I think I can honestly say I have never unleashed vitriol on anyone - even at work when those numpities were determined to have a sparklingly clean tank. I just stated what would be better then left them to get on with it as they were determined to do it their own way. Perhaps I should have intereferred and in hindsight I sometimes wish I had but then they would never have learned that their way was completely wrong. Feel like I'm blowing my own trumpet here - I didn't intend to. I do regret that the fish were the ones who paid the ultimate price tho.
How To Deal With Stubborn People?
- Thread starter cpwebsite
- Start date
Blondielovesfish
Kia Ora
I remember when I was younger and I got a goldfish starter tank and then when I started researching them and found out about cycling I told my mum about it, she just said that it was people trying to get money and waste time. - Her excuse was that she kept 3 comet goldfish for 5 years and wouldn't clean them out at all for 10 weeks, then clean them out fully and fully replace the filter. When I remember this lately when I started thinking about getting a tropical tank I was horrified! Good thing mum gave up on fish keeping! lol its surprising how lucky some people are with getting fish!
In the past I have got into very heated arguments with people relating to general animal care as well as other environmental issues. I get incredibly angry when people are blissfully doing the wrong things because its cheap, easy, what their family and friends have always done etc. But I know it is far better to give the people the right way of doing things and be able to prove that what your saying is a better way of doing things. I know this is hard with cycling tanks and not overstocking tanks because the bad results are not always so obvious. But I liken it to the old way of keeping many zoo animals. In the bad old days of zoo keeping it was nothing for European countries (and possibly America too) to send yearly animal collectors out to far off lands to buy a new supply of stocks. Simply because they would not or could not provide heated suitable enclosures for their stock, and many animals that are easily now bred in captivity had the reputation of being impossible to keep long term let alone breed. Thankfully more forward thinking people started to realise some of the errors of the old ways and began experimenting with enclosure shape, design and habitat enrichment as well as better food sources instead of scraps. And now we have some truly world class zoos where the people are on more display than the animals.
Any way back on track...
So I tend to give people the best possible information and then let them make their choices. Sometimes the advise is taken and used, other times the advise is disregarded totally and the person continues to run into problems. I can't do anything about friends/ family/ work colleges that want to ignore sound advise but I can make a mental note not to ever allow any of my stock into their care ever again. Its hard, to know that animals are suffering at the hands of people that wont listen but ultimately there is little you can really do about it. I try not to dwell on the bad side of human nature/ character. But I think sites like this and new ways of thinking in relation to all of nature is finally a step in the right direction for humans as a species.
Any way back on track...
So I tend to give people the best possible information and then let them make their choices. Sometimes the advise is taken and used, other times the advise is disregarded totally and the person continues to run into problems. I can't do anything about friends/ family/ work colleges that want to ignore sound advise but I can make a mental note not to ever allow any of my stock into their care ever again. Its hard, to know that animals are suffering at the hands of people that wont listen but ultimately there is little you can really do about it. I try not to dwell on the bad side of human nature/ character. But I think sites like this and new ways of thinking in relation to all of nature is finally a step in the right direction for humans as a species.
Mikey1 said:
TallTree01
Coo, Man
Mikey1 said:
Blunt as always Mikey. Tell us how you really feel. 
Lol
Short and right to the point! I like it.
Timberbatch
New Member
Haha! Case and point.Mikey1 said:
But honestly, the way I handle people like this is tell them all that I can, the best way I can. It is extremely stressful to have someone tell you that you are doing everything wrong and are basically killing these animals you have spent your hard earned money on and possibly bonded to. For example, my friend recently got a 10g for her birthday. And even when she was thinking about getting one I told her she could always come to me for help. Unfortunately she went to a petco and someone told her all the wrong things to do. She only cycled it for 3 days, overstocked it, and was also told to change the filter EVERY water change, and to scrub the glass. Thankfully I stopped her from the latter but she was still so confused as to why this woman lied to her and basically doomed her. I explained that pet stores like that are most of the time out to make quick money on inexperienced people. So she ended up losing all of her neons.
All in all, just try to talk to them calmly, don't jump down their throat because they might not of known better.
tomtomtom1230
Fishaholic
I work at a local pet store and had the displeasure of trying to convince a woman she needed a bigger tank. The conversation started out as having 3 discus in a 100litre tank and one butterfly plec. A bad idea, but since she said they were all juveniles I said she had some time but NEEDS to upgrade the tank in the foreseeable future, if only for the fish's wellfare. Her husband came back to me maybe an hour later and started ranting and raving. I explained what she had said and what I had said in reply and explained the consequences to him. He revealed to me (by accident) that in fact, they were keeping 12 discus, 3 butterfly plecs, 2 common plecs and 8 malawis in a 100 litre tank. Originally, they came in because they were 'having an ammonia problem' and 'it sits at around 9 - 10 ppm' all the time.
No sh*t...
This happened yesterday and I forwarded his details (they wanted to order some filter parts originally and gave me their name, address and telephone number before the aforementioned conversation) on to my local authorities on animal welfare. I hope they get what they deserve.
Can't say I didn't try. I lost my rag with that pair in the end and asked them to leave the premises, barring them for life.
No sh*t...
This happened yesterday and I forwarded his details (they wanted to order some filter parts originally and gave me their name, address and telephone number before the aforementioned conversation) on to my local authorities on animal welfare. I hope they get what they deserve.
Can't say I didn't try. I lost my rag with that pair in the end and asked them to leave the premises, barring them for life.
TallTree01
Coo, Man
^ yuck!
Glad you notified the authorities.
Glad you notified the authorities.
TallTree01 said:
Are you calling him short? Bit harsh....
TallTree01
Coo, Man
tomtomtom1230 said:
This is in the UK isn't it? Who can you pass this sort of thing to re animal welfare over here? I know there is the RSPCA but are there any other organisations?
Lunar Jetman said:
For shops, you report them to the council. They are responsible for licensing pet shops and can inspect them and if necessary withdraw their licence.
For individuals, like in tomtomtom's example, I assume it would be the RSPCA.
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