Another thing is, is that my parents find it annoying that I keep buying more fish and such. It’s not like I’m overstocking my tanks, I know what I’m doing. It’s just that ever since I got my job, I’ve been able to purchase the fish I want.
And what makes it worse, is that my dad has to be right
all the time. Like once he walked into my room and said, “Huh, that filter cartridge looks really brown, are you sure you shouldn’t replace it?”. Then I explained how you shouldn’t replace them every month, and that that’s exactly what the manufacturers want you to do. He still has to have the last word, and said he thought I was wrong.
And then one day when I got new fish, I acclimated them in the bag (along with drip acclimation) for 20 minutes. When I came downstairs, he said, “Did you make sure to get them used to the water so you don’t shock them?”. And I said yes sir, but then he said, “How long?” And I said 20 minutes. And he’s just all like, “Huh, that’s not long enough. You may be shocking your fish because you don’t realize how much time they need”.
Tell me if I’m wrong here, but in my 6+ years of fish keeping, I’ve always been told and have always acclimated my fish for 20 minutes - never less.
My family didn't care for fish (Dad liked catching and eating them but didn't care about aquariums). One of my uncles, at least I think he was an uncle, did like fish. He worked in a nut house and was under a lot of stress. Whenever he came over he would go straight into my room and watch my fish for a few hours. He said it was the only thing that relaxed him.
As far as people thinking you are weird, in Australia if you don't drink beer and watch football, you are considered weird or a freak, usually both. I never touch alcohol and didn't care about football. I went to footy on Sunday morning when I was a kid but that was to watch my best friend play. I was a cyclist who didn't drink, smoke, take illegal drugs, party or go out late at night. When people asked who I supported in footy, I said nobody. They would go "what the fuplie is wrong with you?" Then they asked what beer I liked, I would say I don't like beer. That was it, most people would walk away and say your a fuplie weirdo mate.
I don't give a damn what others think. What I do know is that half the people I went to school with either have a criminal record for alcohol and drug related offences, or are dead from doing stupid things while intoxicated. Some are in prison. Most of these people drank and smoked when they were teenagers and continued through adulthood, and their stupid habits have taken a toll on them.
There are people out there who keep fish and like them a lot. You just need to find them and spend time talking to them. And don't worry about other people thinking you are weird, everyone thinks everyone is weird unless they do exactly the same as you. It's human nature to avoid those that are different, and that applies to your hobbies and interests too.
No truer words have ever been said man.
Try asking them what they do in there spare time, Probably spent watching Soap operas on TV & guzzling beer. I have a few other hobbys but 1 of them is really frowned upon by others & then they look at you like your stupid & it is not Fish keeping ?
You make a good point man. I’ll have to ask them what their pastimes include. They will probably include: “Uh... err.... playing video games..?”
Once they realize that they literally do nothing, maybe they will back off.
Fishkeeping is harder than people think, a lot harder in fact. People just think: “Fish, water, bowl, BOOM”, when in reality, there is a LOT more to know/understand before getting even the simplest fish.
——
Anyway, thank you all for your kind words.
