RESEARCH PEOPLE!!! PLEASE..

[apriliarider15]

You're posting it on a board where if they have already found this board, they are 3 steps ahead of the person who is wandering around in the store

I would disagree with this thought. Many very well known fish keepers and biologist do not use these forums. There is a ton of misinformation on here and many don't even listen to experienced people telling them why what they are doing is wrong. Then a few weeks later you see a post where their fish died for whatever reason. Some people are on here just to get attention and don't even keep fish.

 

[piggy67]

Anybody thinking about buying a tank/fish/any animal, should do Research first...Its not that hard to start a thread and ask or google....I ask questions all the time, thats how we learn and thats what this site is for(learn before you learn the hard way). Mfk is a great resource for information but if people dont use the resource until theyre lil fish gets eaten by an aligator gar then thats irresponsible. This rant IS in the right place IMO...... This is for the noobs that are researching or the idiots that rescue fish they cant care for or the impulse buyer who needs help figuring out what to do with the cool fish they just bought thats tearing up their tank...A little research goes a long way in avoiding death and problems ppl cant handle.

My point is Research is for even the most advanced hobbiest. Nobody knows everything and information is readily available, all you have to do is research before you cause yourself alot of grief....

 

[Yanbbrox]

"I bought this cute little fishy"," I'm not sure what it is but it swims fast,""Can someone please id it?"
"I rescued this rtc, can i put it in with my crayfish? (meant for drama)....

People, please research before you buy/adopt/rescue fish/inverts/reptiles or any animal. Without proper research you dont know the needs of these fish/animals that you think are "soooo pretty, i have to have it" or " I can take that pretty orange/black fish(Oscar) from you and put it in my 10g, i will feed it 10 times a day and love it and kiss it and hug it."

Please, all your doing is creating a mess for yourself and your pet.It is very noble to rescue animals, IF you have the means and know exactly what you have and can help...not create another problem.. Its very simple to google anything and i mean ANYTHING to find out information before you buy/adopt/rescue.
There are to many irresponsible ppl buying/adopting animals that they simply cant take care of. Alot of these animals end up as invasive species or mistreated because of lack of knowledge on how to properly care for them.
It is a crime to not properly treat your dog/cat for an ilness. To not give them proper shelter/food/water. This crime is called "Animal Cruelty".
Buying a pacu and putting it in a 50g tank is "Animal cruelty". Not keeping your tank/reptile enclosure as clean as you can, is"Animal Cruelty""Nasty algae covered glass and stinking water is" Animal Cruelty".

PLEASE, be responsible and research before you buy/adopt/rescue. If your not willing to give your pets 100% then DONT get them...

I agree totally with you and I know we've not always seen eye to eye in the past but I'll explain below.

I agree, but the problem is 99% of the people who buy their first fish don't know what they are getting into since most of the time its an impulse buy of some sort (coz of their kids etc), or they are going on what the store employee tells them thinking they know best (which is understandable for some one who doesn't know any better)...

So although its easy to say research first, most people new to the hobby don't till its too late or realized they've been given bad info... i know i made that mistake when i first started out keeping fish...

It's safe to say that almost all in the hobby have started out seen a fish at an LFS and been given bad advise. Good post.

I think this is a great site the promotes the great issue of fish welfare in captivity, the problem is where do you draw the line.

LFS are out to make money lets not kid ourselves here, it's a business and if the 'little cute fish' makes them X% profit then 9-10 times they are going to take it.

I've experienced both sides in one conversation that outlines this:

I recently bought a new giant gourami, and was asked on purchase 'what is the size of your tank', followed by 'I'm sorry I had to ask but some people don't understand the size they get'. Minutes later in the conversation we asked for some smaller fish for other tanks and he joked 'how about a TSN?' to which he went on to 'they are really good sellers at small size', so I returned with 'I wonder where they all go when they get too big' and was told 'I've often wondered that too'.

Both sides in one story, there is fish welfare there but at the end of the line is a profit.

Education is the key and this is something that this site is great at, post a redtail cat in a 55 and get shot down in flames, and rightly so, but on the other hand the store that is selling them is also to blame for this. I've seen the hugest tank with the most common missold monsters in it and a public aquarium near myself and used to have a giga in there and it out grew that tank, a tank that is fully stocked with fully grown pacu, redtail cats etc. all that can be bought at a local LFS. I can count on one hand the number of tanks on here that can fully cope with fish of this size, yet every day I see threads like 'my new pacu' or 'RTC growing club' and it is sad to see.

Every time I walk into an LFS and see a RTC for sale I think 'what are you doing' on the other hand there might be a buyer looking for one with a tank that CAN house such a beast and think 'if it was me I'd want it for sale'.

It's a double edge sword.

Who can honestly say that they provide a perfect environment for there fish that totally mimics the wild, neon tetra keepers?, guppy hordes?. I can't, I just do the best for the fish I have. Monster or not.

Before I get shot down in flames, I'm always looking to upgrade everything when the is right.

Happy fish keeping everyone.

 

[knifegill]

RESEARCH PEOPLE!!! PLEASE..

Oh, snap. My bad. I thought it was "Research, people!!!", but now I realize that you actually want me to do research about people. There I go again misreading thread titles. Well, I've discovered they only exist on Earth and tend to be rather violent as a species. J/K, man.

 

[chloe]

Oh, snap. My bad. I thought it was "Research, people!!!", but now I realize that you actually want me to do research about people. There I go again misreading thread titles. Well, I've discovered they only exist on Earth and tend to be rather violent as a species. J/K, man.
[/B]

pppfffttt

sorry i know i shouldnt have laughed on this thread! i blame the above.

 

[knifegill]

Just trying to lighten things up. It is a heavy and relevant topic and I hope it has gotten to someone who needed to see it.

 

[krichardson]

Nice thoughts, but if someone is reading threads on MFK I think it's safe to assume they are doing a little research. You'd be better off printing out your post and going to Petco and stapling it to the foreheads of people looking at the fish displays with a 10g tank and Spongebob ornaments in their shopping cart.

Good points and by the way,I think the street corner remark was meant as something along the lines of someone on a soapbox preaching to who will listen.

 

[Yanbbrox]

Good points and by the way,I think the street corner remark was meant as something along the lines of someone on a soapbox preaching to who will listen.

Fair comment.

 

[Loves severums]

I hate it when i go to fish store i heard people who work there giveing people the wrong info on a fish. And people do it on here some time too. UGGGG!

 

[piggy67]

Good points and by the way,I think the street corner remark was meant as something along the lines of someone on a soapbox preaching to who will listen.

oh, well in that case...LOL....