Upset wi/ a student

[fcmonroe]

I teach (high school) and I have a couple students who have aquariums at home. One of the girls told me that she needed to go buy a new pleco today. (Theirs disappeared.) She said that usually when the pleco gets too big for their tank, they throw it in the lake and go buy a smaller one.

Sounds like a great way to develop a breeding population of plecos in your lake, doesn't it? I tried to explain that throwing the plecos in the lake is a BAD thing, and that this is going to wreck the ecosystem. (I live in Central Florida, so the whole arguement is probably moot, but I felt I needed to try.) This went over her head, and pretty much over the entire classes heads!! I'm teaching the IB (sort of like AP) chemistry seniors, so you would think they would know better.

Thanks for listening to me vent. I've been steaming over this and some other idiocy by the administration at our school all day. I just can't believe how stupid some people are!

Of course, they think I'm the monster because I said you either:
1. Get a bigger tank and keep the fish.
2. Trade it in a the LPS. (We don't have a LFS)
3. Euthanize the fish!!

I did tell her to look for a pleco that doesn't get so large, but that concept seemed foreign to her as well.

Idiots!

Frances

 

[jconley]

I manage a LFS and I know how you feel.....believe me! Many of my customers are like your students lol.

 

[cichlaguapote]

Wow weird coming from a teacher. And yeah the idea seems simple enough. Kids!

 

[rallysman]

Sounds like she just earned a failing grade


Welcome to MFK by the way

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

Im also a teacher (k/1 combo) and can understand why your nerves are being worked.

If its at all possible, one idea I had was to setup a native only tank, letting the students gets attached and care for it. Once they are attached to it bring in a HUGE pleco and have a discussion about what could happen if you introduced the pleco into the tank. i.e - disease, less room, etc. Perhaps then the studets might get it? Just a thought...

Remember you can only help those who want to be helped and want to learn, hope it all works out!!!

 

[jconley]

I dunno...sounds like an "A" for idiocy . To me, thats just common sense . I remember one summer when I caught a 13" Albino Oscar while LM bass fishing in the Potomac River! Man was I pissed! It WAS one of the nicest Oscars I' ve ever kept though .....

 

[Cohazard]

Many of my customers are like your students lol.

And the responsible aquarists pay for the consequences.

 

[jconley]

Exactly.

 

[DeLgAdO]

Sounds like she just earned a failing grade


Welcome to MFK by the way

 

[milkman407]

If its a normal pleco than no one can do anything about it. Normal plecos are all over floridas waters. I dont know if they are native here, but they are now. Every spring i've been to has plecos, every lake I fish at I've cought/seen plecos. My pond behind my house has a pleco in it. People just dont understand that even though a pleco dident screw with the cycle of life some fish will.