New Hobby of year 2012

Having to learn this hobby through the hardway, though I am not even advance aquatist yet, I would like to setup this blog to guide new aquarist and shed them some light before they go and kill more fishes.. :P

Started this aquarium hobby since CNY 2012 when I chanced upon a small table clock + aquarium setup at a 7-11 at Marina Square. Immediately, I am sold for the idea of it, how sleek it will be with a few fishes swimming with a clock beside.

Little that I know, I am screwed. Haha!


A little history of my fish keeping experience.
Since young starting around my kindergarden, my Dad is quite a fan of fish keeping.. though not the Arowana type (which is like the hottest hobby for men back then) He did keep quite a variety of fishes. From Goldfish, Small Koi, Blood Parrot, Cichlids, Gouramis, Barbs, etc..

My memories of his fish keeping hobby was aiding my mum in water change, messing up the tank with fish food, seriously. (I remembered killing my pet tortise by giving it biscuit, in large amount.) Occasionally panicking over the poor little fish that got sucked up during water change and running to the toilet to hope to save it.. yet too afraid to touch them.

My dad gave up the hobby after sometime, for I don't know what reason.. but I don't think we managed to keep fishes alive for long.. :P

Back to the disastrous fish tank clock I bought from 7-11. It was running well when I tested it out and after a few days of staring at it, I made my dear to go to a lfs (live fish shop) with me. Due to being out of that hobby for so long.. or rather, I will consider myself brand new again to this hobby, we couldn't really think of a place that has lfs!! Gosh! In the end, I vaguely remember seeing a lfs in Tampines Mall since I go there quite often.. Ya.. I know I will be chopped badly by a shopping center lfs.. haha..

I grabbed some fishes, which is 3 Glass blood fins and 3 Guppies and 1 Corydora Sterbai.
I seriously overstocked the tiny tank and without cycling. How naive I was thinking like any other people that tossing the fish in will keep them alive. Luckily, the shop educated me about removing chlorine with a bottle of liquid which I even complaint that it's a big bottle. Hah!

Picking those fish was rather random, except I know I want a bottom dweller..

First day was a happy and fun experience staring at them.. feeding them...
When my first water change comes, it was a nightmare. There were so many feeds stuck below a slope that was meant to keep the filter below like an undergravel filter. Had to net all of the livestock out and clean the tank. Tried many ways to keep the food from sinking in too fast, placing a layer of net, changing to finer gravel.. disaster.

By the 2nd week, the filter started dying on me and I panic. Woke up 1 morning to do cleaning and after the cleaning, the filter died. I rushed down to serangoon to look for fish tank and bought a 5 litre tank to replace that lousy tank.

Actually, I made another mistake here which is flooded the tank floor with too much glass shrimps that I bought at a bagful for S$2. This was a slightly later photo as I did not take any after I moved them from clock tank to this 5 litre tank.     From this 2nd tank onwards, I am hooked, to become an aquarist. ;)

To this date, I own a 5litre shrimp tank, 5 litre fish tank (my first tank after the clock tank) that holds some old fishes while still waiting to go into Gex tank, Gex Glassterior Slim 600, 2 small tank from daiso that holds 3 cherry barbs and some random pond snails individually, 1 acrylic hospital/quarantine tank.

Currently looking to upgrade my shrimp tank to a 1.5feet tank after I complete done up with my Gex slim 600. Planning to DIY styrofoam chiller for my shrimp tank.

Stay with me and watch us (fishy, shrimps, misc and me) grows! ^___^