The Friendliest Fish Forum Around?

[QuotheRaven]

Well I haven't been here long and haven't found it very friendly since in about the first month I was here I posted a topic (long story) I was asking for advice and was promptly told by someone that I was murdering fish and should take up pet rocks and also admitted people messaged them to flame me which they promptly did, thats not exactly friendly is it?

 

[Kuhni]

I think it's a big conspiracy against australians, Everyone wants to flame us somehow I mean seriously even Hungry Jacks. They Flamegrill our burgers, Bastards.

But Seriously there are alot of unneeded comments going around and this forums has a few users who like to stir trouble.

 

[QuotheRaven]

DARN HUNGRY JACKS (Burger King In America)

Of course my example is the only bad experience I have had on here, however I have seen examples of flaming else where on this forum

 

[scubadoo]

Well I have to say that I've read the odd thread on here where people have been a little ..... lets say aggressive, but it has usually been on the basis of getting someone to correct major mistakes & cruelty and then not being grown up enough to admit that they were wrong.

Really I think a lot of these issues comes down to how 'grown up' people are. One of the facts of life on a forum like this is that a vast number of the posters are young, and consequently dont like being told that they dont know jack sh!t, then they get all uppety and when someone responds negatively to their posts and they then complain that they've been flamed.

There are a good few members of this forum who experience far too many fish losses and then get defensive when other more experienced fish keepers give them advice.

By the way, I may not know as much about fish keeping as some, which I'm quite happy to admit, but I do know Jack Schitt. And to prove it :

Jack Schitt is the only son of Awe Schitt.

Awe Schitt, the fertilizer magnate, married O. Schitt, the owner of Needeep N. Schitt, Inc.

They had one son, Jack. In turn, Jack Schitt married Noe Schitt.

The deeply religious couple produced six children: Holie Schitt, Giva Schitt, Fulla Schitt, Bull Schitt, and the twins Deap Schitt and Dip Schitt.

Against her parent´s objections, Deap Schitt married Dumb Schitt, a high school dropout.

After being married 15 years, Jack and Noe Schitt divorced. Noe Schitt later married Ted Sherlock, and, because her kids were living with them, she wanted to keep her previous name. She was then known as Noe Schitt Sherlock.

Meanwhile, Dip Schitt married Loda Schitt, and they produced a son with a rather nervous disposition named Chicken Schitt.

Two of the other six children, Fulla Schitt and Giva Schitt, were inseparable throughout childhood and subsequently married the Happens brothers in a dual ceremony.

The wedding announcement in the newspaper announced the Schitt-Happens nuptials.

The Schitt-Happens children were Dawg, Byrd, and Horse. Bull Schitt, the prodigal son, left home to tour the world. He recently returned from Italy with his new Italian bride, Pisa Schitt.

Now when someone says, "You don't know Jack Schitt", you can correct them.

 

[dwarfgourami]

I have been on the forum for nearly 2 years now and I can't say I have really seen a change- there are always a few people who express their views less tactfully than others, always a few posters who ask for advice and get really cross when they get it, and these threads crop up with tedious regularity. Not just on this forum either.

The things I find hardiest are:

the people who ask a question, get a good explanation of why their plans will not work, and then keep on asking the same question over and over again

people who ask a question and then explain that they already have a mate/lfs salesman etc who knows best anyway so they are not going to listen to you

people who get offended if they get only one or two replies (often perfectly good ones)

people who ask a compatibility question half an hour before they're going to the shop and then think it's poor service if they don't get a reply in time- please try to remember we are not paid to provide this service and all posters are perfectly in their right only to answer a question if they have the time and feel like it.

Several times strong criticism has been voiced because answers were not provided during times when most of the active members are asleep. The implication seems to be that we have a duty to be glued to this machine 24/7. A lot of us have jobs, homes, children and sometimes sick relatives. And there is such a thing as time zones.

Also, please understand that there is a contradiction between expecting answers from a significant
proportion of viewers and only wanting answers from people with actual experience of the fish. You're not going to be able to get it both ways. Either you will only get a very few answers- maybe none- or you will get some answers from people with little actual experience of that particular fish who still feel they may be able to contribute by pointing you in the direction of secondary sources.
And if people who view a topic without being able to contribute to it are to be made to feel guilty, then that is plainly wrong- a lot of people view threads to learn themselves. They have a right to do so.

Besides, people may have experience of more fish than they actually have in their tanks at the moment. Some of us are quite long in the tooth.

I certainly hope I am not one of the people making newbies' life a misery to them, I do try to answer questions as factually as I can, and as often as I can. But I can't help thinking that the people who say they have a perfect right only to answer questions they are interested in do have a point. If you want people to be under an obligation to answer, then you have to pay them.

Finally, don't let's forget the majority of posters are perfectly lovely people who ask a question, take it on board, weigh the alternatives and politely understand that they may need to wait for an answer. These are the posters that make it all worth while. And those of us who spend hours every day answering questions on the forum, and only rarely putting questions of our own, must think there is something that makes it worthwhile, otherwise we'd go off and do something else.

 

[SeahorseWhisperer]

Noe Schitt Sherlock?

That's funny! Thanks!

 

[andywg]

One of the main reasons I post less and less on this forum is because people seem to rate the way or the quantity of the advice given, rather than the quality of the advice given.

If anything it is too friendly, as evidenced by these threads when people get upset at being told something they don't like.

 

[trace1]

that will brillient scubadoo really had me giggling.

 

[Gankutsuou]

honestly, I always get quite a few replys.

I'd say half of them are friendly, understanding advice.

I'd say 2/6th of them have been agressive, but with good cause to have me understand the situation clearly.

But then I'd say 1/6th end up hateful. I don't "do" repeate questiongs, but I do like to inquisit as to "why" something is that way. Who doesn't? And where have I found out most of my information...

Who talked me out of the 40 gallon strech hex?
Who talked me out of an African Brown Knife?
Who's getting me to rehome my pleco and discus?
Who's got me extra information on all the fish I have?
Who's helped me get started in the right direction for a marine tank?
Who's helped me educate myself on all things fish?

Tropical Fish Forums of Course.

It gets it done. And it does it Friendly most of the time
I had just noticed tensions, bickering, and all together a worse mood towards many things lately

But overall, this still is the best tropical fish fourm around, IMO.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Gank- You lie. The forum didn't help you.








T'was the Chat posse

 

[ox5477]

I'm not saying that I know anything, I don't....only been a few monthes for fish keeping, but if someone yells at me for doing something idiotically wrong and so easy to see that it was wrong that I should be shot, I don't diasgree with some people letting go and letting me have it.

But, some people just need to sit down and realize that they know jack sh|t too. They don't need to have an attitude to get heard or anything and just need to chill out, have a brew .

Bottom line: Sometimes for someone to listen, you need to hit them in the face with a sledge hammer... thats just how people can be sometimes.

 

[SLC Flyfishing]

I am going to stick my neck out a bit here and say that I think this forum is largely becomming useless. I'm not a young fishkeeper and I'm not a newbie but when I give advice to someone (which is the largest part of what I do) I often get flamed by other members because they feel like my advice is either not helpful or is foolish.

Now don't any of you go thinking that just because I've done things that you wouldn't feel comfortable doing that I am wreckless or don't know what I'm talking about. I've just had more success in that department, basically I'm trying to sat that I love fishkeeping, I'm very very concerned with the welfare of my fish and the image of this forum and I will never give advice that I haven't either personally done myself or witnessed first hand. So don't go thinking that you're right to tell the person with the question that I don't know my stuff and that I'll kill their fish.

Sounds harsh but maybe the "Harshers" need to hear it once in a while.

SLC

P.S. Everyone on here needs to stop taking themselves so seriously.

 

[Beemeeup]

i've only been a member for 2 months - i can summarise my views as follows

1 - without the forum and the views of experienced and newish members, i would never ever have created my first and very successful tropical tank - many many thanks to all those who helped.

2 - never once had i received any adverse comments - all have been prompt and constructive.

3 - people have given up their time to respond to help for which members should be grateful - i certainly am .

 

[Paul_MTS]

I'ved found that alot of people often don't like listening to correct/good advice for the question they have asked, so sometimes the advice does literally need to be rammed down there throat for them to take any notice.

Sarcasm usually helps get the point across aswell.

Whats the point in asking for advice when you don't take any notice...., I give up with customers at work sometimes they just aren't weren't the effort.

 

[Dragonscales]

Speaking of myself personally, I am probably more guilty of being alot more matter of fact in my responses to older members rather than to people new to the hobby. People who are new are prone to make mistakes and I try not to badger them for it as to me, I just see that as a natural progression from novice to advanced. As for new people who are unwilling to listen to reason, well, I tend to just not waste my energy rather than making a snide comment/death threat/derogatory remark about their mother/etc/etc.

I tend to get alot more "passionate", as it has been termed above, when it comes to older hobbyists who are unwilling to try new aproaches or look into something which may have been impossible/implausible 20 years ago but, due to new technologies, techniques, etc, is wholy obtainable and possible these days. To me, constantly learning and seeking knowledge, ideas and information is a mainstay of this hobby and it is constantly changing, something which some people often lose sight of once they reach a certain degree of expertise. Personally I believe a good 90% of the new people out there are more than willing to strive for information, etc and therefore I really don't have a problem with them, we are all entitled to make a few stumbles on the road for knowledge. This is in regards to all people in my views, I am not by any means pointing a finger at this forum specifically (and to be honest, the vast majority of people on here are open to new ways of thinking, etc).

As my post count would testify, I rarely post unless I can help someone, have something to add which hasn't been brought up yet, am having a valid debate on a topic or I am intrigued in the post in some way, shape or form. I personally cannot be assed posting just to jump on a bandwagon and insult a person because they make a mistake they want to rectify by seeking information here or slagging someone off because I feel particularly pissed that day. Even when I do get "matter of fact" as mentioned previously, I do so in a manner which I believe to be as educated and valid as possible without resulting to namecalling, etc. IMO the best way to turn someone's opinion around is to give them cause to doubt their belief in something which is best obtained by presenting an alternative course of action and factual information, not calling them a wanker, etc.

That's my 2 cents anyhow.