i guess since 90% of the people i know who keep fish i met on here .. my idea of average fish hobbyist are skewed ... lol ..
Fish you should NOT keep.
- Thread starter girl_interrupted
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I'd imagine the "true hobbyist" who would be dedicated to their tanks and researches about their fish would only make up 15%-20% of all the people who own fish. There is a vast majority of people who walk into pet stores get a fish and plop it into a 10g. With me spending a lot of time in my lfs, I can see that most of the people who come in never research or plan what fish they're going to get.
SteveR;3568691; said:
Generally you'de be refering to the RBP. unless you do your homework and get some of the less common piranha species. Most people have a skewered idea of what a RBP should be.. a single fish in a tank thats highly aggresive and predetory. a single RBP in it's own tank are often times scared, anxiety driven fish ime. I had a single one for awhile. It's simply not an ideal situation for "aggresive nature" sure he shredded up feeders. But he was also a very reclusive, shy fish. very few ime are "tank bangers"... people think because Piranhas are so sensationalized in the media ect. That they are this aggresive mean fish. i think most others would agree to see the real beauty of these fish in their "normal" habits you need a very large tank, and a decent size shoal of these fish to get a more outgoing personality. they are by nature pack predators.
People see big teeth, and alot of mis-information, horror movie flicks. and simply get the wrong impression of these fish.
It's not so much that they are "boreing" but they do not fit the sterotype so many people believe about them.
Because they spent most of the day sitting there. This is evidently a disappointment to the generally "thugged-out", uneducated 17-25 years olds whom I seem to sell 75% of RBPs to. This sale is almost always preceeded by "Yo boss, where da piranhas at?" or some similar variation...and accompanied by (while pointing at the 4 foot blacktips) "How much for dem sharks?".
hahaha true!!!smpage;3568445; said:
Iffrat;3568493; said:
DEFINITELY the #1 thing to do before owning a pet of ANY kind. True true
I'd agree with the list. The "average hobbyist" has no business near any of the exotics. A hobbyist is anyone participating in the hobby but not making a living doing so. The average hobbyist has a 10 gallon tank, and thinks it's huge. Any one who's worked or hung out at an LFS has seen this. They sell and stock tanks at or bellow 10 gallons much faster than anything 20 or larger. Hell even here how many times have the experinced ray keeper had to explain that "No there is no Ray for a 30 gallon." or "No you can't keep your ray small by keeping them in a small tank and not feeding." Remeber while these people are stuburn they at least ask, most just do it.
I do not believe in banning fish for any reason other than they are endangered in the native land, or at least believed to be. If someone has the money and thinks having illegal species is "cool" then they will do it because of the ban and not dispite it.
I do not believe in banning fish for any reason other than they are endangered in the native land, or at least believed to be. If someone has the money and thinks having illegal species is "cool" then they will do it because of the ban and not dispite it.
vladfloroff;3574204; said:
All fish in the hobby (unless you live in the native area) are in fact exotic....Also the average hobbyist is those that still believe in the "goldfish bowl" 1" per gallon "rule" (if that) and the ever classic "fish will grow to the size of their tank".
The Average hobbyist is someone who has a goldfish in a bowl and says "It lived a long time," pauses then says "like 5 years"
The Average hobbyist is someone who thinks a 55gal or even a 20gal is a BIG tank....
The Average hobbyist is a WC once a month two months even more if ever....
This is an exellent source and well worth the read, even though there are articles/books that say bichirs are improper fish to own I still own them because after my own "Noobdays" I learned that the reallity is DO YOUR RESEARCH on even the smallest fish
Technically cats and dogs are exotic. I have 3 cats one dog (more of a white cat that barks and comes when called) and a Grey Parrot but only one pet goes to the exotics vet. However technically you are correct, I just don't think most people see it that way.
As has been said, he gives a good basis for a new aquarist to avoid certain species, he's very overdramatic about lionfish stings though, I've had 9 stings from lions and foxfaces and after the 4th they didn't even bother me anymore, I was sort of surprised not to see foxfaces in that list under that header since their sting was way more painful than the D. zebra or either P. volitans and P. radiata... And where a lion is more likely to spread his fins and back away, a foxface bristles up and freaks out until you stop bothering it, much more likely to inflict a sting.
