What makes us tick?

Hey Everyone..

I was just wondering what makes a good discus keeper? Whats the difference between someone who fails over and over....then gives up vs. someone who has a fair amount of success?

Ive been told that I have an addictive personality and I have to admit that I do.....I also consider myself a perfectionist, extremely patient,fairly open minded to new ideas....I dont give up easily...Once I decide to do something...come hell or high water, it gets done.

Just wondering....Al said to me a while back that we seem to run as a pack.....and I agree. Is it just the fish or do we all have similar personalities also?

Tony....go big or go home ;D

[brewmaster15]

Hi Tony!,
 If I had to describe myself here I would say...

Ive been told that I have an addictive personality and I have to admit that I do.....I also consider myself a perfectionist, extremely patient,fairly open minded to new ideas....I dont give up easily...Once I decide to do something...come hell or high water, it gets done.  ;) ;D ;D

take care,
al

[DarkDiscus]

I'm stubborn.  That is why I tend to succeed with fish.  Also patient - I think the two go together in a positive way for fishkeepers.

When I was 8 or 9 I'd stand in the lake near my house with a bucket, trying to get a sunfish to go inside so I could catch it.  I used to do it for 4-5 hours in the baking sun.  One guy on the beach once laughed at me and said it couldn't be done - right until I caught one.

I could see how having fish die or fail to spawn again and again could get frustrating, but that's part of the challenge.  With research, thought and good online friends to help out, you can't help but succeed!

John

Ditto on the addictive personality...gotta win....gotta be organized...gotta be systematic...gotta be done right....


obsessive/obsession:
1. * * *Of, relating to, characteristic of, or causing an obsession: Excessive in degree or nature: an obsessive need to win (or be successful at discus keeping).
2. * * *a disturbing concern with an idea or feeling that cannot be put out of mind even when it is seen to be unreasonable. *(Unreasonable to others who don't understand the passion of discus) *;D


That's me!
Terri

[DarkDiscus]

As an addendum to this topic, also go see the Discus Keeper's Poll in the You Talkin' to Me section...

John

Hi everyone, I fall into the same category as everyone above. There are basically two type of people living on this planet. you have the "A" personality group and then you have the "B" group. The "A" group is the take charge, get out of my way, I'm doing it my way type of person. The "B" group involves people that would rather just go with the flow, dosent want to make waves, just wants to be seen and not heard.
I am without question an "A" type person. I have no choice(read my bio) ;D ;D

This is geting kind of spooky :o :o
       Randy

[gump]

Funny, I was going to bring this topic up as well, but never did... I was going to ask if it seems that everyone here (most anyway) have an obsessive compulsive behavior to get more & more tanks, discus etccc...Right April??  I already have plans for more tanks & discus & don't even have my first batch yet!!! how wierd is that!!!
Pierre

[brewmaster15]

Pierre, like John, you are doomed!!! ;D

-al

[gump]

I'll just have to surrender to the feeling.. LOL
Pierre

[DarkDiscus]

Pierre,

There's nothing wrong with us, honest.  I think most people have dreams that look like this:

:fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish:

John

[barbiespoodle]

Oh no doubt that I have an addictive personally. For example: 3 years ago I decided to put in a few hostas to brighten up a small shady area of my yard. Those few have grown into over 200 different named varieties and that small area is now over 1/2 acre with more area's being developed. Each plant is carefully labeled and listed in my records, and I trade with other hostaholics from all over the country. Before physical problems made me get rid of them, I had over 100 pedigreed show rabbits, many of them grand champions. I started with only one.

It only stands to reason that I would go head over heels with the discus too. I had only intended to have a couple to basically be the centerpiece of my large tank. In a few short months I am now up to 8 and getting ready to go after a bigger tank.

[April]

yeppers!! O.k i guess i have patience as my job is grooming dogs.....and you have to be patient and kind . but i am also rather laid back......and I can honestly agree with Carol on the nurturing part ...as I always have had some kind of babies to care for.
And yes......I have always been the kind of person that when I get interested in something I go all out and rather determined to get the whole set or collection or whatever. And I always find ways to make it happen.
Oh.....and Barbie? what kind of rabbits did you breed? I also showed rabbits. I used to go to the rabbit shows all over Washington. Even Yakima Karin! I had checker giants. and english angoras. dabbled in a few others....I still have three rabbits. but not show. And yah....I had about 80 of them!
Oh my son is the same. when he gets interested in something he has tunnel vision and everything about what he does is related to what hes interested in. Me too it seems.......... LOL Its gotten to the point when I talk to my friends or out for dinner.....I 'm thinking about my fish and my fish friends i talk to.....I'm sure its getting to the point where they can see my mind is elsewhere! LOL. Its definitely a passion and an obsession. But.....I can honestly say I am extremely happy just how things are! But yah.....i could never dream of going on a holiday that wasnt fish related.....at least going where there is a hatchery i can see or to meet some of my friends here!

[gump]

Like your Hostas Barb...
Just started noticing them (Hostas) last year & fell in love with them. I now have seven varieties & spring is here now finally!!! Hmmm which ones will I find this year.
I definetly have a long way to go... btw very nice pic.
Pierre

[April]

Oh but im not type A. as there is no high stress levels in my life!
And Pierre? why is it  that my name comes up when it has to do with excess fish buying????????? LOL.
Did I tell everyone Im getting fish from Australia in the beginning of next month!!!!!!!!!!! YAHOO!!!!!!!!!!! LOL
cant wait! Been harrassing poor Rodney for awhile now...dropping hints.......so He had to finally give in and check into overseas shipping! Guess what.. as far as we can tell.....its a going to be very easy to ship to Canada! There's  a few of us going to get some. Pictures will definitely be coming soon!
oh and then i really am quitting  getting new ones! gonna work on the breeding bit! After I move.

[barbiespoodle]

April, French Lops were always my first love, English lops second, but I also dabbled in other breeds, even had a french angora. I showed all over Ohio and neighboring states, if there was a show within 6 hours, I was there, lol. I remember when the arba national convention was in Columbus in 92, what an experience. I just lost my last rabbit this winter, but that was to be expected, she was older than she was suppose to be. I think I'm going to have to get another, just doesn't seem the same without at least one.  

Pierre, watch out with those hostas, they are extremely addictive. With around 2000 different varieties ranging in size from tiny dwarf to huge giants, it's mind blowing. I still have to get out with my record book and take count. Between last years severe drought and this springs torrential rains, I just know I lost some, most likely the most expensive, lol.

[gump]

Sorry April,
I wasn't going to mention any names, but everyone would know who I was talking about anyways!! LOL. I think it's cool to have so many fish.  Bet you can't wait to move & have a little more room.  Good luck with those discus from down under.
Pierre

[April]

no problem Pierre.....i think its becoming common knowledge! LOL. Getting to the point i dont mention them anymore when i get them!

[April]

heh Barbie I went to the arba in seattle . I think it was 82.  Yah....join the crew in 82.  
I actually still love rabbits.....but thier my daughters now.... and their all getting older now. and so is she and too busy. I enjoy fish more though. Nicer to have them in the house and not out in the rain and muck cleaning cages and feeding bunnies. same concept different shape.

[barbiespoodle]

Not quite the same concept, I do miss the baby bunnies. Come on, admit it, you miss when they're about 2 to 3 weeks old and just starting to jump out of the nest box and coming up to sniff you. I love my fish, but they're not very cuddley.  ;D

[April]

yah.....Barb......theres nothing cuter! Love it when their a few days old also and you peek in and they all jump and make those noises.

Success due to addictive personality?? I humblely disagree with this line of thinking.  ;) Amazingly, some people succeed in spite of this defect. Any and all success I have achieved in raising and breeding discus came from following the steps provided to me from those people who shared their experiences with me, whether it be in their books or magazine articles or talks at fish club seminars. People such as Wattley, Au, Schmidt-Focke, and Quarles to name a few, told me what and what not to do. When I followed, I succeeded. When I ignored, I failed. Now, personal observation of my own experience also helped. I had to learn some stuff myself. They only actually only give you 85-90% of what you need to know in their books. There is no perfect book as far as I am concerned dealing with discus. Some very good, some good but I have found no perfect book.

Wattley said once at a function where he was the main speaker out on Long Island, "You have to make up your mind what you want to do: Watch TV or breed discus". He said you have to get your butt off the couch if you are going to succeed.

Mat

[Carol_Roberts]

I wonder if we're just a small subset.  Maybe discus keepers who don't spend hours reading discus posts on the internet everyday aren't obsessive/compulsive perfectionists. . . . nah, I don't think so.

By the way, most judges are type A, obsessive/compulsive, perfectionist, introverts.

Carol :heart1:

Interesting to say the least....I dont think you NEED to have an addictive personality...or be obsessive to succeed. But I think this gives pretty good insight to the fact that its a pretty common trait with discus keepers. Its nice to know most of us share the same personality defects!!LOL!! ;D

Tony

[brewmaster15]

This post was made a few short weeks after SimplyDiscus went on line... we only had a handful of members then..Just curious what you all think on this topic Now..

I'll be going back and pulling up a bunch of these discussions over the next few weeks.

So what is it that makes us Tick?
-al

[April]

that was fun reading over that old post. lol
i can honestly say i have become lesser of a buyer!! lol.
ok..i have cut back my discus buying to a few shipments a year?
im still....drooling over all the new discus i see however!
not sure i can say no!!
I think its more than the fish though. think its the people in the hobby i enjoy as much as the fish.
ok im sure im a bit obsessive......
anyone else??

[korbi_doc]

:bounce2: :bounce2: Addicted? Compulsive? Obsessive? They call it a disorder! OCD! I treat it in my small animal practice & see it quite often. When I got the pc, my daughter said I'd either become obsessed with it or totally refuse to use it, hahahaha. (I alluded to this in a previous post) I now have fish tanks in the kitchen, LR, & now "guest" haha, bedroom, 10 in all, & no more room unless I go downstairs to the basement which I swear I will not do. Heaven help me if I retired, there'd be no end to it. Oh, & BTW there just happen to be 10 horses out in my barn, 2 of them just 7 mos. old, 2 months older than my baby discus, hahahahaha. & when my kids were babies, I made my living practicing Physical Therapy, wanted to be a veterinarian since I was a kid, made it a mission to get into vet school (5 refusals before they gave in). Driven? Compulsive? Obsessive? Addicted? Nahhhh! lol, Dottie ;D ;D ;D BTW April, I agree with you totally! 8)

[Tad]

Dottie ;D,
Move your operations underground (basement), I envision a fully automated fishroom , :P....

OBTW ;D,
I see you dont have one in the bathroom YET!!!!! LOL , so you still have room for expansion above ground ::)

regards,
Tad

[oodi]

Dottie,

He's being incorrigible again!!! ;D

Judi
:)

[henryD]

Judi,

Time to bring out the whip. :whip: :spank:

[oodi]

I've tried, Henry... doesn't work. ???

Judi
:)

Book will do Judi :P

Ronald

[korbi_doc]

:funny: :funny: :funny: Ok, Tad, should I put the fish in the bathroom sink or the tub?? & where in the world will I take my showers?? I'll have to try the horse wash stall, ROTFLMAO!!

Judi, I don't know how you put up with the "incorrigible one"! Maybe we should put him in the horse wash stall & get him to do their W/Cs, hahahahahahaha, & we'll put the pic on the forum under new way to do W/Cs!!!!!!!!! lol, Dottie ;D ;D

[oodi]

LMAO!!!

Ronald,

I'm still waiting for those books that YOU were supposed to send me, after your wife is done with them!!! ;D

Dottie,

You need to move to California!!! I need you here full time, to help me keep the "incorrigible one" in line!!! By the way... if you have a bathroom with double sinks, a 40 gal tall fits quite nicely on the counter between the sinks. I'll bet you can't guess how I know that! ;)

Judi
:)

[nazangels]

I admit it! I might be a little obsessive-compulsive, but just a little! Let's see...I started with one 50 gallon community tank less than 5 years ago, which grew into 6 or 7 angelfish tanks 3 years ago, which turned into a mix of angelfish breeding and growout tanks and a community discus tank two years ago. Now I have 13 tanks and 25 discus with a few remnants of angelfish I've bred. Could this possibly be an addiction?? All of my free time and all of my extra $$$ goes to discus. I've been the same way with orchids, horses, dogs, atv's and motorcycles. Not to mention wildlife (I'm a biologist with the Forest Service). Ignoring all of that, I find my primary motivation to be the satisfaction I get from having these beautiful animals in my world and watching them grow big and stay healthy. I think it's an obsession worth pursuing. 8) Glad to know I'm not alone! Beth