitting glass hinge lid - the tiny hole where the airline comes out is enough for a bit of moisture to escape. Also the wall behind both tanks (and also my q tank taken down a few weeks before) had visible "water drop marks" even though no actual drops of water ever hit the wall. Just the humidity did it. I cannot imagine what it could do to carpet. I still have precious Cosmo and he's moving with me (that process is NOT going to be fun, but I'm too worried that if I rehomed him, they'd put him in a smaller tank - he loves his 10 gal, so I'm not going to do it).
Started with a 15 gallon for my betta now I have two 20 gallons and a 4000 gallon pond, and the best part is I WANT MORE!
Nice!
For me, I think one of the most frustrating things in the hobby is how costly it can be here in Canada; all the tanks, plants equipment, feed and fish are overpriced and expensive compared to the U.S. prices. I bought my first 29 gallon aquarium from a Petsmart for $200. A 29 gallon aquarium in Canada costs about $300.
I don’t even have an aquarium (yet 😊) but I love your videos, I totally relate to what John said about animal death. I’ve had to have 3 cats put to sleep over last 10 years and it is heartbreaking. The other day I couldn’t find one of my goldfish in my pond when I was feeding them and the feeling of panic was horrible- she eventually appeared thank goodness, wasn’t expecting to feel that way but whether they are furry or have fins they are our companions, best wishes from the UK 🇬🇧
❤
0:53 that's not how I got into fish keeping. When I met my partner she had a goldfish in a bowl on her kitchen bench, for about 3 years the fish seemed fine ( or so I thought ) it was when this fish died that I started researching how fish should be kept and was shocked about how much we were doing wrong, so I went out and got a 65gal and some new goldfish to redeem myself for torturing the last one, I never even noticed the tropical fish in my lfs until about 6 months after I'd learned about cycling a tank, two whole walls of fish I just didn't even see, it was at that point that I upgraded to a 175 gal so I could have rainbows, almost 4 years after my first fish bowl I found the actual fish I wanted. 6 years later I've still got those Lacustris 😁
Not everyone starts the same way 😉
This reminds me of buying guppies in the "cold water" section. Thankfully they had a heater a week later lol
I'm here to call you out. Unless it was custom, you got a 180.
@@tul1p.d4ys27 175 is a standard size in Australia.
The best tip I got online is that Petco price matches their online prices. Prime was 8.50 at the store but it was 4.50 online. That’s just one example. You can save so much!
You guys are awesome.
I’ve had an aquarium for over a year now. Stated with a 10 the. Got a 40 back October. I saw no way out of not getting into this hobby. I’m a handyman, and one of my customers is Petco. I go there multiple times a week for 4 years now. I rescued a red half moon betta from a their floor drain that just happened to be clogged with sand and pitch black water. A couple weeks ago he passed, he lived much longer than I thought he would. Then a week later my 40 sprung a pinhole leak somewhere 2in from the bottom. I fixed that and got it working again, everyone fine. But, this whole time I told myself I’m sticking to only one tank. Here I am, setting a 10 gal column tank for shrimp.
I'm glad you guys are adapting the new format. Sometimes you want something fun and snappy. Fish keeping is stressing enough for a beginner sometimes you want to relax and watch something fun and interesting and informational. Love yo guys videos greetings from Mexico
My mom only has one 55 gallon aquarium... that I take care of along with my 5, 10, 20, and 125 gallon aquariums, wife said I can't get anymore till we buy our own place
When I first got into fish keeping, the only way to do a water change was with a bucket, and oh boy….moving that much water around with only a bucket…
Wait, what?! Not everyone uses only a bucket?!
😂 I’ve finally invested in the Python system but gotta watch a few UA-cam instruction videos before I start using it though. I’m over sloggin’ so many buckets!!
@@elly7199 I just got one recently too, and not sure I've fully worked out a system for me for emptying the tanks. But oh boy! Filling them back up is sooo much easier!
@@pjp9383 Exciting to hear you are trying it out too and you like it!
I still use a bucket. Had my tank for 20 years lol 😆
I still do it with a bucket 🥲
The nickel and dime thing is so true but it’s not horrible. A lot of the stuff you have to have or like to have last a long time or goes a long way. The master test kit , chemicals , substrate, and decorations really get a lot of mileage out of them.
If you have never had aquariums before, then this video on what at I call, "Counting the Cost," is the BEST video I have ever seen! I am an older guy with now 10 small tanks, 2@20 Gallons, 3@5 Gallons, 5@3 Gallons, and they are all beautiful, and I started in the hobby when I was 10 years old, took a few years off, but now I am back. All the points I experience, except I have fortunately never had a tank leak on me. Only two of my tanks are glass, and I know if one has glass tanks they need to get Silicone for repairs, just in case the Tanks start leaking. The problem with acrylic tanks, (other than usually a higher price for the larger ones), is it is more difficult to remove algae on acrylic than glass, though maybe acrylic aquariums leak less. It is a great hobby though!
Best size starting tank would be a 20 gallon. I started with a 10 and that tank was a pain to keep clean and stable. The 20 was great! Only had to do a gravel vac twice a month. Now I have a 55! Thinking of setting up the 20 again in my office!
Been there &,all well noted!!
thank you!
I ended up 1 aquarium tank at the end.
“the beginning & the end”
Much love to you both , thanks for your contributions in taking care of the fish , y’all are some very kind hearted individuals ❤️❤️
I have a horror story about fish and bird sitters.
While we were away, I had my Guyanese neighbor look after my aviary and koi pond within.
He was experienced with birds, but not so much with fish.
I kept a pint container next to the pond and threw the fish a handful twice a day.
But there was a language barrier, and a misunderstanding...
He ended up throwing the whole _pint_ in twice a day, for two weeks!!!
Needless to say, lots of dead fish, lots of rotting food in the pond!!!
I had koi the size of snook, Red Tailed Sharks, and other exotic fish, all lost.
The birds, however, were just fine.
BTW, if you are handy, you absolutely CAN build your own aquarium stand, for any size aquarium. Just do yourself a favor and make sure it can handle the weight you're putting on it. err on the side of overdoing the sturdiness. Test it if you can by putting actual weights on it.
I Agree about leaks. I've only ever had one. it was a forty year old ten gallon that had been sitting unused for at least 30 years. Fortunately, I knew this, and tested it, and discovered the leak before actually setting it up. A little silicone sealer, and it was good as new.
The worst part is the death of fish 😢. The feeling of guilt and second guessing what you did can be painful. Right now I have something mysterious causing my fish to die off...I suspect some type of gill infection but those who know more than me looked at my city's water quality reports and think it could be a contaminate. The helpless feeling of "what the heck happened?!!" Can be so sad and frustrating.
The time it takes for a tank to balance...thanks John and Lisa 💕👍
Long time fish keeper here... love your channel! I am the rare 1 tank fish keeper. It hasn't always been that way though. 😊
I started working at a pet store a couple of months ago that sells fish and it's been nothing but incredibly fascinating (and stressful!) to learn about taking care of them - the training I've been given combined with your channel has made me decide to take the plunge (pun not intended) to start my own tank! Once my pay rise goes through in about a month I'm going for it! Already I'm buying little bits and pieces to spread the cost a bit 😂 best to practice what I preach!
All good points that are all to real for me. Thanks guys and I hope you had fun in Chicago.
It was a blast! Missed seeing you there Ben!
When I started in this hobby I had a 10 gallon tank and overnight without realizing it I already had 10 tanks
I will say I’ve had issues with tank kit items. The filters are cheap and come with those god awful cartridges. When I used one, my tank never cycled and the fish were swimming in toxic nitrites even after months. I got into modifying the filters and purchased filter fiber, biological media and sponges. Finally, the filter was decent. Also the heaters tend to be screwy.
I used to have so much trouble with betta fish until I came across this channel. Now I have two bettas which both were purchased from you guys ❤️ and they’re both in 5 gallon planted tanks and are thriving
There's two irrational fears I have. One is that every outlet in my house is a ticking fire bomb.
The other is that my 55g is going to burst at any moment and just ruin our front room.
The thing I love about my fellow hobbyists (not the fish abusing "decorators") is the deep love of life and care for the creatures in our homes. FishTube gives me hope for our future.
I told myself I would only have one tank,but as I went on,I wanted more fish,but I only had a 20 gallon tank,so I bought a 40 by the way I had 50 fish in my 20 gallon tank,I felt bad until I fired up the 40 gallon and transferred them to the 40,big problem fish fights chasing stressing and a lot of dead fish,100 count in my tank,so I built a jail out of the 20 gallon and put all the mollies back in the 20,it was completely empty,came back one day and had 53 baby mollies,so transferred them later as they grew to the 40,bored with them,I bought a 60 gallon marineland tank,its cycling now until September, for a month,that'll give me time to decide on the kind of fish I want🤔🤔🤔🤔💯 One thing this hobby has taught me is patience...and Love again,now I want kids..🥰
About having one aquarium. I got my first aquarium a few months ago, and I thought “oh I have to get a hospital/quarantine tank if anything would happen” buuuuut, then I thought “a beta would go really nice in that tank” so I ofc had to get a new hospital tank. And the story goes on...
Something just made me check my tanks and one filter was barely trickling. Just not really working. Intake sponge completely blocked. Fixed working and no dead fish, thanks John.
3 dogs, 6 cats!!! I would have never known
Having friend looking after my fish: fish would hide, then as friend would leave, fish would spit a rock at the tank wall. Fish was a convict chiclid.
I'm really lucky because when I goon holiday my parents come over and take care of all the animals. They even do water changes and other tank maintenence!
yes they are expensive he hit the nail on head for my experience i didnt see that one coming when i started. when i was in college i had a 5gal in my apartment , that was easy and cheap to set up. but when i wanted back in the hobby i though i would start with a 30gal but my uncle being very big in the hobby said he would just give me a 55gal, i just though so cool a free tank bigger than i would ever buy and i dont have to even buy it he even bought me a aqua clear 110 a really expensive 100$ filter . thats where cheap ends i had to buy the lights, substrate , heater , lid, repaint the old stand get decorations then fish and chemicals, a 30gal bucket and electric pump i could not believe that in a few weeks my "free" tank turned into well over 600$ of stuff , yes i could have shaved a bit off but i wanted it to look nice and not spend all day with water changes the old way. now i want an axolotl but they dont go with my community setting so im looking into a 29gal separate for that but i dont have that money yet
I know I was always meant to keep tanks. According to my parents, I was obsessed with my dad's aquarium as a toddler. So much that I managed to climb up and smash it with my mom's coffee mug. They considered the replacement tank mine.
Water on the floor is a serious issue. If you have carpeting, be sure to put down tarp/towels anytime you go into the tank. I don't leave any equipment on the floor in my tanks in carpeted rooms anymore either. Everything is on hanging shelves I install above, below or next to them. I remember moving equipment one time and discovering a huge black mark on the carpet because something was leaking too slow to create a puddle or anything, just a few drips a day, but after a month mold/mildew was well set in. Never again.
Overall, this is a great video.
I completely agree with your opening about multiple tanks, and the likely growth of a hobbyist. However, more channels do need to advocate for staying at just 1 tank for extended periods of time.
That expansion in tanks quite literally multiplies labor, work, equipment, cost, space, weight, power consumption, and time invested. Staying with only 1 tank or 1 system (should you have say a sump), is a way to keep that heavy work load to a minimum.
Less can quite literally be more in this hobby, with direction and self control in regards to buying fish and plants. It is ultimately a choice made by every hobbyist. There is nothing wrong with having many, many tanks; if you can care for them. However, there are a multitude of advantages in sticking with one tank or system over the long haul.
Speaking for myself: Keeping to only one system is why I've been able to stay engaged without feeling burdened or pressured. It also allowed me to purchase higher end equipment and specialty items like automation; to limit labor and chores, while maintaining a high standard in appearance and water quality. I have one main display and a moderately large sump, that is bristling with devices I could not afford to buy 3 or 4 of. I've also been more successful with a heavily manicured tank, with chores like trimming carpet plants, and propagating stem plants; as I only need to focus on one display rather than dividing my time and focus. Testing too is easier as I only need to perform each test once over a given period, allowing me to easily stay on top of water parameters and spot trends over time.
Instead of adding tanks, I've always upgraded the one I had. First nano-tanks, then a 30, now a 70 gallon. With the hardscape, diversity, and equipment expanding with each upgrade. But the substrates, live stock and plants simply carry over from one to the next along with my existing equipment. I've had only one system (in various iterations) for over 10 years now.
But yes, their will inevitably come a time where a hobbyist wants something else. An expansion is likely inevitable, but it should not be rushed into.
Again, speaking for myself: What eventually caught my eye was coral. I'm building out a second system slowly, to function as a reef tank. It started as a way to stem the boredom of last years covid lock-downs. And while I will eventually have two full systems, the same mentality applies: Less tanks = less labor, more flexibility and investment potential.
I started off with a 100 liter tank with 4 goldfish which grew and grew and grew and turned into monster fish so I had to get another 100l and separate them,then I got some guppies a friend didn't want(he had hundreds) so I had to get a tank for them,then another tank to house all the guppy babies,I have another 150 l ready to set up as soon as I find the space and my son in law has become hooked and has just bought a 250 liter tank,it's never ending🤣I had an accident when one of my cats took a flying leap trying to get on top of a cupboard abd sent everything flying smashing one aquarium as a result🤯(all fish were saved)
My daughter's friends always come over and the next day I get a call from their parents about what fish do I have and how to keep them. I always keep an eye on who has 10 gallon starters on sell to tell them. I spend most of my time trying to convince them to just get the 10 gallon and not a 2 gallon. The one thing that I think is really missing from these starter kits is a dose of quickstart or smartstart --- they will include a fake plant or rocks but not this. Noobies don't know about the cycle or don't want to wait. This would cost them pennies to put in the kit and would help educated new people while selling more of their products. The number one failure I see is people not putting in anything but conditioner to start the tank and all the fish die.
we had a beta fish that we kept in horible condtions and we didn't know he had really bad fin rot and died so we got another one and searched up why he died and watched all of you videos and thats how we know all we know and not to brag but we are awesome fish caretakers!
Thank you so much for the bagged food idea for holidays. I'm going away tomorrow and I've just done this.
The struggle is real! I unfortunately have came home to 75 gallons of water projecting across the room from a 1/4" separation. Thankfully I had the tools to get it under control but nothing can fully prepare you for 2" of water in your living room floor. This video is great to show what we deal with as aquarium keepers.
Just got home from a long weekend to find out my "smart" thermostat decided to turn off my HVAC.... My 20 gallon saltwater tank was destroyed.... I'm devastated. I'm desperately trying to revive my two damsels. I've had them for 5yrs.
I've been in the hobby since 2008 with no regrets. Three things I can't live without: a dog, a piano, and of course...an aquarium 😊🐟
Sorry to disappointed you, I have starter aquarium, 10 gallons for last 3 years ,and I don't plan to get any more . Happy with what I have 😊
When you ask family or friends to feed your fish when you are away, you can also use a medicine box. There are boxes with seperated compartments for every day with days printed on them. So just fill the compartments with the right amount of food per day.
Smart
Do to disability, Im down to 0 tanks, but I remember the days when I was a founding member of our local aquarium society and had 17+ Tanks. And cleaning them all, hauling that much water, it was a pain. But I did it. Sometimes I would sacrifice entire weekends cleaning tanks.
Of course these were the days before 9/11. I remember bringing fish home on the airplane because fish i wanted were rare in Juneau Alaska, even decent Mollies. Infact, in the 90's most of the mollies in owur town were ones that I bred and sold to my local single store. No big name stores in our town. So I would fly south for medical, and on the way home two to three times a year, I would visit shops on the way to the airport to pick up replacement males for new blood, and bring them home on the 2 hour flight from Seattle to Alaska. In a cooler under the seat in Coach as a carry on.
Never had a tank leak thankfully. My bigsgest tanks were 55 gallons. Biggest i could get back then. No custom made.
We did replace the carpet in that room after I shut down my final tank.
Great video & I love your beagle ! I have one also. His name is Pete...
My betta died today and I'm devastated, pet death is never easy 💔
Just came back from vacation. No bag needed . I grabbed one of those pill cases with each daily feeding 🙃☺️
Guess i’m getting that ocean front in Arizona. Have only 1 tank. a 10 gallon with a betta and tetras. will never get anymore. probably won’t even upgrade this one. for the reason that it is a lot of work already.
Fish death is so hard to deal with! I had a group of calico lion head ranchus in my 560litre tank, lost one on a Friday evening, by Sunday night the tank was empty 😢 I never worked out what happened, I had no measurable ammonia, everything seemed stable, I was heart broken! I had raised so many of their fry over the years. I very nearly turned my back on the hobby altogether but my wife convinced me to start again. I have gone super old school on the tank now, UGF driven by powerhead and sponges on air
Porcelain floor tiles, I get them wet but no worries.
Yeah the first tank from Petco. About 5 years ago in the dark of a very depressing cold January night. Cat litter only and do not look around! Petco loves people like me. 5 gal complete setup. Plus all the extras. In 2 days I spent over 250 dollars. On day 3 I got the fish. Just a blast. So now I have 2 10's and 1 20. Lots more fish, plants (very painful time right now). I am moving about 20 gallons per week. With a 3 gallon bucket. But yeah it's worth it when the guppies come up like a pile of puppies when I feed them. Nipping at my fingers dancing around food food food...They are so darn cute and beautiful besides. Just the buckets. Thank you for the video. Dead on
Lol I remember taping a bag to my tanks lol and the fish Kept trying to get the food cuz they saw it hanging there 😅 😂
Hahahahahahahah!!!!! Them suckers ALWAYS be begging for food..How do they not eat themselves to death in the wild? 🤔 I’ve always wondered that.
Worst mistake when I had my first aquarium was not buying a test kit. I used to wait until algae formed to consider it cycled. A basic test kit with ammonia included costs about 45 bucks. Considering it’s gonna save you time (by finding ideal water change timing) and prevent fish death, it’s worth the money.
Another reason for the list, Moving house! That really sucks when you have MTS.
You are absolutely correct even though i haven't seen any lasting results from the tanks. But being as careful as you can be...you are gonna get some water somewhere...lol. it's still worth it though
I all the only person that I know in the hobby who has only one aquarium. I went with a 29 gallon. Oscars are my favorite fish, but I decided against a larger or multiple tanks. I have pet parrots, I work full time, and I’m a student. I felt my fish would suffer if I went larger or multiples. As much as I want to keep Oscars and have multiple tanks, I’m happy with my 29 gallon community tank aquascape. I also have some mystery snails and a gourami as my centerpiece. It has taken A LOT so self control and will power. Lol!!!! 💛💛💛💛
I use the plastic shot glasses to put my food into when I leave somewhere. But I like the ziploc idea too!
I always find your videos not only informative but inspiring. Love the way you and Lisa present so many topics thanks you have both become my go-to guys for the Thanks from the UKinformation.
Thank you so much 🙂
I am new to the hobby, and i am getting ready to start my 3ed tank... There just a little addicting... But i love it and i will sit in my fish room and watch my fish and my axolotl for hours!!😂
I had my 120 gallon tank burst at 4 am. Thankfully I had an empty tank so no fish died but the experience was honestly traumatizing. I still randomly wake up and go check my tanks just to be safe.
😲😲😲 omg
I started with one tank a while back and just finished setting up my sixth tank a few days ago lol
You will stop at some point. When the work aint fun anymore.
I love your channel you help a lot with my 55 gal. Setting up 10 gallon so I can have another betta & some Cory catfish.
John you were right I moved the 75 gallon aquarium just to see. 😔
I've had 3 large tanks leak. One was 150 tall that I had to reseal. It's my show tank now. Frontosa. Another 150 tall were the bottom cracked and lastly a six month old 125 that the back glass cracked. Smh.
I found it hard when my new guppies died one by one. These didn’t like my mix of tap: RO water (3:1). Whereas my zebra danios are fine with it. I get squeamish seeing the dead bodies...
Mould is serious, a 2 or 3 yr old died from it here in the UK not long ago and my kids ended up with asthma because of black mould and we didnt even have fish at the time.
Burritos for a week....lol Toco Bell has that beat in 30 min or less *insert taco bell sound here*....MTS lol I got it, started with a 7 Gallon Betta tank for christmas, then a 29 Gallon tetra community tank with a common pleco (SMH) Found out a common Pleco gets Big, like REALLY BIG, so I bought a 75 Gallon Tank and got Oscar and Jack Dempsy, fell in love with them, now on hunt for 150. (and if I am to be 100% honest, was looking for used tanks and seen a 300 gallon tank for pennies on the dollars, sad thing was it was a 6 hour drive away....but I already know if I am looking for 300 gallon tanks I need help). And now I realize (from one of your other videos) I should have a ten gallon tank for hospital/quarenteen tank.....burries head in hands.
I have a question I have two tanks, 300-gallon square, 125 long, and I have pecoks and fontosas. I want to separate them from each other, where do I place them and why?
Started with one tank. Now i have five. Would be more but I'd need to get a bigger house. Water changes used to be syphon the water out and fill back up with buckets. Now each water change is done with a very long hose pipe and power head pump.
John, you are right. So am I. When will my kids learn this?
“I’ve never seen someone who only has one fish tank” My teacher only has one fish tank. She’s a psycho.
Quarantine kinda sucks too. I learned the hard way like many people by putting sick fish into my main tank. Do you think they were already sick? Or did the stress of moving from the pet store make them sick?? Also, when I'm done quarantining, can the fish get stressed and sick again during the transfer process??
Very honest video loved it MTS sneak up on you every time 😂😂
For years, only 1 aquarium. ;) And I don't want ANY Property in Arizona.
I got my first fish 20 years before I got my second fish. A betta that somehow lived for two years in (I’m very ashamed of this but also I was 6) horrible conditions. My family was duped into thinking they didn’t need space or heat. My second betta was in a 5 gallon that was upgraded to a 10 in about two months when I had figured things out. That fish passed due to illness and my second betta was a rescue that only lived a few more months. Now I have a planted 20 gallon for my single female koi betta and I can’t wait to have the space and time for a second tank
CHARLOTTES WEB! I cried when that spider died….not really but she was a beautiful soul.
Not only can tanks leak but filters can back up also. I came home to almost a quarter of my 125 on my livingroom floor an i have wood laminate. I almost gave away all my tanks right then. Lol but stuff happens an itll snap you out of whatever daze ur in for sure. I mainly use sponge filters now 🤣
I would like to add equipment failure to the list. Years ago I had a heater break and temps got up to over 100 degrees, killing most of the fish in the tank
I've heard so many horror stories about this that I'm now OCD about temperature checking twice a day.
I have a 16 gallon that cracked moving it. We put silicone to patch it good as new
Tip: i put puppy pads all over the floor when i work on my tanks to catch the drips and splashes.
MTS is real. I started with one tank, a beta, and 5 tetras. Worked out great. Then I added guppies. They disappeared lol. Bought a beta tank, moved her in it. Unfortunately the pink gravel died the water and she became weak and lifeless. She is in a hospital tank with warmer water and salt/medicine. Hopefully she recovers. Had any one else had that problem?? My first tank with blue and green rocks didn’t bleed like the pink did
❤ for multi tank syndrome. I have started with a Betta, then I watched your video and upgraded him to 5 gal. Then I saw clownfish, and decided I want them. That's how my second tank appeared, thank God its nano (30 gal). Keeping in mind that I want to have acroppra growing there, I had to buy all that superexpensive staff like chillers wave pumps dosers Neptune Trident etc. And now I want a third tank. For FOWLR with copperband butterflyfish 🤣🤣🤣
And Im renting with no-pet policy. It's just fish, it's no at dog or a cat, right? 🤣
Am I the only one who only has one tank? I did have a small emergency tank until I accidentally smashed it.
But I simply don't have the time, space or energy for another aquarium. When my fish do breed, I take them to my local fish store to trade.
How long do I keep a sponge filter with beneficial bacteria in a new aquarium with new filter?
Yep, I agree with you on the dog/barn scene in Of Mice and Men. When the move Frankenweenie came out I lost my 16 year old chihuahua. I still have not watched that movie because it reminds me of the pain of losing her.
Fish deaths are 😞i recently had 2 of my 7 Saltwater fish die and honestly it made me consider tearing down my tank. I had both of them for a while but i liked them alot and they weren't cheap either.
I started with 1 then went to 2 then 3 but then went back to 2 as I was not able to find enough time to manage so now I have 2 and I take care of them like anything.
Tip: have what you can manage
Good job guys. Despite all the tough things about it, i still enjoy it and try to control my mts in order to enjoy pets. Have a great day!!!
My first frustration as someone new to the hobby is my tank not wanting to cycle. I just want some dang fish already!
When planning a new tank, stick an extra sponge filter in your existing tank for a few weeks and then add that and/or seasoned filter media from a HOB to the new tank- really helps. Also helps to add fish slowly - for example if you want schooling fish, get a few at a time over several weeks instead of all at once.