Does my LPS not know ANYTHING ?!
- Thread starter cassaroo
- Start date
Its interesting how people go on about newcomers researching fishkeeping before they dive in. It makes me wonder how many of "us" researched anything when we first started? I certainly didn't. Fish were cool, I bought a tank, and some fish I liked, and brought them home. They started to die, THEN I researched - and that's when you learn that fishkeeping isn't easy. Everyone thinks "how hard can it be to feed a tank of fish?"
And its not just fish. How many people buy their kids a puppy without researching it? Ferrets? A pony? Pretty much any hobby/pet, people jump into becuase they like the idea of it, then AFTER they are in, they get tuned in that mistakes were made. If they are truly interested then they make the effort of getting good at it/becoming responsible.
The way of the world, I'm thinking...
And its not just fish. How many people buy their kids a puppy without researching it? Ferrets? A pony? Pretty much any hobby/pet, people jump into becuase they like the idea of it, then AFTER they are in, they get tuned in that mistakes were made. If they are truly interested then they make the effort of getting good at it/becoming responsible.
The way of the world, I'm thinking...
I was given a 10 gallon tank as a birthday present when I turned 7 (I won't say how long ago that was!!). I then was taken to the pet store to pick out some fish. Brought home two oscars and a clown knife. The store was told what sized aquarium I had, and did nothing to advise me to pick out a couple of tetras or guppies instead.
Was left with one oscar in the end, lived about 2 years in that tiny tank somehow, and had grown to a size that he could barely turn around in it, maybe 7 or 8" long. He was 'traded' into the pet store for a hamster.
Next time I had an aquarium, I was 20something. Research first now.
Poor Felix (the oscar's name). I hope someone with more sense than I had as a 9 yr old took him in as a pet and treated him right. My parents should have helped more, but didn't know anything about fish either to advise me.
Was left with one oscar in the end, lived about 2 years in that tiny tank somehow, and had grown to a size that he could barely turn around in it, maybe 7 or 8" long. He was 'traded' into the pet store for a hamster.
Next time I had an aquarium, I was 20something. Research first now.
Poor Felix (the oscar's name). I hope someone with more sense than I had as a 9 yr old took him in as a pet and treated him right. My parents should have helped more, but didn't know anything about fish either to advise me.
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I had unwarranted success with my first tank. I was eleven and some random person at the library conned me into spending my $20 I'd saved up in allowance on their 20gal tank with a pearly-white koi in it. (I'm pretty sure it was a 20gal. It was bigger than my 10gal now, I know that for sure). It had no filter, no bubble stone, no gravel, no decorations, nothing but the tank and the fish. I set it up on my dresser (which was a tall dresser), grabbed some gravel from the driveway, washed it and stuck it in the tank, then put the fish in there. He lived for three years or so and would not only eat out of my hand, but would allow me to pick him up out of the tank (would swim into my hand and not move once I picked him up). He died abruptly, then my parents got me a 2gal with a betta and two neon tetras. The betta killed the tetras and for the longest time I hated bettas. Guess I got over that, eh? 