Does everyone follow all the "rules" of fish keeping?

[yogurt_21]

I follow the rule of common sense and leave it at that. too many people like to preach rules where there should be "commonly used setups" not all scenarios are created equal and if everybody folowed the same "rules" there'd be people with 5 acre ponds spending 1000's of dollars a month in electricity just to run a filter that turns over enough water to follow these so called "rules."

oh sure if you're settign up a new world cichlid 75g tank, there are many commonly used setups that work best, but that doesn't apply to the grand scheme of things.

 

[Newt]

I've overstocked tanks. There have been times I haven't quarantined new fish. I've feed feeders way too often at times. I have fish mixes that "shouldn't" work, but do.

 

[Toby_H]

Most people start off assuming they have to follow the rules...

The slowly start deviating and then feel the rules are highly exaggerated...

Then experience a loss due to not following the rules...

Then they realize why the rules are there and again follow them...

Lastly they start realizing the actual reason why the rules are as they are, and slowly learn (often with losses) how to safely bend some of the rules...


Note - Most people believe they are at this last phase, but very few people actually are

 

[Big Dempsey]

yes , i too have broken the rules, and suffered . Now i choose to decide on what i want in a tank and no matter how long i have to wait to find what im looking for, it is well worth it in the long run ,especially for the fish!

 

[fishy12]

bet everyone who voted is now banned............

 

[D12DetroitD12]

I will admit i have messed up and did some stupid things in this hobby, but in the end i usually learn from it and TRY not to do it again.

 

[Krawnik]

This thread has the potential to mislead people in a harmful way...

Every last one of us has bent or broken a rule here or there. So if we vote honestly the new guy will show up seeing a poll that shows we do not follow our own rules and can be mislead into believing we are all hypocrites.

If I test my water and find my nitrates are under 20 ppm... and I skip a water change that week... did I "break the rules" because I didn't do my weekly water change?

I recommend only stockign a tank with fish that the tank can house as adults. But I have over a hundred fry in a 10 gal tank... Am I breaking my own rule?

The "Rules" are there for a reason. Depending on the circumstances any one of them can be bent from time to time with no ill results. But at other times bending them can be a complete catastrophe.

My suggestion is... follow "the rules" unless you properly understand why it is safe for you to bend the rule in your particular situation.

Agreed.