why people think they can have goldfish in a 2 gallon tank...

[mandy2936]

I know! We have a tiny corner "tank" that is under a gallon...the old box showed two goldfish merrily swimming in there, and the new one shows several platys strutting their stuff. I think one of my favorite past times is mocking new items like that when they come in. Sadly they aren't just marketing them to kids.. the newer fluval chi.. which looks really pretty and minimalistic is 5 gallons.. I think there's at least 5 goldfish on it!

It wouldn't be so bad if people believed you at all, and I can understand their hesitancy to believe they either can't have the fish they want with the space and tank they can provide easily, or they need to upgrade... I'd probably question whether or not they are just trying to sell me more junk.

However, we print out information about them and sometimes after they just don't get it I'll just hand them one, refer them to websites(like this one a few times!) and tell them we've almost all been there, but that this is how we can correct our mistakes and get better.

A man and his son the other day actually came in to buy another goldfish. After inquiring about his set up(he had 4 fantails in a 20 gallon), I said I strongly recommended not getting any more today and explained the issue of their bioload and how even though they may stop growing outwardly.. their organs were still getting larger. He was very receptive! His son took it well for such a little guy. We get a lot of crying children and I can't blame them. They don't know any better.. but it definitely makes the parents quick to give in to accomodate them and not what's good for the fish.

He thanked me and left. The next day he came back in and bought a 60 gallon and asked about fishless cycling because he'd read some forums.
I wish all outcomes were like that one.

Wow, that's great! Helping educate people one family at a time. Glad it worked out so well- great for the fish! Nice story +1

 

[Jason7894561230]

Or kids.

Long time back but Im a kid im 13 years old and i ahve 3 tanks. Just asking do you think im not responsible enuogh becuase some kids have a bowl with a goldfish and they take excellent care of them

 

[Mark Hewitt]

Long time back but Im a kid im 13 years old and i ahve 3 tanks. Just asking do you think im not responsible enuogh becuase some kids have a bowl with a goldfish and they take excellent care of them

You have a goldfish in a bowl? I'm sorry but unless it's a greater than 20 gallon bowl then I wouldn't say that's "taking good care of them".

 

[The_Desacrator]

Yeah my therapist tried keeping goldfish in a bowl. he wondered why they all died. I was like wow. At least he tried.

 

[Osage_Winter]

Wait a minute, wait a minute...

Talk of a "therapist" and a 13 year old kid that was giving me advice just a few hours ago regarding what to do with my fantails?

What's going on in this forum!?!?

 

[Mark Hewitt]

I can see the idea of a fish tank in a therapist's office as fish are supposed to be relaxing. But you just spend the whole time thinking "How big is that tank", "I'm not sure that filter is going to be sufficient", "Is he doing proper water changes". And you come out being more stressed than when you went in

 

[Jason7894561230]

You have a goldfish in a bowl? I'm sorry but unless it's a greater than 20 gallon bowl then I wouldn't say that's "taking good care of them".

No what i mean is that kids who dont know about the way goldfish grow and stuff still take good care of the fish by looking after like feeding and changing the water
BTW i havve a 29gal

 

[Jason7894561230]

Wait a minute, wait a minute...

Talk of a "therapist" and a 13 year old kid that was giving me advice just a few hours ago regarding what to do with my fantails?

What's going on in this forum!?!?

LOOK I KNOW IM 13 OK BUT I KNOW A LOT ABOUT FISH SO IF YOU DISREGARD MY ADVICE JUST BECAUSE OF MY AGE THEN IM SORRY BUT THATS JUST STUPID.
Now i have been keeping fish for around a year and im just as qualified as anyone to give advice as long as its correct and helpful.
Please dont judge me just because of my age

 

[Mark Hewitt]

LOOK I KNOW IM 13 OK BUT I KNOW A LOT ABOUT FISH SO IF YOU DISREGARD MY ADVICE JUST BECAUSE OF MY AGE THEN IM SORRY BUT THATS JUST STUPID.
Now i have been keeping fish for around a year and im just as qualified as anyone to give advice as long as its correct and helpful.
Please dont judge me just because of my age

He wasn't having a go at you, trust me

 

[Jason7894561230]

Well i hope he wasnt because it makes me feel like im not good enough to be here

 

[mfdrookie516]

Well i hope he wasnt because it makes me feel like im not good enough to be here

You're certainly welcome here. The cool things about forums are that nobody knows who you really are (except a few people who know each other). There are more kids on here than you would think. I know of at least 2 other people who are 14-15 and they give great advice. Most people would think by their posts that they're in their 20's or older by their knowledge. I didn't know you were young, doesnt change my thoughts a bit. Dont let anybody make you feel like your age determines your knowledge of fish. Thats not to say an older person with years of experience might not know more, but we all start somewhere, right?

 

[JOMA]

i am only 15 also...

 

[meegosh]

I for one welcome and encourage all young members. It sounds kind of cheesy but they are the future of the hobby. We all started out somewhere. I'm sure there are a ton of teenagers that know a lot more about saltwater than I will ever know. Age doesn't matter, experience does.

 

[mgamer20o0]

Yeah my therapist tried keeping goldfish in a bowl. he wondered why they all died. I was like wow. At least he tried.

trade help with a fish tank for therapy time? lol

 

[Osage_Winter]

Oh boy...

 

[The_Desacrator]

Wait a minute, wait a minute...

Talk of a "therapist" and a 13 year old kid that was giving me advice just a few hours ago regarding what to do with my fantails?

What's going on in this forum!?!?

I am 18, not 13 buddy.

But he set up himself with a 2 gal bowl and a betta fish and he wants me to set up a 20gal in his office. so I bought an Aqueon 20gal Quietflow or w/e its called filter, a 20gal tank with hood and light, aquarium salt, cycle, water conditioner, gravel, fish flakes and a fish net. I didnt get him the fish or the ornaments those are his choice plus cycle time with media from my tank. Good start eh? I am also giving him my old heater so he didnt have to buy it.

he was gonna pay me but theres like a thing in his contract that wont let him. which blows but i said i dont care much i enjoy doing it

 

[The_Desacrator]

trade help with a fish tank for therapy time? lol

ill try.

 

[Osage_Winter]

I am 18, not 13 buddy.

I wasn't talking about you.

 

[neilanh]

I think the age thing has played out. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, and it's up to the person asking the questions to determine who's advice they're going to follow. It doesn't matter if their 13 or 90, if that person knows what they're talking about than take their advice, if not just ignore it.

Please no more discussions on age or how much a person can know just because they're young.

 

[Osage_Winter]

I was just pointing out that I wasn't addressing him.

The entire thing about the therapist and the 13 year old kid was initially intended as a joke, but I think everyone got bent out of shape about it.