Can I Have A Moan

[tetraqueen]

I read topics as well as give comments and I am a newbie despite being a fishaholic.

I do get distressed reading people including myself making mistake after mistake.

Yes we should research but could there be / or is there a quick glance guide at what not to put with what.

I bought a hill stream loach and that was lethal no-one would take it from me to rescue it either.

Peeps have put goldfish in with Marine fish.

Read recently Danio's with Discus.

Surely like the green and Red stickers fish should be in different sections of the lfs so you do not get mistaken and also what about sizes in a table . Ie plecs loaches balas too big for normal large tanks.



A warning should be out there or am I just moaning for moaning sake and its just stupid folks like me that get stung the money is not the only waste its the thought for the fish and well now I've had a moan my hearts beating as usual again
Mad I know

 

[Neo8223]

1 fish in particular.....

Give you a tip.... 3 words C A E.

The answer to this riddle.... Read this back to front retae aegla esenihC

Massicred 20 fish out of the blue in 1 day.

 

[dwarfgourami]

My local Pets-at-Home actually has signs on the tank, giving adult sizes and if fish are suitable or not for community. One has to assume that, like safety instructions on aeroplanes, nobody bothers to listen; else how would they sell all those bala sharks?
What I would like to see is a sign at the entrance of the shop, saying:

Fish are as diverse as mammals. Are you looking for a hamster or a rhinoceros? Go home and research!

If people only were told this simple fact from the start, they wouldn't dream of buying a fish before they had researched it, any more than you would buy a horse without checking if it needed different treatment or food from your pet cat.

 

[tetraqueen]

1 fish in particular.....

Give you a tip.... 3 words C A E.

The answer to this riddle.... Read this back to front retae aegla esenihC

Massicred 20 fish out of the blue in 1 day.

:n Well will not buy that nor a Pike they eat the signets etc

Guess there has to be a tidy upper

 

[tetraqueen]

My local Pets-at-Home actually has signs on the tank, giving adult sizes and if fish are suitable or not for community. One has to assume that, like safety instructions on aeroplanes, nobody bothers to listen; else how would they sell all those bala sharks?
What I would like to see is a sign at the entrance of the shop, saying:

Fish are as diverse as mammals. Are you looking for a hamster or a rhinoceros? Go home and research!

If people only were told this simple fact from the start, they wouldn't dream of buying a fish before they had researched it, any more than you would buy a horse without checking if it needed different treatment or food from your pet cat.

Yes but when you see little fish its like an acorn to an oak really, well I suspect it is a big seed. Bala's as so tiny when you se them and within a year or so wallap.

However when looking at chlichids there is also agression and other bits like water temperature and currant.


I am interested now but when you start you just want that living picture perfect.

Even after thre- four years a few tanks later I am looking at perhaps not so perfect as I had imagined.

Some guys on here make it all look so easy.

 

[Sysiphus]

Sounds to me like you are at the “right pointâ€￾ to convert from thinking of an aquarium as a “self maintainingâ€￾ system to the fact that we are in constant maintenance. For me, my aquarium is like a garden. You can fiddle with it too much and make a working mess of it, or do too little and it will run amok, but by working with the basics and applying others knowledge (to my specific situation) the aquarium falls into a natural cadence and I am the heart of that beat with water changes, feeding, lighting lives to care for etc. If I falter, everything else will as well and screw-ups compound. The easy part is the maintenance. Nothing abrupt, avoiding system-wide shocks or instability. Sure every once in a while the unexpected happens (especially mechanical), but drop a line here and check out the consensus of opinion - I am always surprised to read someone else has had the exact same situation as I describe. Then enact corrective change without abruptly changing the natural cadence, that is the challenge. You mentioned what I think is the one aspect of aquarium keeping that makes or breaks long term success, “in-habitant selectionâ€￾. YIKES, one of the hardest factors I had to get under control was going to a LFS for one thing, and deciding right there, right then, another would do. This even applies to equipment. The LFS promo of the day is a lottery that probably won’t do in my tank. Even on items like air pumps, I did my reviews, even listened to some in operation and when time came to buy, was seduced to try a stylish design that ultimately was not what I really wanted. Selections on livestock - plants, fish, inverts by impulse; nothing can send your watery world into more long term chaos.

I think in aquarium keeping a community tank is the most difficult. Single species tanks have some advantage in compatibility and knowing the personality, but have you noticed that we do have fish personalities that go outside their “defined descriptionâ€￾? A cory with a territorial nature that borders on aggressive? A normally passive rummy nose that likes to play chicken with the discus and see who will veer off first? Or even that red tail shark that is normally aggressive, but yours could not be more docile?

So watch words are - Plan for success and work your plan.

 

[doresy]

Stickers and signs are only a good idea if people read them. Also, like good advice, people have to take note. We are all a little guilty of only hearing what we want to hear etc.

My little moan......
I was 'doing the rounds' to my many lfs's when I overheard a couple that were having a water test. I could see that, although close, the test colours showed that they were not ready for fish. The lad serving said "I'd give it another week and we'll test again". (Good lad ) I suspect, by the reaction of the customer, that this was by no means their first test. They left the shop muttering something like 'b****y fish shop' My next fish shop (researching eheim externals) I saw the same couple clutching a bag of fish! I was going to say something but the guilty look on their face when they spotted me looking at them was priceless. (Didn't stop them hurridly exiting the shop still clutching their ill gotten gains!) We can only hope

 

[Phishy25]

Sorry to Doresy who has already heard this story today
Last week when I went to my LFS I man with 3 kids purchased a Biorb tank and then asked the assistant for a "nemo for the kids". The assistant tried to explain that that particular fish was marine and wouldn't survive in a fresh water tank and that the biorb was way to small and unsuitable for a marine set up. The man got really arsey and the kids screamed the place down! However the assistant stood is ground (good on him ) and the guy finally left with an orange and white "nemo" goldfish!

 

[doresy]

Sorry to Doresy who has already heard this story today
Last week when I went to my LFS I man with 3 kids purchased a Biorb tank and then asked the assistant for a "nemo for the kids". The assistant tried to explain that that particular fish was marine and wouldn't survive in a fresh water tank and that the biorb was way to small and unsuitable for a marine set up. The man got really arsey and the kids screamed the place down! However the assistant stood is ground (good on him ) and the guy finally left with an orange and white "nemo" goldfish!

That blimin film has a lot to answer for!

 

[LilMuppet]

Our lfs is quite good for standing their ground too, also when you buy fish they normally ask how old your set up is and whether you have certain fish which they would not be able to go with.

The problem lies in part to some people who naively believe that fish are 'easy' to keep, don't do the research and then decide anyone telling them otherwise is fobbing them off just so they can make more money.

 

[Kevinator]

I am a relative beginner with aquariums however, I did my research and asked questions that is why I joined this board! I have made a few mistakes but fortunatly nothing to fatal! I see these people in my local fish store barking at the person that helps them and heading their advise then come back wanting a refund because they didn't listen to them! I wouldn't give a person a refund because they were stupid. This is a serious hobby and lots of money get invested in this. Listen to people who know. Thats my moan!

 

[tetraqueen]

I can understand those children and there is nothing so colourful as marine fish. I also know that the cost of a marine set up not as well as how much more is involved setting them up etc.
It is ignorance but I do find a lot of information could be easier to be had.

Having had this moan i have really enjoyed the fish i have been keeping even if it has not been all ther life but the experience and knowledge gained from my bala's has been good.

It has made me aware of fish having different personalities within a breed also how they assosiate with others how a small delicate fish can put them on tenter hools etc and the diffferent heat settings required.


You learn through mistakes and as long as you act responsibly on them i see no harm but it is costly.

I can understand those children and there is nothing so colourful as marine fish. I also know that the cost of a marine set up not as well as how much more is involved setting them up etc.
It is ignorance but I do find a lot of information could be easier to be had.

Having had this moan i have really enjoyed the fish i have been keeping even if it has not been all ther life but the experience and knowledge gained from my bala's has been good.

It has made me aware of fish having different personalities within a breed also how they assosiate with others how a small delicate fish can put them on tenter hools etc and the diffferent heat settings required.


You learn through mistakes and as long as you act responsibly on them i see no harm but it is costly.

 

[mark7616]

My local Pets-at-Home actually has signs on the tank, giving adult sizes and if fish are suitable or not for community. One has to assume that, like safety instructions on aeroplanes, nobody bothers to listen; else how would they sell all those bala sharks?
What I would like to see is a sign at the entrance of the shop, saying:

Fish are as diverse as mammals. Are you looking for a hamster or a rhinoceros? Go home and research!

If people only were told this simple fact from the start, they wouldn't dream of buying a fish before they had researched it, any more than you would buy a horse without checking if it needed different treatment or food from your pet cat.

Pets at home quiet possibly has to be the worst place in the UK to buy your fish from. Most p@h fish are in a state the staff dont have a clue. And these lables you mention have a good read on them they state that a firemouth can live in a community tank lol give it a go and see what happens.

 

[tetraqueen]

My local Pets-at-Home actually has signs on the tank, giving adult sizes and if fish are suitable or not for community. One has to assume that, like safety instructions on aeroplanes, nobody bothers to listen; else how would they sell all those bala sharks?
What I would like to see is a sign at the entrance of the shop, saying:

Fish are as diverse as mammals. Are you looking for a hamster or a rhinoceros? Go home and research!

If people only were told this simple fact from the start, they wouldn't dream of buying a fish before they had researched it, any more than you would buy a horse without checking if it needed different treatment or food from your pet cat.

Pets at home quiet possibly has to be the worst place in the UK to buy your fish from. Most p@h fish are in a state the staff dont have a clue. And these lables you mention have a good read on them they state that a firemouth can live in a community tank lol give it a go and see what happens.

Thats why it would be good if there was a list here for beginners, even when I posted I got confused information. Pets and home had too many dead fish for me to look at and i have to admit all my bought stock comes from the lfs. I can't see travelling miles to a chain store would be cheaper. as my fish get huge I have not needed any for a long time. The expense is water conditioner and frozen food and oak and algae wafers. So quite reasonable really. Until now when I need a new tank .