A little over two years ago I underwent a quadruple bypass after suffering through a couple heart attacks (Myocardial Infarction). During the surgery, I also suffered a stroke which has affected my vision slightly. Fortunately the stroke did not affect anything else (as far as I know). In terms of my killifish hobby, it all but destroyed it. I no longer had the desire to spend hours a day in the fish room or do any of the related activities that were so much a part of my hobby for the previous 45 or so years. Last fall, while on a vacation, my last tank of killies, some Panamanian Rivulus was hit by an unexpected cold wave and since I had no heat on in the house, those fish died. I am down to one live tank in my house and it contains some tetras and loaches. A sad state of affairs.
Today, as I sit here writing this missive, I am weighing a number of options on what to do. I own over 200 tanks ranging in size from 2-1/2 gallons to 100-gallons (mostly 5- & 10-gallons). I have a completely empty fish ready room in my cellar and an upstairs room in my house which I could easily convert to hold a number of tanks (somewhere around 50). I just have to find the energy to do the work. (Trust me, it took this long to really feel good about things again despite whatever I have done the past two years. For example I am finally playing golf again after 2 years away from the game.)
In recent weeks I have been really thinking about the hobby and what I miss about it. As a life member of the AKA, I still read every issue of JAKA from cover to cover and I check the BNL when it comes out. Occasionally I drop by Aquabid to see what is available. Over the past few days I have been really wanting to work with some killies again and I guess that is where I am headed. It’s time to make a few decisions and in essence, order some fish.
Today I am going to go down in the cellar and start cleaning a few tanks and making some real decisions about what direction I want to go. My real love is Nothos and I also really like Rivulus. Actually I like just about any killie, but I do not want to go overboard. I think as soon as the fish room is once again in order, I will make a few orders and see how it goes. I doubt I will become a breeder selling fish online or in the BNL, but I am sure a few extra pairs will flow from my fish room, perhaps to shows and conventions.
I am always glad to hear from my old friends and am looking forward to seeing many of you again in the future. I will not make the convention in Chicago this year, but who knows about the next one. It would really be nice to go to a convention I do not have to work.
Wish me luck!
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