Responsible Fish Keeper?

[Otto_VonBacon]

I'm missing the first half of school right now because I woke to find my Yellow Tang and Flame Hawkfish dead. We just siliconed the top middle glass beam back on but we drained about 30% and sealed the whole thing with plastic so it was impossible to get silicone in the tank. I tested the water and it was all fine. We filled the tank back up to difuse whatever it was that killed them. Hopefully it will all work out.

 

[craig_uk]

I take it you aren't in gainful employment?

If i mentioned to any of my employers that my fish were sick and i wouldn't be in work that morning, i'd be on a permenant holiday.

Dont get me wrong, if my electrics blew or a tank cracked, i imagine i'd be fine to take a few hours off to fix the problem (to save my house more then the fish)

And, im afraid the rarity of the species doesn't come into it. I keep some of the very few confirmed examples of regional varients of Heros and Geophagus in the country (not rare in the wild by any means, but very rare in the hobby over here) and my bosses wouldn't give a sugary sh*t what they are, for 8 hours a day, im his. ;-)

Craggy

 

[MadRussian79]

Make damn sure your boss values you and you are damn good at your job, problem solved. If I need to wonder off for a few hours to fix something all I have to do is tell my boss and as long as I don't make a habit of it I'm fine. I'll grant that most bosses may not grasp the significance of fish to a hobbyist but hey that's why we have sick days. I have to admit I have not had to actually use them for this yet.

I take it you aren't in gainful employment?

Biomedical engineer medical devices. Lets see your cards now.

Go with 2 if you have your back against the wall.

 

[MonsterMinis]

Go with 2 if you have your back against the wall.

can't agree more. Most employers I've had where animal people themselves. I have had a few "emergencies" the horse one was my biggest pet related one ever.

being gainfully employed has nothing to do with it. having and "emergency" every week sure, I'de can my butt too. But an honest to goodness emergency. All my employers knew how important my fish/pets where. lol it was all I would talk about!

#2 always if it's a life or death situation
#1 if i's not major. like another suggested, QT, treat, go to work.

having pets is a responsibility, not too un-like having children. It's a life. personally I'de let the house burn down if I was able to get my pets out safe. wood beams, drywall, ect is all replaceable w/ something called money. which you can get by working. You wouldn't leave your family in the house.. why would you leave your pets? even though at some point we've all thought maybe leaveing the family members in the house would make life a lil' bit easier for a few moments.

yes some pets are replaceable, others not. But I can't justify letting an animal die, so my boss wouldn't get mad at me.

 

[Eupterus]

I think if you have endangered/extinct animals in your care it's a responsibility.
If you can't fill it, then you need to at least attempt to find the critter)s) a new home. If you can't. well then you just have to do your best.

 

[ShadowStryder]

Your job vocation makes all the difference. If your profession involves the care or saving
of a human life, then the human life therefore becomes the priority. When your profession
calls apon you at uncertain times it is your responsibility to have go, thus you should have
something in place. But there will always be times when we can't/don't have a backup plan.

 

[Otolith]

I'm missing the first half of school right now because I woke to find my Yellow Tang and Flame Hawkfish dead. We just siliconed the top middle glass beam back on but we drained about 30% and sealed the whole thing with plastic so it was impossible to get silicone in the tank. I tested the water and it was all fine. We filled the tank back up to difuse whatever it was that killed them. Hopefully it will all work out.

Ah man that sucks! Maybe the fumes of it curing got to them

 

[navykorman]

rare does play a factor in this, lets say china has the last pair of panda on the world, all eyes would be on china, and what if china said , "we dont have time to deal with pandas right now, now where were we, ahh, law number 123..."


Honestly if you have this rare specie in your possesion there should already be guide lines set on what to do in case of emergencys. So in this case its pointless to even be asking? Not thats any of my bussiness but usually you have to have permits to keep this type of rare specie.
But I understand your feelings on this you just have to tell your boss that you have a family emergency come up. I told my boss that one of my fish at my parents house died and the tank needed a water change and remind you this is 146 miles away... i took the day off and went home and changed it. I love my fish and they are like dogs to me. And i would do anything for them in resonable effort. Just dont make it a weekly habbit and your boss should understand

 

[Toby_H]

imagine this scenario : you have some very valuable( or perhaps, extinct in the wild already) fish at home, fish that some common folks would just dream of keeping, or for that matter, dream of seeing one alive. you know the fish arent doing so well, but you have to go to work/school

the following are two viewpoints that i was told:
1. work is work. play is play. Fish keeping is just a hobby. I can't get off work to save some precious life.

2. saving precious life is very important. especially when that one individual life can affect the continuation of that specie. I know i can't get off work/school right now, but at least, as responsible as i could, i appointed someone who could rescue/safe (or at least attempt to) the fish

Who is a more responsible fish keeper ? ( 1 or 2? ) Is it morally right to just let a valuable life perish in vain ? Isn't it better to at least attempt a rescue? please explain
I personally stand on the side of number 2. but i would love to hear from all of you guys' opinion

I think it is irresponsible to keep such a rare fish as a "pet"... and if it is being used as a breeding project it has dollar values attached to it that need to be considered...


The "responsible fish keeper" would be the guy (or gal) who catches issues at their infancy and do not wake up to catastrophies...

But has a back up plan arranged for those unexpected situations.


I don't think it is being a responsible adult to be skipping work or school to dabble in your hobby...


To me this situation sonds like a set up for a kid to convince his parents he should stay home from school to play with his fish... though I accept I may be wrong...

 

[oscarcrazy]

I'd really like to know what this "super rare fish only being kept alive by the hobby" is. Also, if you are not able to take care of the animal properly and care for its needs than you probably shouldn't have it. Most job have sick time and personal leave days taht you could apply to taking care of a pet. I wouldn't be so paranoid as to put a webcam 24/7 on any of my tanks. Just keep an eye on your fish and notice changes. Many "sudden" fatalities could have been spotted days or weeks before.