It's no secret that everyone here loves fish. That includes both, helpers and helpees. It's practically a given that all newbies start off wrong because they don't know any better. They rush out and get a tank, stick some pretty fish in it and then are traumatized by watching them drop like flies while the nitrogen cycle of death runs its course. This results in many a lost hobbyist not only because they were uninformed, but also because they came to a public forum to literally beg for help the way a parent does when their child is critically ill. This brings me to the point of this post.
Some people here are parents and the rest are not. For those that are not, pretend I am talking about your pets. As a parent myself, I do the best that I can for my child. Above all, I love my child and want what is best for her. Does this mean that because I can't provide ideal conditions for her that I should look to rehome her? I mean it's very easy to look at someone else and be critical of how they raise their children, but that doesn't mean they should be rehomed.
I just want folks to take a minute and think about how they'd feel if they took their child to a specialist and the doctor went on and on about how they don't have a big enough house, the yard was too small, didn't have clean enough air, good enough food, clothing, etc. etc. etc rather than try to help the child. This is basically what takes place in the public forums.
There are a good many fishkeepers out there that are quick to criticize others on how they keep fish, yet those same people pride themselves in lasering 4 or 5 watts per gallon into their tank creating literal blinding conditions for the fish. There are also plenty of us that prefer to have a "favorite" fish that we can't keep in what are considered proper conditions or numbers. I think we should all just face the simple fact that keeping virtually any tropical fish in any tank that fits in your home is unnatural and unhealthy for the fish when compared to how nature does it. Therefore, we are all guilty of keeping fish in inadequate conditions even though a peer group redefined what was suitable for a fish so that we can all feel good about keeping them wedged into a glass box. For example six is an appropriate number for a schoaling fish normally congregates by the hundreds or thousands. Or that a betta that lives in a shallow rice patty with a large amount of surface to himself will be fine in a bowl full of ammonia.
So I guess what I'm saying is that if one can't offer anything helpful in terms of treating a fish, then why make a post that serves only to make the poster further regret ever trying to raise fish. The more people that have success and continue in the hobby, the more we will all benefit from better equipment, lower prices, more studies and better meds for fish etc. By the time most people find these forums they already know how badly they "messed up", there is usually no need to point it out. There is certainly no need to gang-slap a poster with a barrage of posts doing so.
Does anyone actually know of any LFS that would spend $10 for meds on one treatment regime for a fish that would only sell for $5 in perfect health?
Some people here are parents and the rest are not. For those that are not, pretend I am talking about your pets. As a parent myself, I do the best that I can for my child. Above all, I love my child and want what is best for her. Does this mean that because I can't provide ideal conditions for her that I should look to rehome her? I mean it's very easy to look at someone else and be critical of how they raise their children, but that doesn't mean they should be rehomed.
I just want folks to take a minute and think about how they'd feel if they took their child to a specialist and the doctor went on and on about how they don't have a big enough house, the yard was too small, didn't have clean enough air, good enough food, clothing, etc. etc. etc rather than try to help the child. This is basically what takes place in the public forums.
There are a good many fishkeepers out there that are quick to criticize others on how they keep fish, yet those same people pride themselves in lasering 4 or 5 watts per gallon into their tank creating literal blinding conditions for the fish. There are also plenty of us that prefer to have a "favorite" fish that we can't keep in what are considered proper conditions or numbers. I think we should all just face the simple fact that keeping virtually any tropical fish in any tank that fits in your home is unnatural and unhealthy for the fish when compared to how nature does it. Therefore, we are all guilty of keeping fish in inadequate conditions even though a peer group redefined what was suitable for a fish so that we can all feel good about keeping them wedged into a glass box. For example six is an appropriate number for a schoaling fish normally congregates by the hundreds or thousands. Or that a betta that lives in a shallow rice patty with a large amount of surface to himself will be fine in a bowl full of ammonia.
So I guess what I'm saying is that if one can't offer anything helpful in terms of treating a fish, then why make a post that serves only to make the poster further regret ever trying to raise fish. The more people that have success and continue in the hobby, the more we will all benefit from better equipment, lower prices, more studies and better meds for fish etc. By the time most people find these forums they already know how badly they "messed up", there is usually no need to point it out. There is certainly no need to gang-slap a poster with a barrage of posts doing so.
Does anyone actually know of any LFS that would spend $10 for meds on one treatment regime for a fish that would only sell for $5 in perfect health?
