General Fishy Question

[DarkDiscus]

All,

Something I have thought about in the past, but fortunately don't have to worry about:  I always wondered what would happen if that special someone in your life turns out to not appreciate or (worse yet) actively dislike fish and fishkeeping???

I wondered how someone could survive that?

So the question is:

Does your significant other a) actively participate in your hobby, b) like the fact that you have a hobby but doen't want to take part, c) accept your hobby passively, d) get cranky when you spend (waste) time on your hobby, e) HATE FISH & FISHKEEPING WITH A PASSION.

And how do you handle it?

John

PS.  My wife is pretty much classified in the a group (PHEW!!!) - she likes the fish, thinks they are beautiful and wants to name them, and likes the idea of me having a hobby which keeps me home.  Though she was recently laid off from work    she offered to clean the tank for me!!!

[brewmaster15]

Well John, for me....  my wife generally falls in the a-b category, sometimes into c-d , and never into the E Category.

In my humble opinion it is not fair to your fish  to have to put up with your loved one disliking them and possibly putting them down. It would be best  to do the right thing..... Divorce  ;D

Besides that I read an article the other day about some discus that went postal on their  owner because  they heard the owners spouse  call them  "stupid  fish"  .I kid you not.   By the  time the paramedics  got there it was too late, for the owners, but the medics did save the severely  bloated fish by using the proper dose  of epsom salt!

take care, al

I am truely lucky with my girlfriend. Not only does she support me in my hobby, she is as bad a junkie as me. She shares in all the work, and pleasure of raising discus. If i want to buy some, i go for it. She never gets mad when i spend a whole weekend working on the fish room. She does water changes when she has time and i do them when i have time. Honestly if it was not for all the effort she puts into the fish, we would be way less successful.
If she ever changes from how she is now i guess i will have to trade her in for a new one. (F)
Im only kidding, her support and help is what keeps the fish room going great.
Matt

[gump]

I would have to say my wife falls inbetween a-b also. *We are both self employed and her home office ( where she spends a large part of her day) I put a 54 gallon built into the wall, directly in front of her desk.. She enjoys that alot. *I share the same office space as such, but I,m never here (except for rain or snow).. *She has always been the one encouraging discus to me... Well its finally going to happen.. *The only thing she does is feed them occasionally. /b/ #)!
Pierre

[April]

well.......my fish came after my "other half was disposed of. but he was not keen on any of my zoo!!!!!
and im sure the fish would've fallen in that category. so its just me my two teenagers who are almost ready to be pushed out of the nest.....and the fish. but.....they have decided I love my fish more....and their second. on the other hand.....think my fish have become my passion as the kids are off with their friends and i'm left home alone! Now they tell me stay home and play with your fish!
and......they do hold the "well you got fish " over my head.  The only fish they say they like are the ones they think i may get rid of cause they are  small or somethin......then they quickly name them and call them theirs so I cant!!!!! we have a one inch discus who has been that size since November. he is now named stripey and my daughter says he's hers! he looks like one of those aquababy fish that go in those cubes! a nice leopard snake !

[Carol_Roberts]

My husband is definately a "B".  He likes the fish and will talk about them for maybe five minutes if I'm lucky. . . . . Then I have to get on the computer and talk to all my discus friends if I want anymore fish conversations.  I do all the water changes and feeding.  Wait, I take that back, he will feed If I'm away and have set out little pre-measured cups of fishfood on each tank.  (H)
Carol  *H*

[Ryan]

Well, I still live at home, and my parents have finally mellowed out to be a "C" type personality. When I was younger, they were "D" people, and at one point I was forbidden to bring another tank into my house, regardless of size, shape, or how cheap it was. When I was 15 I had well over 200 fish scattered between 2 tanks in our living room and as many tanks as I could squeeze into my bedroom. I ran out of space for them all and eventually lined them up on my floor, against the wall.

As for my significant other, well, they tolerate the hobby and act interested in it for my sake, but don't actually actively participate. They just look at pictures and listen to me talk about it, and smile. hehehehe.

Ryan

[devin]

my wife falls into the B category - although at times (when the honey-do list is getting long) she will quickly go to the C-D category....i guess she's just glad that i have a hobby....

[Bill_P.]

My wife has to be a,b,c,d

LOL she gets short tempered with me when i spend time on the fish, accepts the fact that i spend time with the fish daily, Really loves the fish when she is at work and i'm at home taking care of the fish instead of being at the Bar drinking. but yet When we visted a Discus Hatchery she was actively excited about it



Bill

[Bill_P.]

okay try the pic agian
Okay i'm not messing with the picture then

[DarkDiscus]

It's amazing how many of the a-b types there are out there!!!  I know there have to be some who live in endless conflict re their fish...  Don't be afraid to speak up!

John

[Butch]

Thank God my wife helps with the fish ;D  I work shift and she cleans and feeds at night when I am working. She has informed me that she gets to pick the fish for the tank that just finished cycling.
She stated she didn't need any help...just money

Butch

Hey everyone,

Well I guess I will be the black sheep, My wife falls into the d-range.   She does not show any intrest in this hobby of mine......matter of fact she doesn't even stay in the house when I start to do water changes......The up side is my kids love them and my 5yrold girl helps to feed and do water changes (she holds the hose in the bucket) ..............The only thing my wife says about my  fish is she thinks there pretty in a clean tank...............                    Jason

[DarkDiscus]

Jason,

Condolences.  At least you have a little fishkeeper in training.  For YEARS I had no one to share my hobby with.  My mom and brother always thought I was an idiot to "waste" time and money on fish.

My friends never had any interest.

Now it's great.  I can talk fish most of the time and she's into it!!!

8)

John

PS.  I do have to reciprocate by talking about her "stuff", but that's okay, because I like her stuff too...

[uk_mike]

Hey Jason,

Are you talking about your wife or mine

It's just the sort of thing I would have to write to answer Johns question......the only thing is I don't have any youngsters any more to take that sort of interest (the youngest is in his 30's).

So I just end up having a conversation with the dog at water change time ;D ;D

Mike #)!