Fishy business - anyone keep marine fish as a hobby??

[Bradsmum]

Very strange thread I know.. but does anyone do it? I fancy a fishy hobby and am interested if anyone on mumsnet dabbles in marines??

no, but perhaps you can contribute on my thread on 'wanted'?!

I have a gold fish that is now 8 years old and about the size of a small family car. I studied Marine Biology at Uni.... does that count?

I'd LOVE a tropical fish tank.

And obviously when I say a Tropical fish tank... I mean one filled with water.... and tropical fish! I've had a drink tonight... please bear with me.

Hi Toothache - I've had several (glasses of wine that is). Have also kept tropical fish for years but want to try marine fish. Am absolutely nuts anyway so a wacky hobby would suit me fine...

what's the difference between marine 7 tropical fish? just curious

Wow - my dd would LOVE this!

Tropical are freshwater fishies which need to be kept in warm water (as opposed to goldfish). Marine fish are saltwater fishies (e.g. Nemo - a clown fish) and are more difficult to keep because you have to make up the saltwater (and all sorts of other things)

Branster - Tropical fish need warm water, like those from coral reefs and shallow warm coastal regions. Marine fish are more..... well.... ugly!! But much more of a challenge to keep alive.

Bradsmum - there is a campaign at the moment to stop people buying clownfish like Nemo as the increase in popularity since the film was released has seriously effected the population in the wild! So if you are going for a Nemo.... make sure it's a home grown one.

...again I emphasize.... bloody difficult to keep alive.

Very interesting. presumably it could become quite an engaging (costly maybe as well?) hobby.

Hmmm, on second thoughts I think dd will be getting as goldfish as planned.

(Sorry to butt in Bradsmum!)

Not at all ionesmum! Toothache - I realise what you are saying about clown fish - was just using it as a well-known example. Would never consider keeping wild caught fish anyway. I go scuba diving a lot and would rather see them on the coral reefs. However, I would like a little piece of fish life in my living room ..

Bradsmum - I've never been scuba-diving, would love to.

I got the pleasure of studying the marine life around the Scottish coast..... dunno if I'd want any of those horrors in a tank in my living room though.... would remind me too much of my sister....

You're probably quite an expert then on habitats and stuff. What other fish species do you get for marine tanks that are relatively pleasing to the eye? I just can't see me ever getting rid of this monstrous godlfish!! It needs released into the wild I'm sure of it.... it's evil.... it kills other fish which is why its alone. Anyone want it? Er... he's lovely really.

Toothache, I had a goldfish like that. In the end a mate of my dad's stuck it in with his koi carp.

Ionesmum - Did the koi carp kill it.....or live in fear of it??

This thing splashes you with water if you are sitting watching TV and you've forgotten his 3rd meal of the day! I swear I sleep with one eye open in case he evolves legs!

Toothache - find a garden pond to stick it in (or discreetly take it to one of these stately home places with loads of ponds everywhere and casually slip it in...!). There are so many beautiful marine fish but it takes a lot of research to find ones that will be compatible and won't eat or p... off each other. Have been doing research on intranet but just wanted to pick up a few tips from a real live fish person who's not just trying to sell you loads of expensive kit to keep it! You must go scuba diving - you won't look back!

Bradsmum - I'm asthmatic and was told at Uni that I couldn't scuba dive! but surely if I don't go that deep and take a puff of my inhaler before I go down it should be okay??? I mean I've only ever had one bad asthma attack and that took at least a couple of hours to really kick in!

Hi Toothache - sorry to hear you're asthmatic. I think the reason you wouldn't be able to dive is the insurance requirements that dive centres have, even if you thought you were OK. plus you have to keep breathing when diving, you can't hold your breath.

Bradsmum - But why am I more likely to hold my breath than someone who doesn't have asthma?

Sorry to hear about the asthma.

But lol about the goldfish!

Toothache - misread your comment about taking a puff of inhaler - I read it as taking a puff from mouthpiece on scuba gear i.e. thought you said you would be holding breath. (As I said, I have had a couple of glasses of the old vino tonight). My mistake! You should follow up at a local dive centre and see what they say about your asthma.