Thanks Triple (and everyone else)!
It’s starting to make more sense!!
Leaving it in the same alt currency makes perfect sense and Bitcoin fluctuations are irrelevant. That I now see!!
The part about having $200 more in Bitcoin than when I started kind of makes sense but once I convert the alt back to Bitcoin won’t that rate be the deciding factor in profit or loss and determine if it was all worth it or not? I assume the Bitcoin to Ripple rate is always changing.

So when calculating my actual profit/loss in relation to my initial investment, I need to calculate the alt coin value AND THE BITCOIN value to arrive at the actual result of my investment.
Still not sure if I get it?
If I use Bitcoin to buy Ripple and made the equivalent of US$200 in the very short term (e.g day trading) that could be wiped out in seconds with the normal fluctuations of BITCOIN?
Why bother trading the alt coins?

So what I can’t understand is -
Why invest in alt coins if any decline in Bitcoin will wipe out my alt coin profit?
What am I missing?
Thanks

Can someone explain why most people use Bitcoin to buy other alt coins rather than converting back to $. I understand for tax, price fluctuations, wanting to only use cyptocurrency, etc.
But doesn’t it mean I am actually investing twice? Rise or fall of alt coin and rise and fall of Bitcoin. If I make make a profit out of my alt coin but the Bitcoin price falls I have lost my profit.
An explanation in simple terms would be much appreciated.
Thank you.