Hello: I moved into a place a little over six months ago where there is space for several tanks. I have kept freshwater tropical’s for a long time, but was down to one community tank and one quarantine tank for many recent years. This move will allow me to revive several empty tanks. My first tank was a 5 gal purchased around 1959 with money saved from doing chores and odd jobs. Except for a few brief periods, I have had at least one tank going since then. There was a period of high involvement in the 1970's with my largest tank being a home made of around 125 gallons. The hobby has changed a lot and my preferences have as well. I am now retired from teaching science in public schools. Mostly general science and biology, but with several other science subjects taught as well.
For a long time I tried to keep as many species as possible. Lately I am more interested in keeping live plants. I also try not to keep species that cannot be tank raised ( It is hard to know for sure.). At the moment I have 9 mature tiger barbs; 4 serape tetras; 3 ruby barbs; 3 cory aneaus and three black kullis in a 55 gallon tank. If I did it correctly a few minutes ago, my avatar should be a photo of that tank. I have a 29 gallon with a large plecostomas and 3 zebras (to keep the mosquitoes down)
The 55 was a gift from some new neighbors. About three months after moving into my new place, my neighbors lost their house to foreclosure. They had the large plecostomas in the tank. I helped them move. When they discovered that I kept fish, they gave me the tank and the large catfish. I intended to get a 55, but this was a sad way.
I could not afford saltwater setups back when I wanted to, so I have no hands on experience. The equipment and understanding for saltwater tanks available now seems to have made that portion of the hobby a real possibility. I will stay with freshwater for a while, as there are some things yet to be tried.
I enjoy reading this forum in between bouts of working on this house. I am in north eastern Tennessee, about 5 miles form Cumberland Gap National Park.
For a long time I tried to keep as many species as possible. Lately I am more interested in keeping live plants. I also try not to keep species that cannot be tank raised ( It is hard to know for sure.). At the moment I have 9 mature tiger barbs; 4 serape tetras; 3 ruby barbs; 3 cory aneaus and three black kullis in a 55 gallon tank. If I did it correctly a few minutes ago, my avatar should be a photo of that tank. I have a 29 gallon with a large plecostomas and 3 zebras (to keep the mosquitoes down)
The 55 was a gift from some new neighbors. About three months after moving into my new place, my neighbors lost their house to foreclosure. They had the large plecostomas in the tank. I helped them move. When they discovered that I kept fish, they gave me the tank and the large catfish. I intended to get a 55, but this was a sad way.
I could not afford saltwater setups back when I wanted to, so I have no hands on experience. The equipment and understanding for saltwater tanks available now seems to have made that portion of the hobby a real possibility. I will stay with freshwater for a while, as there are some things yet to be tried.
I enjoy reading this forum in between bouts of working on this house. I am in north eastern Tennessee, about 5 miles form Cumberland Gap National Park.
