Anyone else in the hobby alone?

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I did it with my girlfriend. She used to not be interested at all. Got her feeding every now and then and she seemed to enjoy it.

I then let her choose the female german blue ram and let her name it. Its her fish now so shes always interested.

She now puts her arm in the tank and lets the amano shrimp cling to her hand. She was happy a few weeks back as she managed to get 5 on her hand at once lol


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Sounds like you're having a bad day?
I'm alone in this as well, wife couldn't care, well she looks at the fish once a month and tells me how "I" don't care about my fish...what?!
When I ask why, she tells me my fish don't look happy because they don't have a pretty decoration like a diver with bubbles coming out or a sunken ship etc.
So yes, I'm alone in this too!


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I don't understand women most of the time haha, my tanks are all natural :p

My mom was just pissed at how big the tank was I got a 150g extra tall off of craigslist.

Idk what it is but people just don't care about stuff, people always ask me if its hard to take care of and this or that and before I'm done explaining the nitrogen cycle they have lost interest lol.

I think quite a lot of people are like that..

They love fish but can't stand the idea of spending money..

I've actually been offered to set up my welding teacher's fish tank XD
Bit weird but why not!


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Do it, you can even use some of your filter media and stuff so he can put fish in right away.
 
I long ago for the most part accepted that most people just don't care, and I only get animated about that indifference when other people are indifferent about their own fish (like when I flipped my lid at a woman who didn't understand that the fish store wouldnt sell her a common pleco for her 5 gallon goldfish tank, because "they die before they get too big anyway!"). My advice is to seek out people who do care- an aquarium club is a great place for that, but I've also found a lot of fellow fishkeepers within the marine science/aquaculture program at my university. I'm also fortunate enough to have a fiance who is very supportive of me and a very curious person. She enjoys hearing about and watching the fish in my tanks so much that she wants one of her own, and I'm getting her a 29 gallon kit for her birthday!
 
I understand the frustration of feeling like you are alone in something. Just remember that you don't do it to make other people happy. :)
 
Grrr! My brother and dad want tanks, let them look at fish last night. Well they both want tens, with angels, oscars, jds and plecos. I TOLD THEM NO! And they both go "you don't know everything!" Grrr!


Emerald76
 
Grrr! My brother and dad want tanks, let them look at fish last night. Well they both want tens, with angels, oscars, jds and plecos. I TOLD THEM NO! And they both go "you don't know everything!" Grrr!


Emerald76

10g and all those fish? Ey yei yei. Find some good literature on the subject and let them educate themselves... that would be a huge disaster in the making :(
 
I'll tell them to join here and try to find some articles.


Emerald76
 
I'll tell them to join here and try to find some articles.


Emerald76

Good luck! They need to educate themselves! That would be horrible for those fish to be in a 10g tank! :( And I don't know if they are all compatible, but, I have a feeling they are not! So double no-no!
 
Ugh I'm just irritated. Ten gallons is not sufficent. When you have an angel that could get eight inches tall in a ten IT DOES NOT FIT! Literally! I don't know what to do though, maybe I'll print out some stuff from here.


Emerald76
 
That irritates me too! That's almost like putting a dog or cat in a car-crate for his or her whole life. :(
 
Grrr! My brother and dad want tanks, let them look at fish last night. Well they both want tens, with angels, oscars, jds and plecos. I TOLD THEM NO! And they both go "you don't know everything!" Grrr!


Emerald76
Thats how I feel anytime I go into any electronics store, bike store, fish store, knife store lol

10g and all those fish? Ey yei yei. Find some good literature on the subject and let them educate themselves... that would be a huge disaster in the making :(

I'll tell them to join here and try to find some articles.


Emerald76

Good luck! They need to educate themselves! That would be horrible for those fish to be in a 10g tank! :( And I don't know if they are all compatible, but, I have a feeling they are not! So double no-no!

Ugh I'm just irritated. Ten gallons is not sufficent. When you have an angel that could get eight inches tall in a ten IT DOES NOT FIT! Literally! I don't know what to do though, maybe I'll print out some stuff from here.


Emerald76
I would buy them a book or something about starting an aquarium, or anbout different kinds of aquarium fish. People tend to believe something published over random oppinions on the internet, even tho they are mostly right.
 
I would buy them a book or something about starting an aquarium, or anbout different kinds of aquarium fish. People tend to believe something published over random oppinions on the internet, even tho they are mostly right.

Agreed. Actual printed materials, whether from a reputable online source, or especially a printed physical book, really help drive things home for people who don't want to listen to someone who "doesn't know it all".
 
If they are that ignorant and wouldn't take your advice I'd just let them make their own mistakes. And then when they say why is my fish..... why did the Oscar eat the pleco...... you can just say I told you so you should have listened. My family always listens to me when it comes to cars, bikes, computers, and animals because they are my passions not just my hobbies. I have dealt with a few hard headed people over the years though and I feel your pain. Buddy blew his engine in his brand new jeep in high school he used to rev it to the redline and hold it and I said you are going to throw a rod. Well one day I heard a terrible knock and told him he had spun a bearing. He says you aren't a mechanic we are both 16 at the time. Needless to say he had a very very bad morning on the way to school the next day and a nice piston sized hole in his block.
 
I guess I'm the most fortunate. My girl and I fight over who gets to do the WC's, lol. We also take equal part in product reviews, tank choices and where to set them up. Choices of fish/corals/LR pieces and tank designs. We each take turns with feedings and everything else along the way. And it also travels beyond fish. From our dogs, to the hamster, and the future critters we plan to have. Wow. Looking back I made out like a bandit !!!


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Luck tree man she's a keeper. My gf used to help me all the time with my tank and she does now from time to time. If I have work early she will feed them for me till I get home. I guess we are both very fortunate with our significant others. Still can't get any pics up goes to 100% but never finishes. :(
 
I don't understand women most of the time haha, my tanks are all natural :p

My mom was just pissed at how big the tank was I got a 150g extra tall off of craigslist.

Idk what it is but people just don't care about stuff, people always ask me if its hard to take care of and this or that and before I'm done explaining the nitrogen cycle they have lost interest lol.

Do it, you can even use some of your filter media and stuff so he can put fish in right away.


Maybe give them the short answer. "No. Feed once a day. Water change once a week. No biggie." Because I'm not going to lie, before I started fish keeping, if someone were to try to explain the nitrogen cycle to be I would have never even attempted. (Luckily for my fish I just happen to enjoy researching animals to give them the best home I can...fish included).


Charity
 
I'm not alone per say, but everyone thinks I'm insane! My boyfriend will help with water changes and feeding and driving me to pick up new tanks but once I ask his opinion or start blabbing he kind of tunes out. Probably because I do this for idiotic amounts of time. Daily. He likes to check the fish out but leaves the obsessing, science, and fact finding to me!
 
I'm quite alone as well. My husband has firmly banned me from another tank. However, I've been rather lenient with him keeping a motorcycle in the living room for the past 2 weeks (garage is being used for one of his projects) so I think I should be allowed one more...

;)

A lot of people don't appreciate the hobby. All that matters is you do!


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My family doesn't really get the whole aquarium thing either...they don't get why I spend so much time fussing over water parameters and testing the water. Its a new setup and I'm still trying to get things right.
My dad is interested but he isn't terribly knowledgeable about certain things. He was convinced that a 10 gallon tank would be fine for a pair of comet goldfish. He laughed when I tried to explain how big they get and that its not an ideal home. Then, he wanted to put cory catfish in my very hard well water.

To be honest, I never thought I would be a fan of keeping fish. Its a lot of work, it makes a mess. And sometimes, no matter how much you try to get things right, disasters happen. Its frustrating. But, when you get it right, its rewarding and fun to watch the fish. I can totally see myself getting a bigger tank when I move out...
 
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