I give up

[esoxlucius]

I could feel my wife's gaze on me, as she wondered what I was about to say.

Lol, this is exactly where myself and the wife are at now. Her friend comes round, she starts talking fish stuff, and then my wife starts casually shifting her gaze to me, just to see when I'm going to bite, lol.

And of course, most of the time, I oblige right on cue, lol.

I tell you, I'm a chilled out kinda guy, but this type of stuff just gets me all twitchy, lol.

 

[FINWIN]

True, but I've only ever had one success in helping someone set up a tank. Friend I met during college orientation. Just so happened he was also into fish and wanted to set up his first tank. I send him an Amazon list of the usual stuff I buy (the cheap and good stuff), and I'm pleasantly surprised when he sends me a picture of his tank with all of the equipment I told him to get on/in it. He is now up to 5 tanks, most with fish, plants, and equipment I recommended.

But he was one in dozens I have tried to help, dozens who unlike him refused to listen. At the very least, while unfortunately at the expense of the fish, they usually learn the hard way why they should've listened to me.

Honestly I think some of these people are just casuals who regard fish as decorations or a fad. That's why you get the bizarre choices of fish and wrong housing. They play at being fishkeepers but don't want to put in the work or attention.

Jerks will be twerks.

 

[Hybridfish7]

goldfish...and a pair of small angelfish...and a pleco...and a tiny Oscar.

Was it a 125 too? I don't know what draws people to the goldfish/pleco/angel/oscar thing. I've seen it far more than one too many times. It's always in a 125 too. How are you gonna buy a $1000 tank and pull this sh*t?

 

[jjohnwm]

No, it's about 70-ish gallons. I found a number of this size on sale locally for a terrific price recently, and when I bought a few for myself her husband asked me to get one more for him and his wife...so I am partially responsible for this particular travesty of fish-keeping.

 

[Hybridfish7]

Lol, this is exactly where myself and the wife are at now. Her friend comes round, she starts talking fish stuff, and then my wife starts casually shifting her gaze to me, just to see when I'm going to bite, lol.

And of course, most of the time, I oblige right on cue, lol.

I tell you, I'm a chilled out kinda guy, but this type of stuff just gets me all twitchy, lol.

Just one of many things people will say in this hobby that gets your blood boiling. My uncle recently made friends with one of his coworkers, so I see said coworker at my uncle's house a good amount. It just so happens that coworker has a son who is also into fish. Of course my dad and uncle tell them to talk to me, and I'm talking to the coworker, answering his questions as to how many tanks and fish I have, the usual... only for him to say: "you're just like my son!!" NO! I have come too far and been at this too long to be compared to a 12 year old in a way that implies I'm the one taking after him.

I could be overthinking that one, and I know what he meant by saying that, but imo could've been worded a bit differently. Albeit the kid is better off than most 12 year olds who are into fish... He's got a couple tanks, and his uncle happens to be a local guy who breeds plecos... Subsequently resulting in his first tank or breeding project (I can't remember which one it was) being a colony of L397s. You get what I mean though, right?

 

[Hybridfish7]

No, it's about 70-ish gallons. I found a number of this size on sale locally for a terrific price recently, and when I bought a few for myself her husband asked me to get one more for him and his wife...so I am partially responsible for this particular travesty of fish-keeping.

Shame. It was a sacrifice that had to be made I guess. Maybe when they give up on it they'll dump it on you

 

[jjohnwm]

Shame. It was a sacrifice that had to be made I guess. Maybe when they give up on it they'll dump it on you

It didn't have to be made; I foolishly made the choice to assist them!

I accepted the initial batch of goldfish a bit diffidently; I had room for them outside, and she even hinted that they could be used as feeders without upsetting her delicate sensibilities. I've come to quite like them.

But I get the impression that she thinks she can buy whatever fish strike her fancy, and when she becomes bored with them that I will somehow feel an obligation to adopt them. For crying out loud; I quarantine new fish for longer periods of time than she actually kept these!

But...if I don't take them...I am half-expecting to see them swimming around in the big drainage ditch that runs alongside the country road on which our homes are situated.

 

[Fallen_Leaves16]

Just one of many things people will say in this hobby that gets your blood boiling. My uncle recently made friends with one of his coworkers, so I see said coworker at my uncle's house a good amount. It just so happens that coworker has a son who is also into fish. Of course my dad and uncle tell them to talk to me, and I'm talking to the coworker, answering his questions as to how many tanks and fish I have, the usual... only for him to say: "you're just like my son!!" NO! I have come too far and been at this too long to be compared to a 12 year old in a way that implies I'm the one taking after him.

I could be overthinking that one, and I know what he meant by saying that, but imo could've been worded a bit differently. Albeit the kid is better off than most 12 year olds who are into fish... He's got a couple tanks, and his uncle happens to be a local guy who breeds plecos... Subsequently resulting in his first tank or breeding project (I can't remember which one it was) being a colony of L397s. You get what I mean though, right?

One of the things I find rather disheartening about this hobby, is that anyone with money, space, and time can essentially turn into a "skilled" fishkeeper overnight- that one rich twit down the road that everyone seems to know can one day buy himself a massive 800G, stock it with a couple expensive fish, run a state-of-the-art filter and whatever other fancy equipment on it, proclaim to the world of their new setup, and get hailed a hero and expert for their financial decisions. Really undermines the years of work a guy can pour into caring for obscure species without getting much recognition outside a small circle of fellow said-obscure-fish enjoyers. I think I recall a story from somewhere, where a kid had spent his savings on a pair of plecos; leopard frogs, I think they were; and the kid spent years growing them out and trying to spawn them to sell the fry, but one day some rich guy buys a colony and crashes the local market for them within a year. Might be rather selfish on my part, but it just doesn't sit right with me that somehow any idiot with a ton of spendable money can just go gallivanting right past the struggles of those less fortunate, and land themselves firmly at the top of the hierarchy just because of that.
...Then again, at this point I'm just ranting about the flaws of modern economy.

 

[Hybridfish7]

One of the things I find rather disheartening about this hobby, is that anyone with money, space, and time can essentially turn into a "skilled" fishkeeper overnight- that one rich twit down the road that everyone seems to know can one day buy himself a massive 800G, stock it with a couple expensive fish, run a state-of-the-art filter and whatever other fancy equipment on it, proclaim to the world of their new setup, and get hailed a hero and expert for their financial decisions. Really undermines the years of work a guy can pour into caring for obscure species without getting much recognition outside a small circle of fellow said-obscure-fish enjoyers. I think I recall a story from somewhere, where a kid had spent his savings on a pair of plecos; leopard frogs, I think they were; and the kid spent years growing them out and trying to spawn them to sell the fry, but one day some rich guy buys a colony and crashes the local market for them within a year. Might be rather selfish on my part, but it just doesn't sit right with me that somehow any idiot with a ton of spendable money can just go gallivanting right past the struggles of those less fortunate, and land themselves firmly at the top of the hierarchy just because of that.
...Then again, at this point I'm just ranting about the flaws of modern economy.

I saw a guy buy an 8 foot acrylic tank yesterday only to fill it with dry rock and random male haps. I know it's not exactly what you were getting at but... yknow

 

[Joshuakahan]

You will never catch me helping new fishkeepers again. There is no point in wasting my time if they are not going to listen. I made the mistake of trying reddit again, found this one person asking for advice on stocking a 75, I suggested a colony of EITHER one species of amatitlania or one species of thorichthys as I usually do, and a couple of smaller fish to go with either. They decide to go with this, and I answer more of their questions. I check back today... They got the convict... One convict... And one firemouth... And tiger barbs, a random mbuna, a peacock, and a like 6" sun cat. Why do I even bother?

He was probably told by a PetSmart employee that it was ok. Overhearing the advise those morons give makes throw up in my mouth