I bow to your experience. It must have taken so many hours.
I don't have much hands on experience with tropical fish but I have been reading and absorbing every scrap of information that I can for the last month. Everyone has to start somewhere and rather then criticising my advice with no constructive comments let us debate a little which is the whole point of a forum. Just because someone has kept fish for a number of years does not mean they are doing it correctly, so in my opinion hands on experience and theory are on equal terms.
I'm only doing this because you think you have a clue about what you are debating.... and have no idea what you are getting yourself into.
Quick disclaimer: I respect your interest and research into tropical fish, and everyone has to start somewhere. You shouldn't start by defending your advice on a very weak basis. I was never obligated to give 'you' constructive comments, but offer the original poster my best input. Reconsider your stance if you think this forum is about debating needlessly.
Based on that, I'll have my fun.
-Fact one that you have confirmed: You do not have much 'hands on experience with tropical fish'
-Fact two: You have been reading and absorbing every scrap of information that you can find for the last month
*From what sources? Google searching? Forums searching? University archives? First hand experience? Opinion? ....
Based on this, It would not be overly presumptuous to label you as an inexperienced fish keeper that has done some reading. I can read every book on racing cars.... but I won't have a clue what to do until I actually race a car.
Now your assumptions that have no basis:
"Just because someone has kept fish for a number of years does not mean they are doing it correctly"
Correct (circumstantially, and therefore easily disproved). This does not disprove that they are actually doing it correctly... and the individual may in fact be gaining intelligent analysis on a subject. You must consider equivalent research of the "someone" as well as analysis of data collected from the "someone" on an individual basis. If you are here to make generalizations, you are talking to the wrong person. Someone that has successfully kept fish and helped others treat their fish is most likely a reliable source.... not just someone that got "lucky". Consensus of common and probable thought/information further backs this up (aka a forum community of fish experts).
"so in my opinion hands on experience and theory are on equal terms."
Your opinion. Yes... lets debate. ..... Especially on the grounds of hands on experience and theory being on equal terms. I hope you typed that fast without much thought.