Believe it or not

[mumbles]

hi
i could read alot of stuff on this forum, alot sounds like people repeating what they've heard others say.
so do i believe it or not?
wouldn't i be better going to a website where i can learn facts, rather than by heresay, and thus where do i go on the web for this?
cheers
mumbles

 

[paulioo]

www.google.com
It has everything in the world.

Paul.

 

[mumbles]

ho ho
comedian with the first reply
anyone with an answer other than a search engine?
i've read hundreds of web pages and can only read the same paraphrased sentences so many times...
but does anyone on here know any science? fish behaviour studies? something beyond 'aren't bettas cute?'
cheers
mumbles

 

[gadazobe]

Hi mumbles,
You suprise me with your thoughts. We have over 7250 members on this forum, between us we have been keeping practically every type of fish there is for 1000's of years. Surely we must have learned something along the way?
I can assure you that the advice given on this forum is from personal experience from experienced fish keepers. IMO personal experience beats cold facts every time.

 

[Aquascaper]

hi
i could read alot of stuff on this forum, alot sounds like people repeating what they've heard others say.
so do i believe it or not?
wouldn't i be better going to a website where i can learn facts, rather than by heresay, and thus where do i go on the web for this?
cheers
mumbles

I think you'll find that most people learn by listening to what others say and then acting on it, if it works they then pass that information on.

If you go to a website to 'get facts' surely that website has been produced by someone who at some point in their life has been told that information by another person or read it in a book or seen it on another website produced by someone else who in turn has heard it or seen it somewhere else again?

Plus i would mention that the vast majority of people here see fish keeping as more than just a hobby. This is one of the best forums around run by, and populated by people who care about the wellbeing of their fish.

I personally would trust the word of someone on this forum rather than somebody who has done a thesis on a fish but has probably never tried to keep one alive in an artificial environment ie. fish tank.

Who do you trust?

 

[Aquascaper]

does anyone on here know any science? fish behaviour studies?

Why would you want to know how a fish acts in it's natural environment more than how it acts in a fish tank?

 

[clutterydrawer]

many many aspects of fishkeeping involve at least some science...so yes, yes we do "know science".

 

[mumbles]

hi
i'm sure you're right, i guess its just an issue for me as i come from an environment where everything has to be evidence based, if you do it, prove it first type thing. i guess i want to dip into the evidence base, ie, who was keeping fish thousands of years ago, sounds an interesting read? can you provide any references for historic fish keepers?
i must say though that i have learnt alot on this forum, i'm just still not sure of whats what however, a case of sorting the wheat from the chaff?
regards
mumbles

 

[gadazobe]

Actually, we do know science - we know about cycling a tank and the different chemicals it produces. We also know about fish compatability - what fish are suitable together and what size tank they should have. We know how to stop your fish from getting diseases and we can also help you to cure them if you don't take our advice. We also know how much lighting you'll need if you want a planted tank. Is that enough or is there anything else you think we should know.

 

[mumbles]

does anyone on here know any science? fish behaviour studies?

Why would you want to know how a fish acts in it's natural environment more than how it acts in a fish tank?

i want comparisons, do fish in tanks exhibit the same, similar or different behaviour in tanks compared to the wild, and if so, how can we facilitate the most natural environment and thus the most natural behaviour?
regards
mumbles

 

[mumbles]

hi
to be honest it seems that most people replying are poeple whos views i would read and respect so sorry if i've offended, i'm just making my first post and i'm playing devils advocate
tanks for the replies,
speak soon
mumbles

 

[gadazobe]

how can we facilitate the most natural environment

Most wild bettas live a solitary life in a mud pond waiting for a female to pass by. Plecs live at the bottom of muddy rivers in South America. African cichlids live in the clear waters of lake Malawi, or Victoria etc.
Don't forget that most of the tropical fish that we keep have been farm bred for that purpose - being kept in a tank. In fact most of them would surely perish if let loose into the wild. There are also many people that won't keep wild fish for the very fact that they are wild. What we try to do is give fish the optimum requirements to enable them to live happily and healthily in our tanks.

 

[Aquascaper]

My advice would be to try for yourself. If you come across problems post a thread and see what advice people give. If the advice is the same then it must be correct?

As gadazobe pointed out, most tank fish are not wild and therefore to study them for any natural characteristics would be a pointless excercise. For example angels & neons - in nature neons are the angels natural prey but many aquarists have and do keep these two species together without incident. A scientist would tell you that is impossible but we do it in reality

 

[tuffers]

well said, I have learnt loads on this forum and use it rather than searching on a search engine, people are very experienced in keeping fish and have offered loads of advice.

 

[Wyld-Fyre]

I'd like to also make a suggestion. As a person who also enjoys the biological/scientific reasoning of things, have you ever considered conducting an experiment yourself?

One tank can be your 'control'
The second tank what you think is best for the fish/es
The third tank what you've read in texts
The fourth tank, what TFF members have suggested

If you're purely of a scientific mind, then I'd like you give this a go. Otherwise, all I can say is don't read too much into books, when personal (TFF) experiences may count for better.