Where Do You Get Information From

[Fish_Man43]

Hello

Just a question, when someone ask about a fish problem or information where do you get it form, your own experience, the internet, books, or other source To help other people with there problems.

I love helping people out and if i don't know i will do my best and look for that information on the website (internet)

 

[drobbyb]

I get it from many places, but for general fishy stuff, this forum is by far the best resource.

 

[Fish_Man43]

I get it from many places, but for general fishy stuff, this forum is by far the best resource.

Yes this is a cool forum to get information and take to some good people

 

[nmonks]

An interesting question.

I'm in that position where I answer more questions than I ask, and spend a good portion of my professional life writing for fishkeeping publishers of various types. What I know comes primarily through experience. I've been keeping fish since the late 80s, and at certain points have been lucky enough to look after some very big tanks and some very interesting fish. So I'd say that about 90% of what I write comes from that, from my own experiences or those of other aquarists I know personally and can trust.

But there are (many) situations when I don't know the answers to something, and I fall back on a books or web sites. I have about sixty books on fish in the bookcase behind me, though there are really only about ten I use regularly. The first two Baensch atlas volumes are essential for freshwater stuff, Bob Fenner's Conscientious Aquarist for general marine fishkeeping, Loiselle's Cichlid Aquarium for general cichlid topics, for example. I do use web sites, but mostly to cross-check my own opinions or experience on things. There are only a few web sites I'd trust as highly as my favourite books. The Krib archives for example tend to contain some very well argued mailing list posts, and for some topics, like water chemistry, they're well worth reading. At the top end of sites specifically on fish are things like the OPEFE Research Page, which is mostly about piranhas.

When it comes to forums, this is about the only one I participate in to any great degree. The problem with forums is they often have all kinds of weird politics going on behind them, so the loudest voices aren't always the most informed ones. Another problem with forums is that you really don't have any idea of the experience or competence of the person writing the message. That's harmless enough most of the time, and part of the fun of forums is people educating one another. But if I'm looking for something to confirm or refute a fact I'm going to add to an article, I really want to know I can trust the thing I'm reading. I'm not a snob about this, and have had my mind opened and my beliefs turned around by people positing on forums. But since I'll get it right in the neck if I publish something that turns out to be nonsense, I have to be very careful that what I'm writing is as sure as sure can be!

Cheers, Neale

Just a question, when someone ask about a fish problem or information where do you get it form, your own experience, the internet, books, or other source To help other people with there problems.

 

[Fish_Man43]

An interesting question.

I'm in that position where I answer more questions than I ask, and spend a good portion of my professional life writing for fishkeeping publishers of various types. What I know comes primarily through experience. I've been keeping fish since the late 80s, and at certain points have been lucky enough to look after some very big tanks and some very interesting fish. So I'd say that about 90% of what I write comes from that, from my own experiences or those of other aquarists I know personally and can trust.

But there are (many) situations when I don't know the answers to something, and I fall back on a books or web sites. I have about sixty books on fish in the bookcase behind me, though there are really only about ten I use regularly. The first two Baensch atlas volumes are essential for freshwater stuff, Bob Fenner's Conscientious Aquarist for general marine fishkeeping, Loiselle's Cichlid Aquarium for general cichlid topics, for example. I do use web sites, but mostly to cross-check my own opinions or experience on things. There are only a few web sites I'd trust as highly as my favourite books. The Krib archives for example tend to contain some very well argued mailing list posts, and for some topics, like water chemistry, they're well worth reading. At the top end of sites specifically on fish are things like the OPEFE Research Page, which is mostly about piranhas.

When it comes to forums, this is about the only one I participate in to any great degree. The problem with forums is they often have all kinds of weird politics going on behind them, so the loudest voices aren't always the most informed ones. Another problem with forums is that you really don't have any idea of the experience or competence of the person writing the message. That's harmless enough most of the time, and part of the fun of forums is people educating one another. But if I'm looking for something to confirm or refute a fact I'm going to add to an article, I really want to know I can trust the thing I'm reading. I'm not a snob about this, and have had my mind opened and my beliefs turned around by people positing on forums. But since I'll get it right in the neck if I publish something that turns out to be nonsense, I have to be very careful that what I'm writing is as sure as sure can be!

Cheers, Neale

Just a question, when someone ask about a fish problem or information where do you get it form, your own experience, the internet, books, or other source To help other people with there problems.

Thank's for your information and like the way you think about your options, being new to fish keeping and was very interested in people views on information. the only places that i have looked is the internet thank can be so confusing as so many tell you different things in do's and don't's, like I've been trying to find compatible fish but now i'm learning most fish are not compatible as it all depends on how many, grouping and sex, example Pearls and blues Gouramis been told that yes they will be happy together and another place will tell you don't mix them. So it's general knowledge over the years in trails of fish keeping. Like the Betta fish always been told never put two together but notice that plenty of people have them in a community tank happy living together.

But there must be a starting place for people like me just starting off and knowing the basics and the process will give you some guidance as you learn though the years in what to do and not to do and then you can pass your knowledge on in a book, your website or even a forum like this one and yes i think it's down to trusting the information and the person thats giving it, like myself i can't give out a lot of info as i'm a learner put some information i can give like how to cycle a tank as i have done this and been though it all. Like i said over the years you will gain from being a good fish hobbyist.

Again thanks for your reply

 

[nmonks]

In terms of good starting places, buying one or two really good books is a sensible idea. If you're into general tropical fishkeeping, then the Baensch Aquarium Atlas volume 1 is probably the best place to start. I've had my copy since the late 80s, and I doubt a week has gone by that I haven't referred to it at some point! A really good healthcare book is another sensible investment. I happen to like the Interpet Manual of Fish Health.

Cheers, Neale

But there must be a starting place for people like me just starting off and knowing the basics and the process will give you some guidance as you learn though the years in what to do and not to do and then you can pass your knowledge on in a book, your website or even a forum like this one and yes i think it's down to trusting the information and the person thats giving it, like myself i can't give out a lot of info as i'm a learner put some information i can give like how to cycle a tank as i have done this and been though it all. Like i said over the years you will gain from being a good fish hobbyist.

 

[waterdrop]

An interesting question.

I'm in that position where I answer more questions than I ask, and spend a good portion of my professional life writing for fishkeeping publishers of various types. What I know comes primarily through experience. I've been keeping fish since the late 80s, and at certain points have been lucky enough to look after some very big tanks and some very interesting fish. So I'd say that about 90% of what I write comes from that, from my own experiences or those of other aquarists I know personally and can trust.

But there are (many) situations when I don't know the answers to something, and I fall back on a books or web sites. I have about sixty books on fish in the bookcase behind me, though there are really only about ten I use regularly. The first two Baensch atlas volumes are essential for freshwater stuff, Bob Fenner's Conscientious Aquarist for general marine fishkeeping, Loiselle's Cichlid Aquarium for general cichlid topics, for example. I do use web sites, but mostly to cross-check my own opinions or experience on things. There are only a few web sites I'd trust as highly as my favourite books. The Krib archives for example tend to contain some very well argued mailing list posts, and for some topics, like water chemistry, they're well worth reading. At the top end of sites specifically on fish are things like the OPEFE Research Page, which is mostly about piranhas.

When it comes to forums, this is about the only one I participate in to any great degree. The problem with forums is they often have all kinds of weird politics going on behind them, so the loudest voices aren't always the most informed ones. Another problem with forums is that you really don't have any idea of the experience or competence of the person writing the message. That's harmless enough most of the time, and part of the fun of forums is people educating one another. But if I'm looking for something to confirm or refute a fact I'm going to add to an article, I really want to know I can trust the thing I'm reading. I'm not a snob about this, and have had my mind opened and my beliefs turned around by people positing on forums. But since I'll get it right in the neck if I publish something that turns out to be nonsense, I have to be very careful that what I'm writing is as sure as sure can be!

Cheers, Neale

<...>

I must say I did a double-take the first time I saw you on here, having read your published articles any number of times prior to my joining this forum. I chose this forum by comparing forums for high traffic numbers (something I usually try to do to find functional forums) but that certainly doesn't tell one anything about the quality or content of what one is getting in to. It is to TFF's benefit that you've stayed and contributed and participated. Was it fairly random that you happened to end up here or did it compare well against some others? I didn't really realize how strong the UK component was when I joined but I quickly came to like it and feel the hobby in the UK has some strengths that at times seem a bit missing in the US (the independent LFS surviving a little better in the UK I feel, as one example.)

WD

 

[Shelby]

I get all my information from right here!!!

 

[OldMan47]

I get most of my information from specialist forums when it is specialist information. The general information comes from two places. It comes from this forum to a large degree but also comes from over 50 years of watching what happens in my tanks when I take particular actions. Another source is indeed books such as Diana Walstad's book on establishing an NPT. I find that book very informative in many respects especially as it relates to a plant's relationship to its environment. Unfortunately, the book's insights run counter to much of what the high tech plant people on line think of as gospel. That means that when I express an opinion on what I have seen in my tank after adopting many of her methods, I am either ignored or told that I am totally ignorant about plants. If more people would try the NPT method, they might be surprised at how low tech and easy a nice planted tank can be. This tank has never had any CO2 added, does not receive any chemical fertilizer doses, does not get regular water changes and runs at over 2 1/2 WPG of T-5 lighting for over 10 hours per day. The algae is almost non-existent and the water flow rates in the tank are far below 5x volume. Tell me it doesn't work.

Not everything you read on line is correct. Sometimes the advice of experienced people who know the theories behind what they are doing is very worthwhile.

 

[Assaye]

I started out using forums for information because I didn't have the confidence to pick out the good information from bad on websites and liked to hear information confirmed by multiple people. I would be on a website that said great things about water quality and helped me understand fishless cycling (for example) but on the next page of the site it would say goldfish can be kept in 20 litre tanks.

Since I've gained confidence I have started carefully checking my facts on several websites and in my favourite fishkeeping book, the Tropical Fishlopaedia by Mary Bailey and Peter Burgess. I've found it by far the best book for general fishkeeping although I'm sure there are other excellent volumes out there. If using a website I'll do a Google search and check on 10 random sites, and cross refrence the information, doing more searches as needed. Time consuming but relatively effective.

Now that I'm pretty sure what order of magnitude or ballpark an answer I am searching for is, I can generally filter out the rubbish, look for a convincing response, check the science behind it and if it all satisfies, I'll use that info until someone proves me wrong.

This forum has been amazing, though. Far less preachy than many others and far more exacting in the fishkeeping standards recommended. Plus I love that we have some superbly knowledgeable people here with serious credentials, such as Neale! It improves the general quality of the other members. I know I've learned a lot from members like Neale and feel I have been able to help others as a result.

 

[nmonks]

Thanks for the kind words, waterdrop and Assaye! Can't really add much to what you said without sounding silly or egotistical.

OldMan47, yes, I think it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that because your way worked, it has to be the only way to achieve that particular goal. I don't know a huge amount about high-tech approaches to growing plants. I'm one of those people who advises aquarists to buy plants that will be happy in the conditions in their tank, rather than trying to alter conditions to suit a finicky plant. Just as with fish really, where choosing fish that like your local water chemistry is a lot easier than altering water chemistry to suit a particular fish.

Plus, I'm the sort of person who buys plants that make my fish happy. That usually means floating plants, since no other type of plant is as much enjoyed by fish as these. But the Amano brigade hold floating plants in contempt as far as I can see, which saddens me. For less experienced aquarists, the benefits of using floating plants are enormous, from introducing filter bacteria through to removing nitrate. A clump of floating Indian fern is a wonderful thing!

Cheers, Neale

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

OldMan47, yes, I think it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that because your way worked, it has to be the only way to achieve that particular goal.

Ha tell me about that; I was on a gardening forum and some guy reported me for disagreeing with him over...(wait for it)...rooting spider plants in soil vs water.

I said I've only done it in water and told the poster (who asked about water rooting) my experience; he then had a massive go at me on the forum saying soil is better - to which I replied; I never disagreed; I just said "I agree, but I have only done it this way" at that I was apparently playing the 'wounded bird' and he then reported me (the bonus is that a nice lady took pitty on me and became a pen pal haha). I left the forum after that; disagreeing theories is not wrong; it's the whole reason we join a forum to ask lots of people lots of different advice. (Rant over).

 

[IAmATeaf]

I get all the info I want right here thanks to people who care about their hobby

 

[waterdrop]

I'm glad that Neale and others have mentioned some actual book names and authors. This is another form of learning and reference that I find enjoyable and fulfilling and I'm sure I will endeavor to search out some of the recommended ones. Like OM47, I have Diana's NPT book, have read all of it and refer to it often, its a real pleasure.

I have a fun thing in store when I find the time. One of my LFSs had a pile of older fishkeeping books for sale used and I found both of the reference books I had used years ago but no longer had. When I find time I intend to study them to help verify various differences in the reference material I had back then as compared to the modern information I have from this forum. I already know the cycling information was way off!

Another good source of information can be local society meetings. I try to attend these when I get a change. Our local society has an annual conference where the speeches are good from people who come in from across the country sometimes. We also get to see videos and collecting reports sometimes from graduate students in the local universities and those can be quite fascinating. We saw one that was a National Geographic prep about poison dart frogs in the Amazon. It was great because you saw a lot of the habitats our fish come from and some of the fish and plants were identifiable.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[OldMan47]

Try attending one of your local club's auctions WD. I find lots of older books for sale at my club's auctions. I also attend auctions at two other local clubs and of course the annual ALA convention auction.
Speakers at the ALA convention are another place to pick up almost hands on information. I have seen what amounts to doctors theses presented verbally by 3 different speakers in the last 2 years. I wish I could just tape those speeches because there is so much to learn in such a short time that I am sure I have missed a lot each time. The speakers were literally presenting information that they had gathered for their doctoral work. The Association quite literally supports student research work and does often get a student who is willing to pay it back by presenting on the information their grant work found out.