An idea!!!!

[pobdave]

It is often discussed on sites such as this-the problem with buying fish for an inappropriate sized tank or tankmates,or people buying without sufficient knowledge to care for the fish.

How about if (it would never happen though!)

A fish-keeping license had to be gained to be able to buy fish and there were different levels of license you could gain via examination and the the type of fish you would be allowed to buy would be based upon what level of license you held?

It would at least give people more incentive to actually learn more about the hobby.In my area in the UK after the film ''finding Nemo'' was released-nearly every, more 'commercial' fish shop was selling clown fish in bowls to anybody who wanted one.

I dont think the trade could support this idea though...any thoughts?

8)

 

[Puriti]

That would maybe solve the problem...but I personally would find it totally annoying as the buyer xD

 

[Blazeherd2306]

My idea: to get the license, you have to take a 100 question, multiple choice exam in which you are only allowed to miss five questions. And you would have to take either the freshwater or saltwater exam, or both. haha

The questions would range from topics on bacterial cycles, how to populate a tank correctly, fish health, tank maintenance, etc.

The downside: with this new law, there wouldn't be many aquarists out there, lol.

People would start smuggling fish in to their tanks.

 

[pobdave]

with this new law, there wouldn't be many aquarists out there, lol.

Initially maybe but-who knows..a year down the line there could be thousands of aquarists who having successfully studied and passed their basic guppie and nitro cycle exams eagerly studying for their reef coral and sargasso sea biotope exams!

 

[SeymourFRESH]

it would never happen. especially with a 100 question test. the pet industry would lose a lot of big business (which IMO it shouldn't be a big industry in the first place)

today at my work these people wanted to buy some serpae tetras and a BOWL to put them in, they had no idea what they were in for when buying an aquarium. i tried to explain cycling and that they needed a heater, and a bigger tank, and needed conditioner to get the chlorine out, and they just seemed bewildered

quote from one of them: "man, i thought keepin fish was easy!"

sigh

 

[justrelax]

Have you seen some of the people that are given drivers licenses?! Any idiot can regurgitate the answers to 100 questions, but when it comes to applying the knowledge... Then you're talking about having to put into place some kind of system to keep these people accountable... I would be all for it and certainly willing to obtain the proper license, I just don't think it's reallistic.

 

[pobdave]

Perhaps a special ''aquarist testing centre'' where a practical examination can take place say..pupil is presented with a filled tank,a testing kit and given a list of symptoms displayed by an imaginary fish living within it.Pupil has to test the params and ''solve'' the problem be it inappropriate water params or the tank setup not suitable to the described fish.

It will never happen though!

 

[jsoong]

That will never happen .... How are the pet stores going to make money if you don't keep buying replacement fish & meds & chemicals to keep them alive (for a time)?