Fish don't Internet

I would apologize for the clickbait, but I thought it was cute. I wanted to post here in the beginner forum a few things that I've learned in my rather new journey (about a year) into the world of aquariums. Take it or leave it, these are just my experiences

• Fish don't internet. What I mean by this is that people will write black and white rules about this hobby on various sites and defend those rules as law, and you will be ridiculed if you disagree. The problem is, the darn fish don't read these rules. They don't know the rules, so they don't always follow them. There are very few absolutes in this hobby, only some very, very important guidelines.
• People do internet. You definitely should. I'm the weird guy standing in the corner of the fish section of the local pet store staring at his phone while he searches for care guides, compatibility charts, etc. But pay attention to the above - read more and trust more than just one site. On the flip side, distrust more than one site. Look at everything and use your best judgement. Don't be the parent going in with a 3 year old and a 6 year old, buying a 29 gallon tank, and walking out with 3 bags of aquatic life. That tiger oscar, electric blue lobster, and firemouth cichlid look really pretty in their tanks, and their colors might go together really well if you throw them all in together, but...I hope I don't have to describe the but here. Yes, I saw this last weekend. Yes, I spoke with the manager of the store as I was leaving because his employee let that woman do that.
• Bettas aren't the violent killing machines that they're made out to be.
• Neither are angel fish.
• Both of the above can be really mean fish. Both of the above can be very peaceful fish. This is because fish are like people. Not everyone is a jerk, not everyone is nice.
• Fish have personalities. Anyone who says they don't has never kept fish. They recognize you and can communicate with you.
• Fish have bad days. Those two finned besties swimming around today can be fighting tomorrow, then right back to being besties the next day.
• Snails are fun. Too many snails are not.
• The miracle of birth is something everyone should see. With this should come a grasp of the circle of life. That group of 100 tiny baby fish swimming around your tank? They're going to grow up and become adult-sized - most of them. Do you have the right resources to care for 100 more fish? Your tank definitely won't grow even if the inhabitants do.
• Cute little baby fish not only grow, but they grow into "teenagers" before becoming adults. Even if their adult parents are very peaceful, the teenagers can be major jerks. Maybe they're just curious, maybe they haven't learned manners yet, maybe they think they're in a gang - but they will torment your other tank inhabitants and each other to no end.
• Your tank is a closed ecosystem full of life. Your actions directly affect that ecosystem. You are the master of your tank's universe. Remember this.
• Fish poop. They eat, therefore they poop. They poop a lot. They don't have a separate bathroom to go to that will get rid of their waste with one quick flush. You'd get sick if you had to live and eat in a house full of your poop. Clean your fish poop, they'll appreciate it.
• Tiny fish can poop more than larger fish. This is weird, but true.
• Aquariums are fun. Aquariums are frustrating. Aquariums are rewarding. Aquariums are a pain in the...well...
• Surviving is not thriving. You could technically survive in your linen closet, but you'd be one miserable individual. Think about that.

As I said, these are just a few of my personal observations. Some of them won't be true in all scenarios. Some of them will. I'd like to know your thoughts - and see any that you would like to add.

 

I agree with this, great job! Something I'd like to say, don't trust what your fish store says, even if they primarily give true information, they can still make mistakes. You've got to research before you buy(like you said). For example, many that have never kept fish think having a 1 gallon bowl with no filter is fine for several goldfish. They probably haven't researched it. So unfortunately the fish will suffer. Another thing is in aquariums, a qt tank can be a good friend of yours. Always qt fish, otherwise you might regret it. Thanks for sharing this.

 

Absolutely love this post! Resonates deeply with me, and probably many other people in the forum as well. Fishkeeping is such a rewarding hobby. Yes, it can get frustrating at times when you lose a fish, someone is acting up, your parameters are off and you don't know why. But this is also the beautiful part. It makes you have no other choice but do research, read, and learn new things. If you think about it, we've all learned a little about chemistry, biology, and even budgeting at some point

Also, fishkeeping has taught me the importance of PATIENCE! I'm sure i'm not the only one that has unintentionally murdered a fishy or two at the beginning of my journey due to lack of patience. I did learn the hard way that fishless cycles are better, not to buy too many fish at the same time, and that a planted tank won't look like a jungle from one day to the other.

Funny, I totally saw myself when you mentioned the weirdo standing alone in front of a tank at the store for hours on end, just doing research on the phone

 

I cannot love this post hard enough.

 

Well Said!!!

 

Best post I've seen with the most sense! Great for us beginners. Well done

 

Very good post. Its important to know your stuff, and know what you can get away with. There are very few black and white rules in the hobby. Its white, black, and a decent sized gray area. And another +1 for standing in the fish store researching the fish.

 

Lots of common sense wisdom there!

 

Can someone publish this as an article? Lol, this was really good! That about sums up fishkeeping! Good read, I'm glad I read it!

 

Really awesome topic!! Very well written and just the right topics!! Thnx for your time posting it!

 

Excellent post.

 

Thanks y'all. I appreciate the kind words. I could easily double the length of it if I threw in what I learned about plants in a tank.

 

jickey you should do that! I'd probably find it very helpful as I'm pretty much a beginner with plants.

 

jickey dooo it! I need me some plant info too they can't seem to stay alive no matter how much I spend on expensive lights and substrate and ferts

 

Great post!

 

Best and most truthful post I've read on here so far!

 

Love this post. Thank you!