Aquariums SUCK! Here's The Top 10 Reasons Why!

[@KGTropicals]

🛒*Check out our website and shop LIVE BETTAS and all of your aquarium supplies!* keepfishkeeping.com

[@jacobfischer5168]

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

[@shell7629]

@@jacobfischer5168 If this is for real then you will LITERALLY be making my dream come true!!! 😄😄😄

[@OldSouls]

You said a store in az where is that ???

[@karlaacevedomontalvo6106]

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?

[@thoughtsonyoutubers3455]

I don't want to sound mean or anything, but I'm not really a big fan of the thumbnail of this video

[@SisterDelphiSOtV]

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.

[@gorillariot123]

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!

[@casualcrafter2340]

So relaxing just watching fish interact!

[@jeffb5785]

Aside from all the things we can complain about, the sense of calm and pride is worth it all.

[@Aquadiction]

100% agree Heather, keeping and watching fish is a great way to support good mental health :)

[@Ten-kc2yp]

@@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.

[@rhiannonslfaitken]

Top tip- when leaving food for someone else to feed your fish, you can put into those little daily pill box organisers so each day is already labelled and separated

[@CommanderWiggins]

I was about to comment the same thing! Makes everything so much easier, plus they're reusable.

[@josshenry1195]

i do that

[@juliaheinritz3264]

Awesome idea!!

[@katphish30]

I will 100% do this if my husband ever takes care of my fish.

[@brettcoyle2399]

Or u can put each food dose into ice cube trays and use tank water then freeze it all they gotta do is u thaw one cube for each feeding

[@opethmike]

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.

[@michellelaroche2189]

Amen to this...

[@nordicfalcon]

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.

[@jeffb5785]

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.

[@lmarinovich1134]

It’s never a bad thing being sensitive to animal death…we need more people like you

[@SenthilKumar-pb3nu]

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.

[@lmarinovich1134]

@@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.

[@apreil4821]

@@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

[@fireeagle5525]

@@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.

[@thoughtsonyoutubers3455]

They have good information, but some of there videos aren't my favorite imo

[@krisbaldwin7624]

When I started it was because my daughter's betta died unfortunately I didn't do the proper research and used this 1.5 gallon plastic kit. Planning to replace my daughter betta I looked up some videos and saw this channel 1st. Now we have 2 properly setup and planted tanks with guppies in one and 5 gallon for her betta that has been with us for over a year living and has been very well taken care of. Thank you for the spreading the info and this channel it's helped a ton!

[@peterthomson8453]

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.

[@jeffb5785]

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

[@emyemyemyyyy]

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!

[@peterthomson8453]

@@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!!!

[@ceemohw-qn3km]

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.

[@PrettyBossOfficial]

And the mini pond is soo necessary 😂🐠

[@jswyka8]

Yeaaaaa...hows that work out for you...lol

[@ceemohw-qn3km]

@@jswyka8 well, i can't wait to have more 😂

[@zeppypaige]

This could have been my comment word for word. Cheers!

[@ceemohw-qn3km]

@@zeppypaige are you planning on your monster tank? 😂😂😂

[@janmargelowskyakacrittermo1101]

John, you were right, I was wrong. Lisa, it was so great to meet you at Aquashella Chicago yesterday!

[@rootsnwhiskers8351]

It was so nice to meet you 🙂

[@Marshallo.o]

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 pulled a 29g over on top of myself. Glass, gravel, water and fish everywhere but I amazingly didn’t get cut.

[@Nsobloo]

@@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

[@noutgeurts1860]

MTS is not a bad thing!!! Haha I started keeping fish and plants just before COVID hit. I now have 8 tanks ranging from 3 to 75 gallons. You guys have helped my so much threw out my fish keeping journey, thanks for all the great videos

[@elly7199]

I had ONE ten gallon tank that I inherited from my grandfather before COVID hit. Now, I have ten! 😂🤦‍♀️ I change a LOT of water lately…

[@elly7199]

Three cheers for KZbin Fish University!

[@noutgeurts1860]

@@elly7199 haha, me too

[@AcePlaya4ever]

Yea I started fish keeping during Covid-19. Got 3 goldfish in a 10 gal. And 1 betta in 2.5 gal.

[@calebs3752]

@@AcePlaya4ever that’s awesome man! just be careful with your goldfish and change the water often because they produce a lot of waste and 3 is a lot for a 10 gal

[@ikreate4u]

Lost 5 fish this very morning! Found my tank temp suddenly at 95 degrees without ever touching the thermometer! To add insult to the injury and devastating and pain, The impeller suddenly broken. I learned this when wondering why it was also suddenly rattling loud as ever. It is so funny that you post this today, because it is your filter reviews that literally just got me through making the decision as I stood bewildered in the fish store to find a replacement. I kid you not, I went back in my car and watched your HOB playlist then compared prices. I still ended up with the whisper because it was half price and I am in an area with many power outages (so I could get the in tank motor) and nowhere local sold the Tidal 55. Your channel is the best!

[@fishfan2]

I also recommend Marineland they're filters are reliable and cheap. I've had the same filter for 14 years lol. Aquaclears are good but its hit or miss, if you have power outages often avoid Aquaclears

[@silverpro8356]

Get a temperature controller it will control your heater and save you alot of heartache.

[@TruthLivesNow]

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!

[@Becks-fi6xl]

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 🇬🇧

[@rootsnwhiskers8351]

❤

[@cosmoplakat9549]

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).

[@jubalrichey1310]

John you were right, I was wrong. Thank you for the slice of humble pie!

[@Tanglangfa]

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.

[@dusk1947]

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.

[@mickeyduke9544]

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

[@Fishguy13]

It’s crazy how easy it is to justify getting a new tank lol starts with one and now I’m up to a 200, 180, 110, 75, 65, two 55s, 35, 15 and 10 gal running. And I just got rid of my 90 gal. But it’s all for fun and I enjoy the work doing water changes and enjoying sitting watching my fish!

[@lorenzomabalos9851]

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.

[@Allthingslife30]

Much love to you both , thanks for your contributions in taking care of the fish , y’all are some very kind hearted individuals ❤️❤️

[@ironlion45]

Great advice. I'm someone who was into the hobby about 15 years ago and just got back into it fairly recently. And going to the store, I find things that I would have spent a couple hundred dollars on "back in the day", now I would be paying 3-4 hundred dollars on. Even simple things like driftwood and rock are so much more expensive. This may not be as much of a problem for people who are totally new to the hobby, but for me, it was a real shock, that I spent several hundred dollars just on consumable supplies alone to establish a healthy aquarium, and that's without buying any new of the *really* expensive stuff like filters, heaters, lights, etc. This hobby is beautiful and rewarding. But It's never as cheap as it seems at first glance. Whatever it looks like the entry cost is, multiply that by about four.

[@lunch2102]

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 😉

[@violetm9045]

This reminds me of buying guppies in the "cold water" section. Thankfully they had a heater a week later lol

[@tul1p.d4ys27]

I'm here to call you out. Unless it was custom, you got a 180.

[@violetm9045]

@@tul1p.d4ys27 175 is a standard size in Australia.

[@williecanuck5001]

​@@violetm9045here to

[@hologram952]

Your description of Multi Tank Syndrome is exactly what I experienced. I started with 1 male and two female guppies (I knew they would breed). Then my 4 year old got excited about fish so I set up a tank next to mine with the fish he chose (Neon Tetras) for his 5th birthday. My guppies bred. And bred... And bred.... So I had a third fry tank setup with some Blue Velvet shrimp. Eventually, the male went into the fry tank to stop the population explosion of guppies in the main tank. One of the female guppies got sick and I set up a hospital tank to medicate her (unfortunately ended up my first fish loss). I've stopped at 3. The Neons, the female guppies, and the males. I've kept a few of the fry from the litters. I really want a Betta at some point, but it will have to wait until one of the aquariums frees up eventually as I know I don't have the space (or outlets) to continue adding tanks.

[@Dash0901]

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!

[@rootsnwhiskers8351]

Nice!

[@scupking]

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!

[@Dragalafly]

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!

[@flymeaway1216]

one of my 5 gallon buckets handles decided to snap off with the bucket filled with water in my living room, i never knew until that day how much 5 gallons of water really was

[@robbvangogh6231]

😂😂😂

[@williecanuck5001]

And heavy. Water is heavy!!

[@williecanuck5001]

Spiders eat mosquitoes and flies. Here, that's neccessary.. we dont get your big poisonous ones up here.!!

[@juliaheinritz3264]

Yes, I still use a TV tray but it was a good point...my husband went to Walmart to buy a set of bookends...he couldn't find any so he asked the employee(s)... No one knew what bookends were!! Lol

[@dknup00]

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.

[@BlueLighteningGojo]

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…

[@elly7199]

Wait, what?! Not everyone uses only a bucket?! 😂 I’ve finally invested in the Python system but gotta watch a few KZbin instruction videos before I start using it though. I’m over sloggin’ so many buckets!!

[@pjp9383]

@@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!

[@elly7199]

@@pjp9383 Exciting to hear you are trying it out too and you like it!

[@erikawilson1154]

I still use a bucket. Had my tank for 20 years lol 😆

[@janecourtenay3676]

I still do it with a bucket 🥲

[@vaniasydney9040]

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

[@hardybryan]

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.

[@DestinyAstara]

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

[@silllykitten329]

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.

[@hummingbird3771]

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.

[@BenOchart]

All good points that are all to real for me. Thanks guys and I hope you had fun in Chicago.

[@rootsnwhiskers8351]

It was a blast! Missed seeing you there Ben!

[@ifishiwasanoscarmyerwiener3174]

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.

[@williecanuck5001]

I call it creep..

[@MegaMonkey227]

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.

[@purplebunny7728]

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

[@doglove555]

"the only good spider is a dead spider" 🤣 You're my people, John! Lol!

[@ShatteredExisistance]

Nah! Spiders are actually useful and have a purpose on this planet. What purpose and use do humans have besides destroying. Humans are the living equivalent of plastic

[@joshuab738]

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.

[@stvnivan]

Been there &,all well noted!! thank you! I ended up 1 aquarium tank at the end. “the beginning & the end”

[@ironlion45]

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.

[@rrjohn5]

Long time fish keeper here... love your channel! I am the rare 1 tank fish keeper. It hasn't always been that way though. 😊

[@James-yv1qq]

I bought the tetra starting kit to start me off in the hobby. I wouldn't reccemend tetra aquariums, i have had very negative experiances with them. However aqueon, topfin startkits are a MUST for beginners.

[@Trashcan27]

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

[@petervandieren]

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.

[@Matthew_Does_To_Many_Things]

Smart

[@CJBlack265]

The time it takes for a tank to balance...thanks John and Lisa 💕👍

[@kkdeveauxgue2784]

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..🥰

[@curtiscrump7153]

I am going to try and avoid MTS. When I go in an out of the hobby, I usually keep it to one tank just for sanity. I already have a kid and 2 cats taking up most of my time. :) Getting back into the hobby I am remember the first few months are the worst, new tank setup issues, fish die off, algae bloom, etc. I also remember there is no instant fix, sometimes it take a few things over days to get the tank back to normal. My biggest realization is I should not select the fish I want, rather the fish that will survive in what my tank wants to do. For example, lover Tiger Barbs, they don't do well in my tank. The bottom feeders do well, planning to work with the local fish store to find out the fish that match the parameters that the bottom feeders like.

[@gerryxanthopoulou1279]

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)

[@matthewsmith22]

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

[@olivetwist]

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.

[@Maverickcinematics]

How does Jon feel about the part in Total Recall where Ronny Cox's character kicks over his fish tank and the fish are all on the ground gasping for air?

[@user-qo6il9vg3n]

Gaaaaaah noooooo

[@pharco07]

Or the seen in lethal weapon 2 when Mel Gibson shoots the aquarium.

[@corey1788]

He probably panics if he sees the old Faith no More video with the fish flopping on the ground lol.

[@alumaneonblue2577]

I only have one tank right now and one betta. The little guy has been making my life so much better and it warms my heart right up to see his little face swim up to me. It’s only been a few days and I’m getting early multi-tank syndrome! ❤️ One day I hope to live my life in a place that’s more aquarium than house haha

[@litoloco4fish]

The 2 thumbs down were definitely spider lovers!!! Great vid❤🤙🏽

[@purplebunny7728]

Now remember that spiders eat things smaller than their selves. Just sayin

[@thefriendlyallay]

@@purplebunny7728 yeah, spiders are the reason that your home isnt riddled with flies & mosquitos even in the winter without spiders mosquito's and flies would be WAY WAY more common, like 50 flies in your bedroom common.

[@mikesmith-wk7vy]

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

[@elizabethangus4758]

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.

[@DidisFINDen]

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

[@mydalles8898]

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 😊🐟

[@Rockmash98]

This is the fastest I've clicked to a video lol. I've been watching your video for couple of weeks now and it's helping a lot. Thanks

[@vendelawemhoner5434]

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...

[@TruthLivesNow]

I used to work at Country Floors, and we put the Fish Tiles in the Black Border for the Tile. They look just like the fish in 3:00, only mine are 6"x6" tiles. See, now I am going to get them and put them on the wall of my fish room, that was originally the Bar Room!

[@geliluna7]

I was going to comment that I only have one tank, but then I remembered that I only have one tank with fish and shrimps, but three others with turtles. 😅😅😅

[@jolaperek1381]

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 😊

[@bsum7707]

I started with one, now I have 5! Ranging from 36 gallons to my big ol 180! But I 💗 it!!

[@lisawood20772]

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!

[@cynthiawall7073]

I'm contemplating a betta tank and a few friends for him. I'm older and my health isn't the greatest. I need to be sure I can keep them and do the physical work involved. Heavy lifting is out. What do you think?

[@feliciacole3154]

I have chronic pain issues so I completely understand. I personally have a 8 gal tank with a betta and a couple fish and snail friends. I use a small water pitcher to pour dechlorinated water into the tank. May take several trips but it’s not super heavy. You could also just buy .99 bottles of water to fill it up since they’re not all that heavy.

[@cynthiawall7073]

@@feliciacole3154 thanks a lot.

[@Y0oisaac]

@@feliciacole3154 I wouldn't buy that many bottles not very good for the environment

[@feliciacole3154]

@@Y0oisaac I definitely agree which is why I don’t do it myself. But there are people who buy them to drink and then reuse the bottles like my aunt does. It’s called recycling something. I’ll take like 15 bottles of water to the refill machine and that’s what we drink.

[@PinkBlue_Spood]

Although I’m 20, I have been disabled since age 13-14, and I have severe difficulties, both physically and mentally. With aquariums, I think waiting til you feel like you may be ready could be a good start. I had to give all of my aquariums up from my health issues, and six years later, I set up a 20g High for a betta. A smaller tank is easier in the case of physical labor, and I recommend perhaps a longer but more shallow tank if reaching or standing is difficult (that’s something I regret with my choice of a taller aquarium). When doing water changes, smaller amounts more frequently is much easier to do, and keeping the bio-load low is helpful as well. Power heads can be used to help drain or fill the aquarium, and can be connected to your siphons, or if possible, there are adapters that can fit on long hoses of the siphon to connect to various sinks or tubs. If there are times where you need to skip out on water changes, it likely will be okay. I’ve needed back to back procedures and surgeries for months, and although my tank definitely will have some neglect from that, live plants and a good filter with a low bio-load really does allow the water parameters to be okay for that amount of time (usually a few weeks or a month typically, in my experience).

[@tijuanafishkeepers5782]

When I started in this hobby I had a 10 gallon tank and overnight without realizing it I already had 10 tanks

[@BirdLadySpeaks]

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!!!! 💛💛💛💛

[@melindaunknown6411]

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.

[@luisen1996]

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.

[@jonathanrichardson7969]

Thank you so much for the bagged food idea for holidays. I'm going away tomorrow and I've just done this.

[@casualcrafter2340]

Tank 1 (Living room) -75 gal bowfront with guppies, mollies, tetras. Tank 2 (girl's room) - 10 gal rainbow unicorn with betta and neons. Tank 3 (boy's room)- 10 gal "naughty tank" with black skirts and serpaes. Tank 4 (craft room)- 5 gal baby guppy grow out tank. Tank 5 (work) - 5 gal with betta. Yeah, it's a problem.....

[@StoneWolf99801]

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.

[@StoneWolf99801]

We did replace the carpet in that room after I shut down my final tank.

[@ContrastNY]

I remember the TV trays! My grandma had a B&W TV on it in the spare room. She did have a color TV too.

[@eas9911]

This vid is hysterical! So us. We went from a 5 gal betta tank to 4. Then a 29, a 55, a 90 and lastly a 125. I have discus from Hans on the way.🤣

[@ggj666]

My Juwel bow front tank started dripping the other day after almost 15 years of service, I looked at it first thing in the morning and thought that water level looks a little low, then i looked again and saw a small drip running off the bottom edge, oh god panic mode,. Time to transfer fish to tubs and get the emergency fund out and go get another tank. 15 years of age was a pretty good going for the tank.

[@kencann6952]

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.

[@rootsnwhiskers8351]

Thank you so much 🙂

[@tlee9484]

I've been keeping fish my whole life and I have only had one aquarium break,,,,and that was because I dropped a big rock, setting up the aquarium....my fault,,. I have had my filters back up and leak over the top....

[@michellelaroche2189]

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.

[@mrchard40]

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??

[@medarius5205]

After finding your channel last winter (thx Cvid??) I realized ALL the things I had done completely wrong, that made me quit the hobby 10years ago. So many times my better half would grin at me as the two of you listed mistakes made by people. You know the grin that says "Didn't you do exactly that WRONG thing?" After a couple months of watching your videos, I cleaned out my 55g and decided to give it another shot. Now 4 months later I have a planted, healthy and most important stable tank full of Tetras. Just wanted to say, Thanks for showing me how easy and enjoyable this can be as a hobby.

[@corey1788]

Loved the flushing the toilet analogy. Wouldn’t it be so cool if we could just push a lever and boom automatic water change and a fresh clean tank without all the hassle. Lol.

[@tul1p.d4ys27]

Suppose you could keep your fish in the toilet, but you'd spend a lot of time replacing them.

[@kinglyzard]

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.

[@pbaquatics94]

Very honest video loved it MTS sneak up on you every time 😂😂

[@ianjames8794]

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.

[@lf206]

I started with tadpoles. And then googled filters/ how to maintain water quality....which led me to a fish forum... which got me hooked. Ultimately, I found the tadpoles relaxing, and wanted to get some swimmers to watch who wouldn’t grow up and hop away and need to be released.

[@James-yv1qq]

I use the plastic shot glasses to put my food into when I leave somewhere. But I like the ziploc idea too!

[@theresaabshire711]

Great video & I love your beagle ! I have one also. His name is Pete...

[@HeRo-qd6tk]

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!!!

[@timothysooknanan3990]

3 dogs, 6 cats!!! I would have never known

[@blakelindsay5141]

Yep started with 1 aquarium, we now have 4 🤣 Soon to be 5 🐠❤

[@sufiyansheikh131]

One of the best thing that happened to me after keeping aquariums is the mental peace and patience which you'll learn with experiencing the hobby

[@candyphillips2642]

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.

[@besthobbit]

You guys make it look so great. Then suddenly you have 50+ platies and need to do daily water changes. LOL

[@ghosty8517]

You could try to sell some

[@bethanybouley6679]

I only have one tank, and have had one tank for the entire time ive ever kept fish, since i was 16, and im 37 now, i dont think my one small quarantine tank/hospital counts as multiple fish tanks since i go years without even needing it. I love love fish, i have one dream tank, my 75 gallon rainbowfish aquarium💕one happy tank with happy fish is all i need. Guess im the odd one as usual.

[@Aquadiction]

Have you ever considered breeding the rainbowfish Bethany? We want to get more into rainbowfish, have several dwarf types but may move onto the larger ones :)