.....am I Missing Something

[tenohfive]

Okay, lets hang fire on the flak for comments about young people - OP didn't say all young people, she said "some youngsters." We all know there are a number of young sensible fishkeepers on these forums - the OP clearly isn't referring to them. She's referring to the other ones.

And I think its a numbers game, in answer: parents are often paying and think £30 to setup tank etc isn't too bad. Then they look at the fish and realise that the really pretty ones are expensive, trust their LFS advice (another subject entirely) and when smitten by the more expensive fish they decide to stretch. Its an impulse buy, which most of us have learned is a bad idea with fish unless you know plenty about the fish you're buying.

Personally I kept goldfish in a tiny 35L tank for years, then got into tropical and got my arm twisted into doing some research. Sites like this one opened my eyes, and I look to get peoples experiences on anything I buy these days (be it pets, TV's or cars) rather than trusting advice from the shop or reviews.

 

[markandhisfish]

agreed a lot of poor fish choices are a result of poor advice combined with the old i "must have" . im in a fortunate position of having a fairly large tank and there are lots of fish id love to keep but still cant have so therefore dont buy.

 

[Craster]

Fish are the main reason why people buy aquariums. I can't say I'm surprised that people expect to spend more money on the 'main feature' than on the ancillary equipment.

My frying pan only cost £5 - that's not going to stop me cooking £20 steaks in it.

 

[tenohfive]

Fish are the main reason why people buy aquariums. I can't say I'm surprised that people expect to spend more money on the 'main feature' than on the ancillary equipment.

My frying pan only cost £5 - that's not going to stop me cooking £20 steaks in it.

Very good point, well presented. I think we're all looking at this #### backwards - we started by whatever means, and then came to the conclusion that decent kit is worth spending the money on.

 

[Amunet]

Fish are the main reason why people buy aquariums. I can't say I'm surprised that people expect to spend more money on the 'main feature' than on the ancillary equipment.

My frying pan only cost £5 - that's not going to stop me cooking £20 steaks in it.

Lol, very good point..... I want a nice steak...................


I don't really think the OP was complaining about the actual costs, just more people putting unsuitable fish in wrong size tanks.

 

[youngfisher]

####!
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.........




Now I want a steak.

 

[craig855s]

craziest thing is second hand tanks on ebay go for the same as the cheap tanks from pets at home etc..

I paid £36 for a cheap tank from pets at home (17L) then i had to pay another £20 for heating and lighting

5 weeks later i saw the error of my ways and bought a used tank for £75 (Roma 90 with cabinet,filter,lights and hood,only bit missing was gravel and heater)

And now im watching a 180L tank on ebay that is about to end...so far its up to £60..... And it includes everything

 

[saz326]

Thanks everyone that knows the point Im trying to get at. This topic was origianally started as I had read of a completly unsuitable tank setup with completely unsuitable fish and started thinking about the cause etc.

Indeed it's not about the money, Its about wanting the nicest things but keeping them in nasty/unsuitable/un-researched homes. The image I have in my head (an this is a bit off topic but I think its worth saying) is a 5 Michelin star restaurent meal being put infront of a kid that then asks "can I have ketchup?"........It kinda beats the point of having the great thing in the first place.

(cor - don't I sound snooty)

I'd love to know why there is no restriction preventing these tiny tiny tanks being sold in the likes of Pets at Home. My sister got sold one and has two fish in hers, bit small for my liking but they come much smaller still!

It's one thing getting a small tank as a hospital for sick fish it's another to sell them with pictures of a small shoal of fish on the box.

Your'e entirely right. They have a bit of paper inside them dont they with piccys of fish. Saw one with a chamelion on the oter day - COMPLETELY unsuitable. They even have them in the ARGOS catalogue with the fish tanks. I've often wondered whether the "National Geographic" goldfish tank that you can buy has actually been approved by the company in question. (google it - it's horrid)

To many people care about the money.

Lets get all the managers of p&h and put them in a small tank, see how they like it.

Now now..... Thats just mean. Tattoo and dye them first so at least they are prettyfor each other in their new home.

Okay, lets hang fire on the flak for comments about young people - OP didn't say all young people, she said "some youngsters." We all know there are a number of young sensible fishkeepers on these forums - the OP clearly isn't referring to them. She's referring to the other ones.

And I think its a numbers game, in answer: parents are often paying and think £30 to setup tank etc isn't too bad. Then they look at the fish and realise that the really pretty ones are expensive, trust their LFS advice (another subject entirely) and when smitten by the more expensive fish they decide to stretch. Its an impulse buy, which most of us have learned is a bad idea with fish unless you know plenty about the fish you're buying.

Personally I kept goldfish in a tiny 35L tank for years, then got into tropical and got my arm twisted into doing some research. Sites like this one opened my eyes, and I look to get peoples experiences on anything I buy these days (be it pets, TV's or cars) rather than trusting advice from the shop or reviews.

Indeed its not aimed at all young people - heck we have all been there!. Just sadly it tends only to be the young people who buy smaller tanks (40 or so litre). Its all they can get with their pocket/christmas/easter money for example. Tanks are silly expensive for what they are. If they were cheaper then far more people would have far more swimming space for their fishies.

It is just such a shame that the more colourful fish tend to be the ones that are going to be sensitive to water parameters not being "spot on". Its also a shame that the most interesting looking and sounding fish (e.g. silver shark) have the potential to grow so large and swim so far..and be bullys.

Maybe its a comfort thing. When we buy something we are happy to spend "X" but if we go over that amount we hold back. MAybe £60 for a complete tank etc sounds about right, and because its not breaking the £20 mark we could buy a pair of german rams to go in it - they're pretty.

I dont know. Back to work - have been skiving today.

 

[Craster]

The image I have in my head (an this is a bit off topic but I think its worth saying) is a 5 Michelin star restaurent meal being put infront of a kid that then asks "can I have ketchup?"........It kinda beats the point of having the great thing in the first place.

I disagree. It's like going to a 5-star Michelin restaurant, and not wanting to pay more for car parking at the restaurant than you do for the food. Now experience and research will tell you that unless you pay that extra money for the car parking, your car will end up getting stolen - but to the novice it's reasonable to expect that you'd be spending the most money on the food, which is after all why you're there.

 

[saz326]

The image I have in my head (an this is a bit off topic but I think its worth saying) is a 5 Michelin star restaurent meal being put infront of a kid that then asks "can I have ketchup?"........It kinda beats the point of having the great thing in the first place.

I disagree. It's like going to a 5-star Michelin restaurant, and not wanting to pay more for car parking at the restaurant than you do for the food. Now experience and research will tell you that unless you pay that extra money for the car parking, your car will end up getting stolen - but to the novice it's reasonable to expect that you'd be spending the most money on the food, which is after all why you're there.

..thats better. yup. similee corrected perfectly there. And I like the shifty eyes - I'm not parking near you!

 

[River Dog]

Money money money, thats all it is these days. Also we have all walked past tanks in our lfs and seen the oh so cute Oscar doing the feed me dance at the front of the tank. So the prospective buyer sees a fish with personality and low and behold its only £5.00 and it fits in the newly acquired 35l tank Everyone's happy, the lfs they have now sold a tank and will eventually get the Oscar back a fair bit bigger and sell it on to another unsuspecting noob who hasn't had the good sense to research the hobby before jumping in.


(ps I know every lfs isn't like this)

 

[arobinson1984]

I think my post came across the wrong way.

I know there are plenty of young and experienced fishkeepers, I myself am still fairly inexperienced.

In my post I said lots, not all. There are many young fish keepers who find forums similar to this for research and learn alot about the art of fishkeeping, but there is a lot higher ratio of people who dont find a forum and dont research, believing as curiousity said "it all seems so simple. Tank + Water + Fish + Food"

This also applies to older people as well so I dont want to be seen as saying bad things about young and inexperienced fish keepers as I am one myself

Andy

 

[wullie187]

well this a gd forum but i think a lot of the prob do come big pet shop chains just trying 2 make cash b4 thay kill there stock

now 4 a wee exsampal there the wee boy across the road from me who ive just set a 3ft guppy tank up, as this all he`s been after & the 1 his mum & dad brougt him home tank & ur luky if it held 5L of water & P@H had the cheek 2 sell 6 goldfish 4 it witch all dead so hes got a 3ft 2try & take care off

now another prob is that ppl c big luvly tanks in houses & dont c all the work it gose into them & when the Q? gets ask is there alot of work in them we lie i.e when im ask all i say is clean filters noo & again then give it a water chance so we dont realy go in2 detil as the work we do dosnt bother us

 

[snowflake311]

You live you learn. They don't know any better. They just want enough water to keep that pretty fish they know nothing about. It's like people that buy a border collie for an apartment and only walk it for a few minutes a day then wonder why they dog is so crazy and chews up the shoes.

 

[rewlyn]

cost me $400 aus to set up for my $200 worth of fish