What Does Your Other Half Think About Your Fish?

[Lizzie71]

I am new to the hobby and am starting with one very small tank. But as you all know, it's an addictive hobby and I'm already making plans for a bigger one I suggested to my husband that he might buy it for my birthday (in 2 months time) but he is strongly opposed to getting another tank.

Does anyone else have trouble convincing other family members to allow fish in the house? I know some of you have several tanks so some of you must have understanding partners!

Any ideas how to convince him?

 

[Darkstar]

I have the same problem...still yet to find a solution.

The missus when she wants something tends to use the 'no sex again then?' line....it works too, I always end up giving in.

 

[ShoC]

I just buy it and thats that =)

 

[omega59]

Shoc that is my aproach too hahaha
just take it home and everyone will fall in love with them then they can't say no!
`

 

[STD]

My wife would love to see the back of the tanks

Shame is she has to see the front

 

[dwarfgourami]

I suppose my husband's attitude can best be described as one of kindly indifference. The children, unfortunately, have much stronger feelings on the subject...

 

[CFC]

You're a woman, i'm sure you have a way of getting what you want out of your hubby.

 

[arvlyn]

I'm lucky in that my husband supports my "fish habit" as he calls it. He doesn't do anything to help with the care or anything but he doesn't mind that they're here. He'd take the aquariums over the dog, cat, turtles or rabbit any day.

 

[angelmouse]

trying to get my hubby to make a rack to hold my tanks so they will all be in one room cause he hates haveing tanks all round the house, but he dosent like my fish and resents the time i spend on them so most waterchanges are done when he goes to bed.
i do plea bargins most of the time, new bit for your bike, new bit for my tank, works most of the time
( oh and hiding the electricity bill is a good idea if you have afew tanks)
Angel

 

[Underwurlde]

I have been married for only 8 years & we have 2 kids together. The rules for a successful marriage are simple: truth, honesty, respect. We allow each other breathing space (anyone with kids will know this) and the absolute necessity to be able to do our own thing. My wife has her horses, running and her art business, I have my fish, aikido - the PC is for both of us: Why would I want to stand in the way of what she wants to do in life & like wise why would she stand in the way of what I want. Granted the kids come first (of course) and If we havn't got it then we don't sodding well spend it, but apart from that, the golden rule is: You only live once so live it!

OK, granted, if you obscessed with your hobby and your other half is worried that it is effecting your relationship, then so be it, he may have a point - he is only worried, but if you feel you are not (ask him?) and you are not busting the bank, ignoring the kids (if any) etc, then he may, just may, be being selfish....

Andy

 

[GRJ]

I drag my partner to the lfs's with me! We started with one 3ft community tank and now have a african cichlid tank and a small fry tank! He didnt want any more tanks but i just kept telling him how much i wanted another and in the end he relented! I think he just wanted a quiet life!LOL! But, you are right, it is very addictive and i have to stop myself when going into any LFS! Its i think if you get your partner involved, eventually they too will start to feel the same way! Crafty huh! GRJ

 

[divisible by zero]

the last 2 tanks i brought home, she just shook her head, but being that they were both free and found on the side of the road, she can't complain about the $. I'm probably in a different situaltion though, it's my house and she just moved in with me 4 months ago, so we're still in the 'do as you please' stage. But she and her son both enjoy the tanks and spend as much time as i do in front of them.

 

[dwarfgourami]

I have been married for only 8 years & we have 2 kids together. The rules for a successful marriage are simple: truth, honesty, respect. We allow each other breathing space (anyone with kids will know this) and the absolute necessity to be able to do our own thing. My wife has her horses, running and her art business, I have my fish, aikido - the PC is for both of us: Why would I want to stand in the way of what she wants to do in life & like wise why would she stand in the way of what I want. Granted the kids come first (of course) and If we havn't got it then we don't sodding well spend it, but apart from that, the golden rule is: You only live once so live it!

OK, granted, if you obscessed with your hobby and your other half is worried that it is effecting your relationship, then so be it, he may have a point - he is only worried, but if you feel you are not (ask him?) and you are not busting the bank, ignoring the kids (if any) etc, then he may, just may, be being selfish....

Andy

There is another possible scenario, namely where money is tight, so that every purchase has to be justified, because anything one person wants to do has to come out of what the other person wants to do. Sometimes I do find myself in the situation where I worry that my fish hobby is selfish because the money could be used to make life easier for our disabled daughter- and I can't help noticing that my husband doesn't spend much money at all on himself (I couldn't afford the fish if he did). So kindly indifference probably translates as supreme unselfishness....

 

[The-Wolf]

What Does Your Other Half Think About Your Fish?

I'm a singularity, so I don't have one

 

[Lizzie71]

I have been married for 12 years and we have two kids. It was my son who first wanted to get the fish, and he is enjoying looking after them too. My daughter isn't too interested, but she's 4 so there's plenty of time.

My husband comes from a family of animal haters, he's already annoyed about the guinea pigs and the first fish tank, so putting a large tank in our lounge isn't proving a popular idea. But I'm sure he'll come round eventually