Originally published in GFSA Goldfish Report November/December 1999.
“Full Circle with Goldfish”
By: Rick G. Copeland
As many fish keepers I started this hobby with a fish bowl and a couple of goldfish. I was eight years old at the time. With some careful overfeeding I quickly turned that fish bowl into a smelly mess. With the help of a neighborhood garage sale I moved up to a leaking 10 gallon-tank (metal framed no less). I provided my parents with hours of entertainment in my many attempts to make this tank watertight. Finally I got it sealed and was able to move my goldfish into a real aquarium.
Then I read the Innes book and got bitten by the tropical fish bug. I of course made the common rookie mistake of combining goldfish with tropical fish. Eventually I realized the error of my ways and maintained a separate tank for my goldies.
From this my passion grew for fish keeping. Soon after my sixteenth birthday I landed my dream job as managing the fish department at the local pet store. I soon took over my parent’s basement with freshwater and saltwater aquariums.
After graduating from high school I advanced my fish-keeping career by working for a tropical fish wholesaler. Working there I was surrounded by South American and African wild imports; farmed fish from Singapore and Florida; and Saltwater fish. This was Shangra La to young fish-keeper. Then one day, a special order of show quality Orandas came in. At first sight of the Orandas I got the giddy feeling I had when I brought my first goldfish home from the local five and dime store. I quickly dismissed this feeling as indigestion.
After a year and a half of long hours at the wholesaler I was severely burned out on the fish business and decided to follow the Grateful Dead for while. I sold off my collection except for the tank of goldfish. After all they were family pets at this point.
Then returning to Colorado I re-entered the fish business by managing an aquarium store and maintaining display aquariums in doctors offices, bars, and restaurants. After awhile I realized that I had spent enough years in the fish business and would have to get a “real” job and moved onto construction. Then after a construction accident ended that career I moved on to the computer biz.
Well, through the years my passion for the fish-keeping hobby has been one constant in my life. While dating my future wife I happened to mention in passing that my hobby was fish-keeping. She had no idea the extent of my affliction until she visited my one-bedroom apartment that was wall to wall fish tanks. Because the landlord supplied the heat, it was more economical to heat the apartment to attain the desired water temperature then heat each individual tank. I remember my future wife’s first comment, “The only thing you seem to be lacking in your tropical paradise is some sand and a couple of palm trees.”
Now with my kids in tow, visiting the local fish store became a whole new experience. My kids were drawn to goldfish like magnets. So I set up a tank for goldfish. Being a father and a fish keeper I was determined to provide the best for my kids favorite fish.
Then I noticed that giddy feeling was back. I realized I was spending more time watching and tending the goldfish tank then the other aquariums in the house. Using the Internet I was able to connect with many people like myself. Bitten by the goldfish bug. Also, through the Internet I was able to find “The” source for show quality goldfish. Rick Hess’s Goldfish Connection. The rest of my tanks were soon converted to goldfish tanks and my passion for fish-keeping has been revitalized, or in other words, after nearly 35 years, has come full circle.
Copyright 2002 Rick G. Copeland