Getting Sick Of This

Sorry guys I need to rant for a minute

I used to be a very active member on fishlore but I took a break for a few months. Recently I have taken it up again.
Maybe it's just me but fishlore seems just a little ruder and more arrogant than it used to be. Maybe I'm just unlucky in the threads I'm reading or maybe a couple of members have joined that ruin it for others. But in most threads I'm seeing lots of comments just nitpicking at other people's advice when it is unnecessary. What may just be constructive criticism is being presented in an attacking manner. New members can't seem to join the forum and talk about their tanks without being told they have stocking issues or have to upgrade.

I hope we can remember that the reason most of us joined fishlore was to get help with our fishtanks and help others with theirs. Nobody here gets paid to sort out everyone else's tank, we're here because we love fish.
I don't like coming on to fishlore -a place I think is usually so welcoming and knowledgeable about fish- just to see people pointing out human mistakes, patronizing newer members and finding the faults in everything.

I must say I have always found fishlore to be more reliable and friendly than other forums which is why I joined in the first place. When members are answering a question 90% of the time they offer good information I just feel that comments are becoming more passive aggressive. Maybe I've just got grumpier lol

I realise that for every negative and disheartening post there are 10 other helpful and supportive ones, but lately it has been getting me down -especially when they are directed at specific people.

Anyway rant over. Thanks

 

Sorry guys I need to rant for a minute

I used to be a very active member on fishlore but I took a break for a few months. Recently I have taken it up again.
Maybe it's just me but fishlore seems just a little ruder and more arrogant than it used to be. Maybe I'm just unlucky in the threads I'm reading or maybe a couple of members have joined that ruin it for others. But in most threads I'm seeing lots of comments just nitpicking at other people's advice when it is unnecessary. What may just be constructive criticism is being presented in an attacking manner. New members can't seem to join the forum and talk about their tanks without being told they have stocking issues or have to upgrade.

I hope we can remember that the reason most of us joined fishlore was to get help with our fishtanks and help others with theirs. Nobody here gets paid to sort out everyone else's tank, we're here because we love fish.
I don't like coming on to fishlore -a place I think is usually so welcoming and knowledgeable about fish- just to see people pointing out human mistakes, patronizing newer members and finding the faults in everything.

I realise that for every negative and disheartening post there are 10 other helpful and supportive ones, but lately it has been getting me down -especially when they are directed at specific people.

Anyway rant over. Thanks

Over the years, I've seen the rudeness in cycles. There's always a few people who are just tone deaf or have online anger issues. They get kicked out at some point, some sooner than others. I've seen people kicked out on the first or second day. When I run into them, I see if they're consistently awful, and then I just ignore them. And then yes, they just disappear eventually.

 

I try my best to stay calm with stocking issues and small tanks. Many people on here are very polite and do ask "Would you like to discuss your stocking issues?" I do totally get it though, I was asking how many more guppys I could get and noted my stocking issues of my 20 gallon. Instead I just get more hate on how bad my issue is. I was never told how many more and I was left by myself to figure it out.
BUT! Lets keep in mind to those that are helpful and do reply with useful none repeated info with in moments of being posted. I have my favorites on here who are the best helpers! We need a thread to appreciate someone who has walked us through step by step of a issue takeing their own time. We aren't paid to be on here ( I think admins aren't either?) Its just the fish community coming together and trying to be helpful. I'm done preaching..... for now.

 

Sorry guys I need to rant for a minute

I used to be a very active member on fishlore but I took a break for a few months. Recently I have taken it up again.
Maybe it's just me but fishlore seems just a little ruder and more arrogant than it used to be. Maybe I'm just unlucky in the threads I'm reading or maybe a couple of members have joined that ruin it for others. But in most threads I'm seeing lots of comments just nitpicking at other people's advice when it is unnecessary. What may just be constructive criticism is being presented in an attacking manner. New members can't seem to join the forum and talk about their tanks without being told they have stocking issues or have to upgrade.

I hope we can remember that the reason most of us joined fishlore was to get help with our fishtanks and help others with theirs. Nobody here gets paid to sort out everyone else's tank, we're here because we love fish.
I don't like coming on to fishlore -a place I think is usually so welcoming and knowledgeable about fish- just to see people pointing out human mistakes, patronizing newer members and finding the faults in everything.

I must say I have always found fishlore to be more reliable and friendly than other forums which is why I joined in the first place. When members are answering a question 90% of the time they offer good information I just feel that comments are becoming more passive aggressive. Maybe I've just got grumpier lol

I realise that for every negative and disheartening post there are 10 other helpful and supportive ones, but lately it has been getting me down -especially when they are directed at specific people.

Anyway rant over. Thanks

Yes! I agree with you. I have only been a member for almost 3 months now, and while I have learned a lot, I definitely don't know everything!

You actually helped me out the other day on a thread I posted asking about schooling fish. The person who answered me first wasn't very polite, and I was just asking a question to learn something I didn't know. I really appreciated the conversation you had with me, and I learned about some issues in my tank that I now will be able to avoid in the future.

I get that people may get frustrated, but everyone should remember that we were all new fishkeepers once!

 

Hi!! It's nice to see you back.
Please, if you something that might be rude please report it. We try to catch rude comments but members can help by bringing them to our attention.

We want to keep the forum a welcoming place for all levels of experience.

PatientStars thank you for sharing that and BottomDweller thank you helping in a patient and polite manner.
It makes a huge difference as to whether advice is followed or ignored.

 

Maybe we should have an unofficial rule. Everyone should ask, "Would you like to discuss your stocking(or other) issues?" before explaining anything that is wrong. Sometimes members, myself included, get a little off the topic of the thread by discussing issues that the OP might not even want to talk about.

For example, I have a 10 gallon betta sorority. Every time I post about my sorority, I get people telling me that I need to upgrade and someday something will go wrong. And every time I have to explain that I am fully prepared to handle things if something goes wrong, and that I've done my research and am experienced in the hobby. It gets a little annoying sometimes, and I can understand why you're frustrated BottomDweller

 

We aren't paid to be on here ( I think admins aren't either?)

You are right, just like you, we are strictly voluntary.

 

Yeah, I agree with this. When I first came on, it was to try and figure out what to do with my common goldfish, who I had previously been mistreating and not taking care of properly at all. Granted, when I came on she was in a 60, but everyone was really kind to me and sharing their own mistakes to make me feel better, and it really made me feel welcome.
On the flip side, there was a post a few weeks ago and long story short I think someone took in a tank that hadn't been cared for at all for two years, and wanted to know how to take care of it. Someone responded they had better euthanize every fish in there since they obviously couldn't be bothered to take care of the fish and wouldn't be able to find homes for them.
I know that comment was reported, but still.
Oh, and a member told someone asking for axolotl advice that a 10 gallon was fine, and cited a source, so I pointed out that an axolotl gets much larger than the width of the tank as well as larger than half the length. I did say that was cruel in my opinion, which may have been the inciting factor. The person then responded by calling me a bunch of names insulting my intelligence, and a mod had to delete their comment, so they responded by still calling me names and stating the mods were being oversensitive.
I still think this website it a great wealth of information, and I really think the thing that poses the greatest resistance to welcoming people is stocking issues.
Also, one thing about the stocking issues is most people will see something on here, like cories (even dwarfs) need a 20 gallon, and will fight with someone else who has, say a 15, despite them never owning a Cory or knowing their activity level or anything. I'm not saying this is an escuse to stuff an Oscar in a 40 or something, but I've seen the difference of a few gallons create page after page of arguments.
I also think it's kind of a shame because it creates a lot of unnecessary work for the mods.
Lol, now you have me ranting!
Edit: and here I am talking like I've been on here for years, it's only been a few months I think.

 

I understand what you mean, but I actually think it used to be a lot worse in regards to stocking debates. It was so bad that I almost quit. Every other thread seemed to get derailed over it, not so long ago it seemed.

 

I really do understand what you are saying and have seen it too but fortunately the disruptive ones usually don't stick around long. When I see someone that has been a member for a month or 2 and already have hundreds or maybe thousands of posts I have to question the content of those posts. Often I find they are one sentence posts without much content. Those posters don't usually stick around long. Or they will repeat what the problem is but offer no answers as to how to fix it. The OP usually already knows what the problem is....they are looking for answers.

I have been on several different forums and in all that time have never put anyone on ignore but have been tempted quite a few times lately. The problem with doing that though....If we were to all do that then the ones trying to shame new members would have free reign since there would be no one to counteract the bad information being posted.

I just try to answer the questions to the best of my ability and hope the OP will be able to get the answers they are searching for, weed through all the differing answers and will know to research the questionable ones. I see too many opinions stated as fact so try to let folks know that it is just my opinion and freely admit that I could be wrong. Some folks lately can't admit that

I guess my biggest problem is the lack of reading comprehension though. I have seen a new poster asking for help. They give most of the information necessary to help them with their problem and inevitably someone will ask questions that were answered in the OP. It seems to me like they want to be the first to answer the question without taking the time to understand the question to begin with.

I also see a lot of what seems to me like the blind leading the blind and I am thankful there are those of y'all that really know this hobby are there to help all of us see the light. I have learned so much during my time here and still learn new things every day thanks to all of those that were here before me and continue sharing their knowledge with every one here. Without all of y'all this would be just another failed forum. So just pat yourself on the back for a job well done and keep on helping while trying not to get too discouraged.