Fish Keeping

​Fish Keeping

I am having trouble believing I am setting up another fish tank. I thought those days were over.

I have had a number of tanks. I started by keeping tropical fish that everyone seems to have a go at keeping. Mollies, swordtails, and a plethora of other species. A heater and aerator were needed - warm water with plenty of oxygen. It was the condition of the water where they came from.

Down here I started with Mollies. I thought they were just breeders. I had a pair and before I was even ready a pair became many.

It so would have helped if I knew what I was doing. I could not understand why fish were constantly jumping out of my tank. I learned there were fish in there that did not belong in there. They hunted the fish that jumped out. I guess they found the ultimate form of escape.

I had different size tanks. Probably the most impressive I had was 5fx3fx1.5f. The glass was thick. When we played indoor cricket with a tiny bat and ping pong ball, if a person hit the roof and the ball made its way into the tank the person was out.

Probably the most interesting tank I had was a 3 foot one on an incredibly strong metal stand. Sort of a display tank, one would find in a reception area. I bought it off a guy on the Sunshine Coast who had 40 acres and a pile of stuff to sell. He had been a farmer, but a bull’s horns got him, and one arm was useless.

I finished up with African Cichlids. They are beautiful looking fish, and the best way to keep them was to put them all in together at once. They are very territorial. Once they had a home, they gave newbies a hard time.

I had one I had to take back. He was special looking but as tough as nails. I wondered why all the other fish in the tank lived in the top corners. I had the tank in my bedroom and at night I would hear a woosh. Turned out it was him going for them. Not to eat them but to let them know they were encroaching on his place. Which happened to be the whole tank.

He had to go to restore some sort of peace. But it is like I see with the birds. Take away the top bird and the problem is solved momentarily until the next top becomes the new top. Everyone settles down and knows their place.

At least it was never again like that though. Fish had their place and were never as demanding. The were incredibly pretty in my mind.

But I gave it away. Keeping fish was great but involves a fair amount of upkeep work. And the tanks I had needed a couple of people to move them when I wanted to. So I sold the lot apart from a few smaller tanks I have been keeping Nic knacks in. One I keep plastic dinosaurs in and is a kid magnet.

Now I am going to get a Siamese Fighting fish. Their needs are really minimal. Little space, no heater, no oxygenator. They are from Southeast Asia and live in very still water.

All is in readiness. I have let it be known that a fish is what I would like for Christmas. I intend this one to keep me company when I wash up.