My first fish:
I discovered and developed a great interest in Fish-keeping during my early childhood. As far as I can remember, I kept my first fish in a glass jar when I was at the age of 8, I think! I knew absolutely nothing about the basics of fish-keeping. Now, let me tell you how I got my very first fish. I lived in a tiny coastal town named Puri in the state of Odisha, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. At Dutta Totaa, the area in Puri I lived in, the roads used to get temporarily flooded during the monsoon. That situation resulted in a temporary connectivity between the water-bodies, a couple of natural ponds, in that area. Like the student-exchange programs, there used to happen spontaneous and natural fish-exchange programs among the water bodies. Those fishes in question used to travel on the flooded roads in our area.
A bit of background:
The street my home was situated on accommodated around 20 families with kids - about 25 of them - slightly junior and senior to me. It was a team of 20+ energetic kids with a leader who was around 3 years elder to me. That team, under the guidance of the leader, used to get into action just after a heavy shower of rain when the roads were flooded enough to work as an infrastructure for commute for the fishes. There were natural and man-made landscapes in that area to contain water for a long time after the flooding on the roads were gone. Those landscapes used to get some fishes left isolated. So, the flooded roads and the temporary monsoon water-holes were the team's ground for fishing.
The instruments used for fishing ranged over, and not limited to, bare hands, handkerchiefs, bath towels, small storage containers, mosquito nets, and fishing rods for kids with advanced skills and level of patience, and probably less sympathy for the fish! Fishing using towels and mosquito nets involved a team-effort; as, it required at least two pair of hands to manage and manoeuvre the instrument. When I write this, it feels as if I have gone back to those wonderful days of my childhood.
The art of fishing:
My skills were absolutely of the lowest standards when it came to fishing - catching live fish while inflicting, apparently, no pain and causing no harm. Most of the kids of my age were not good at fishing, as well. However, we helped our leader and other senior members in the act of fishing, to hone our art of fishing. And, they shared their catch with us. That day, I was given one beautiful fish. I was so happy as it looked much better than the relatively 'not so good' looking fishes that made the major portion of the daily catch during the season. That one was a Dwarf Gourami, one of my favourites even today, when I am in my early 30s!
So, that was my first fish at home. I fed it, or at least tried to do so, with boiled rice. I was not sure if there were any Fish (Aquarium) shops in our town to buy some fish-food from, then. That fish was, however, reluctant to accept the food I tried to feed it with. None of the kids who participated in the 'group fishing' did use their catch as food, of course ;-). Like I was, all of them were apparently interested in fish-keeping or starting a home-aquarium at that tender age.
My skills were absolutely of the lowest standards when it came to fishing - catching live fish while inflicting, apparently, no pain and causing no harm. Most of the kids of my age were not good at fishing, as well. However, we helped our leader and other senior members in the act of fishing, to hone our art of fishing. And, they shared their catch with us. That day, I was given one beautiful fish. I was so happy as it looked much better than the relatively 'not so good' looking fishes that made the major portion of the daily catch during the season. That one was a Dwarf Gourami, one of my favourites even today, when I am in my early 30s!
So, that was my first fish at home. I fed it, or at least tried to do so, with boiled rice. I was not sure if there were any Fish (Aquarium) shops in our town to buy some fish-food from, then. That fish was, however, reluctant to accept the food I tried to feed it with. None of the kids who participated in the 'group fishing' did use their catch as food, of course ;-). Like I was, all of them were apparently interested in fish-keeping or starting a home-aquarium at that tender age.
My secret fishing adventures:
Over the next couple of years, I developed my fishing skills. I visited many places and did fishing in rivers, ponds and canals. Many of those were my secret adventures that my parents never came to know about, well, until I shared those with them many years later ;-). However, those adventure-experiences are still fresh in my mind to inspire me to do more of those at this age! I am seriously considering going out on a series of fishing expeditions during my 2011 annual vacation. I am already in talks with a couple of my friends.
My first aquarium:
At the age of 13, I put across my official request, for an aquarium, to my parents. The request was considered and I got my brand-new first freshwater aquarium. I stocked my aquarium, a 24", 18", 12" - Aluminium and Glass one, with 2 Mollies, 2 Guppies, 2 Goldfishes, a Black Skirt Tetra, 2 Barbs and a Plecostomus. I got my second aquarium as a gift from one of my father's friends almost 1 year after we bought our first aquarium. It was a Steel and Glass (30", 24", 18") aquarium and I used bright sea-sand as the substrate. During those days, glass aquariums with metal frames (reinforcements) were so common. I had some local freshwater fishes and a tiny turtle that made this second aquarium their second home.
I wish, I had a few pictures of my aquariums. However, neither did I have a camera, nor, did Facebook exist then. Well, the sweet memories of those aquariums are still fresh in my mind. I maintained those two aquariums over a span of around 7 years. It was quite a wonderful experience. I used to use the fresh water straight from our tube-well, located near our home-garden, to fill my aquariums. That was easy. Neither was I worried about the water parameters, nor did my fishes ever demonstrated any sign of discomfort with that water.
At the age of 13, I put across my official request, for an aquarium, to my parents. The request was considered and I got my brand-new first freshwater aquarium. I stocked my aquarium, a 24", 18", 12" - Aluminium and Glass one, with 2 Mollies, 2 Guppies, 2 Goldfishes, a Black Skirt Tetra, 2 Barbs and a Plecostomus. I got my second aquarium as a gift from one of my father's friends almost 1 year after we bought our first aquarium. It was a Steel and Glass (30", 24", 18") aquarium and I used bright sea-sand as the substrate. During those days, glass aquariums with metal frames (reinforcements) were so common. I had some local freshwater fishes and a tiny turtle that made this second aquarium their second home.
I wish, I had a few pictures of my aquariums. However, neither did I have a camera, nor, did Facebook exist then. Well, the sweet memories of those aquariums are still fresh in my mind. I maintained those two aquariums over a span of around 7 years. It was quite a wonderful experience. I used to use the fresh water straight from our tube-well, located near our home-garden, to fill my aquariums. That was easy. Neither was I worried about the water parameters, nor did my fishes ever demonstrated any sign of discomfort with that water.
An apparent end:
Eventually, I had to move to another city for my higher education. I gifted both of my aquariums to a young fish enthusiast of my locality. That was the end of my aquarium story. But my love never died. What happened next more than a decade after is described in the next post!
Eventually, I had to move to another city for my higher education. I gifted both of my aquariums to a young fish enthusiast of my locality. That was the end of my aquarium story. But my love never died. What happened next more than a decade after is described in the next post!
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