Sad state of our hobby when...

[ericatdallas]

It's a sad thing when the local Barnes and Nobles chooses to stock "Gem and Rock" magazine but not one issue of any aquarium magazines. I remember when I was able to find 3-4 of them at the book stores.

Not knocking the mineralogist in any one but the aquarist has got to be at least as common as the rock collector... right?

[kaceyo]

The book stores always carried FAMA and TFH, and sometimes Practical Fish Keeping back when I used to by the fish mags. You've got me curious now, I'll have a look at the Borders next to my coffe shop next chance I get.

[ericatdallas]

The book stores always carried FAMA and TFH, and sometimes Practical Fish Keeping back when I used to by the fish mags. You've got me curious now, I'll have a look at the Borders next to my coffe shop next chance I get.

Yeha, let me know. Maybe it's just my B&N or city that doesn't like fish. There's some weird magazines here... unsurprisingly the ones with half naked (or fully naked) women are in abundance.

My other hobby (electronics) is represented by four magazines. That's unusual but makes sense with Wright Patterson AFB nearby. I usually have a hard time just finding one.

[Ryan]

None of my local bookstores carry aquarium magazines anymore. Sometimes B&N will have the odd TFH here and there, but it's sporadic at best. Once I was trying to buy multiple copies (Simply was featured in one of the magazines as a recommended website, and I wanted to send one to all the mods) and the store told me I could order more and it'd take a couple weeks to get them in. :confused: If I wanted to do that, I could just subscribe and have them mailed to me.

[Joker43]

The B&N in Mansfield has A fish magazine. I can't remember the name but it was on the bottom shelf of course...lol. I stopped having them delivered when they threw the fresh and salt water together. Besides join 2 or 3 forums and you can read and look at pictures all day with less advertising... lol

Tito:jester:

[MGKelly]

I remember about 20 years ago, the aquarium hobby was second to photography. Back then I remeber visiting 3 local fish stores weekly, which have all gone out of business.
I just don't believe the hobby is as popular as it used to be.

Joe

[Foxfire]

I remember about 20 years ago, the aquarium hobby was second to photography. Back then I remeber visiting 3 local fish stores weekly, which have all gone out of business.
I just don't believe the hobby is as popular as it used to be.

Joe

Or is it just too specialized now? This forum is a case in point - and lets not forget Saltwater, which has exploded. Now there are groups for so many specialized fish and most people just are not interested in a general magazine on mostly run of the mill tropical fish with the single and too short “special” featured fish. Finally, the internet allows these specialized groups to talk, show images and exchange data one-on-one instead of reading one persons point of view. The list could be expanded from here. The market for specialize magazines is too small, and the market for generalized topics is just to uninteresting to most people now a days. I'd think a Tropical Fish mag would be in the situation of "can't win" here.

My. four point one six three cents on this subject.

[ockyra215]

Well I dont think the hobby is less popular then in the past just more outlets to socialize the hobby to what your angle is weather salt or freshwater or african cichlids its all as mentioned above join a forum and youll have more knowledge and pics as TFH with out the ads or the articles you dont want to read! I remember before the internet (showing age) I used to get FAMA and used to scour the classifieds in the back for local breeders and drive all over gods creatation to get discus from hobbiests and local breeders.Not to mention the facts that all these Petco's and Petsmarts have killed a lot of local fish stores!

[LizStreithorst]

I believe that hobby IS less popular than in the past. Keeping an aquarium is a luxury except for the addicted few. Times are hard. The dog or cat may even have to go for some. Forget fish.

The only consolation is that things will change. They always do.

[brewmaster15]

Many of the fish clubs are in serious decline these days...and I think that also plays into.....add to that the last 2 years has probably seen more pet shops close than in the last 10 years --just throwing that number out there based on my area....Into the mix, through the establishment of the bigs chains and internet outlets, these are solely there to sell and push a commodity...Its no where as diverse as it used to be ...thousands of chain stores selling the same fish in the same systems....old individual petshops used to be a place to take a child and get them hooked....they were almost like entering a fantasy world.....Thats largely gone.

I think ultimately whats in decline is new blood....Kids aren't keeping fish like they used... and so that hurts subscriptions. Its all video game, afterschool activities, and what not. I was speaking at a fish club last year about the state of the hobby and thats was a big consensus ...members remember when there used to be kids running all over the place at monthly meetings...not anymore.

jmo,
al

[NODAK1979]

One thing I've noticed is that whenever I go into Petsmart or Petco, there are lots of people looking at the fish. Yeah, not good places to get fish...but still...I see the interest.

And our local fish store is usually pretty busy. It was hard to get a parking spot when I went there on Sunday.

[strawberryblonde]

And our local fish store is usually pretty busy. It was hard to get a parking spot when I went there on Sunday.

Was that YOU hogging my favorite parking spot on Sunday??

[NODAK1979]

Was that YOU hogging my favorite parking spot on Sunday??

I'm there far too often, honestly. Now that I consider my tank fully stocked though, I will vacate your spot for you so you can spend your money there and I can give my checkbook a break.

[strawberryblonde]

LOL!! Why thank you sir, you are most kind. I tell ya, my LFS was a zoo on Sunday. I had to wait nearly an hour just to grab a couple of plants and some more MTS.

[TonyAPBTx]

My LFS is also very busy on weekends. I think the economy is playing a big part in it and I just don't think people are as "active" I guess is the right word. They want a nice tank but are not even remotely interested in putting in the work to make it look nice. Which is why you can find such great deals on craigslist. People buy nice stuff, set it up, it looks nice for 3 months, no work is done and it slowly declines and they want to get rid of it.

This also burns people out on the hobby. "Its too much work" is something I hear all the time when talking about aquariums. The decline of the LFS leads to less knowledgable people selling fish/equipment.

I think people's expectations and the reality with fish-keeping are totally different.

[ericatdallas]

I remember about 20 years ago, the aquarium hobby was second to photography. Back then I remeber visiting 3 local fish stores weekly, which have all gone out of business.
I just don't believe the hobby is as popular as it used to be.

Joe

Wow, was it really that popular? I first got into fish probably 25 years ago. I do remember there were quite a few LFSes but I don't remember it being like the "in" thing to do. Photography seems to be making a huge comeback with the new digital cameras and some of the features it offers. I think more from the aspect of digital editing. You would think with a high population density (especially in places like New York, Los Angeles, etc) that dogs/cats would be less popular and fish would be more popular. My friends and wife's friends actually tease me about my fish now though... so it may have gone the way of "stamp collecting" obviously it's been surpassed by rock collecting :P


Well I dont think the hobby is less popular then in the past just more outlets to socialize the hobby to what your angle is weather salt or freshwater or african cichlids its all as mentioned above join a forum and youll have more knowledge and pics as TFH with out the ads or the articles you dont want to read! I remember before the internet (showing age) I used to get FAMA and used to scour the classifieds in the back for local breeders and drive all over gods creatation to get discus from hobbiests and local breeders.Not to mention the facts that all these Petco's and Petsmarts have killed a lot of local fish stores!

That might explain the decline of Aquarium magazines but how does that explain the decline in pet stores? I suppose you could attribute that to Walmart since they sell diseased fish really cheap which is no different to the average consumer. I mean most people think goldfish, bettas, guppies, etc.


I believe that hobby IS less popular than in the past. Keeping an aquarium is a luxury except for the addicted few. Times are hard. The dog or cat may even have to go for some. Forget fish.

The only consolation is that things will change. They always do.

I'm not sure that I agree with the expense of an aquarium. I have a dog and I'm positive the costs are lower for fish (unless you're talking about a giant fish room). I paid $1200 for our dog (I know, too much, you can buy fairly cheap) but then we pay money for grooming (which we do in the winter when it's too cold to bathe our dog outside), about $60/month on dog food (we buy the premium stuff and not the grocery kind), we have to pay for monthy heart medication ,flea medication (medication is about $20/month), the occassional vet bill, immunizations, and if we go out of town and can't find a sitter we pay for that as well. Fish are pretty expensive too, but I think there's a broader range that is controllabe. You can get a 20G tank with a few low maintenance fish fairly cheap or you can go all out with a saltwater tank with rare species and top of the line gadgets.

[NODAK1979]

Wow, was it really that popular? Photography seems to be making a huge comeback with the new digital cameras and some of the features it offers. I think more from the aspect of digital editing. You would think with a high population density (especially in places like New York, Los Angeles, etc) that dogs/cats would be less popular and fish would be more popular.



That might explain the decline of Aquarium magazines but how does that explain the decline in pet stores? I suppose you could attribute that to Walmart since they sell diseased fish really cheap which is no different to the average consumer. I mean most people think goldfish, bettas, guppies, etc.



I'm not sure that I agree with the expense of an aquarium. I have a dog and I'm positive the costs are lower (unless you're talking about a giant fish room). I paid $1200 for our dog (I know, too much, you can buy fairly cheap) but then we pay money for grooming (which we do in the winter when it's too cold to bathe our dog outside), about $60/month on dog food (we buy the premium stuff and not the grocery kind), we have to pay for monthy heart medication ,flea medication (medication is about $20/month), the occassional vet bill, immunizations, and if we go out of town and can't find a sitter we pay for that as well. Fish are pretty expensive too, but I think there's a broader range that is controllabe. You can get a 20G tank with a few low maintenance fish fairly cheap or you can go all out with a saltwater tank with rare species and top of the line gadgets.

I'd say most people don't feed premium food or spend a lot of money from a breeder for their dogs. Same goes for cats.

However, the start up costs for a tank can be pretty expensive, especially if it isn't a small one. We have a 60 gallon, which I suppose is mid-range, and I'd say we've spent about 1,000 dollars thus far on it. That includes the tank, stand, sand, decorations, heater, filter, accessories, food....not even the fish. The fish, that's another story. Getting discus wasn't exactly a cheap move.

[ericatdallas]

My LFS is also very busy on weekends. I think the economy is playing a big part in it and I just don't think people are as "active" I guess is the right word. They want a nice tank but are not even remotely interested in putting in the work to make it look nice. Which is why you can find such great deals on craigslist. People buy nice stuff, set it up, it looks nice for 3 months, no work is done and it slowly declines and they want to get rid of it.

This also burns people out on the hobby. "Its too much work" is something I hear all the time when talking about aquariums. The decline of the LFS leads to less knowledgable people selling fish/equipment.

I think people's expectations and the reality with fish-keeping are totally different.

That is a good point. Most people think aquariums are pretty low mantenance and it can be. However, some people want to be able to let their aquarium sit and change water once every other month or two. I still think that's possible because I'm on the second month of not changing the water in my planted tank and it looks great (no nitrates/ammonia/etc). But it's not heavily stocked. I think most people aren't sure how to properly stock their aquarium and use the right filtration for the job to maintain that balance of low maintenance and aesthetics.

Also, there's something to having my dog wag her tail and greet me at the door which is a lot more endearing than my fish swimming to the top begging for food. Or playing frisbee/catch and wrestling with a dog versus vacuuming mulm from the bottom of the tank and making messy beefheart :P


Many of the fish clubs are in serious decline these days..l

Yeah, the one in my city closed like 10 years ago. I was pretty disappointed when I moved here as I kept finding evidence that there was one (even an address), references, and old events but I couldn't find a url or any contacts. There are pretty decent fish clubs an hour away in 3 different directions which is nice but not as convenient. I think only major cities are able to sustain them.

[ockyra215]

I honestly think its the way of the world I dont buy the economy excuse.I blame the lack of people getting out and doing it.Its the same thing as the gun club i belong to it has trap shooting events and other festivitys and they try to get the kids invloved they do fishing trips archery meets and what not but you dont see the little kids like you used to.I also blame the internet lol people who used to go to aquarium clubs and what not get the same info from sites like these(no offense Al)and dont have to pay dues or get int the car and spend the day.

[ericatdallas]

I'd say most people don't feed premium food or spend a lot of money from a breeder for their dogs. Same goes for cats.

That's true, but even without those costs the medical bills do pile up. The kennel bills for when we went out of town was like $300 because we couldn't find anyone to care for our dog for two weeks when we went on vacation. I know a lot of people skimp on the medication (which can lead to vet bills in the future or suffering pets). I think my point was I don't think that costs are the driving factor to fish.


However, the start up costs for a tank can be pretty expensive, especially if it isn't a small one. We have a 60 gallon, which I suppose is mid-range, and I'd say we've spent about 1,000 dollars thus far on it. That includes the tank, stand, sand, decorations, heater, filter, accessories, food....not even the fish. The fish, that's another story. Getting discus wasn't exactly a cheap move.

I guess I got lucky with my shopping on Craigslist. I think I've spent about that much on three tanks (two 75G and one 55G).

I got a really good deal from a couple who had too many tanks and wanted to downsize to just a few tanks. Looking back, I should have taken their offer for the CO2 and 90G they were getting rid of.

[ericatdallas]

I honestly think its the way of the world I dont buy the economy excuse.I blame the lack of people getting out and doing it.Its the same thing as the gun club i belong to it has trap shooting events and other festivitys and they try to get the kids invloved they do fishing trips archery meets and what not but you dont see the little kids like you used to.I also blame the internet lol people who used to go to aquarium clubs and what not get the same info from sites like these(no offense Al)and dont have to pay dues or get int the car and spend the day.

The internet probably leads to the decline of a lot of clubs. You're right, we're in a worldwide virtual fish "club" on this site. I do like going to fish meeting to trade fish but you can do that on most forums. Between Craigslist and fish forums you can find people to trade and buy cheap from.

[kevin joseph]

eric... news readers on main st in fairborn around the corner from my shop sells a few different fish mags. you can find some decent used fish books there to sometimes

[Jhhnn]

I think that the freshwater hobby is undergoing a general decline, and that we're seeing a big high-low split, reflecting the general shift of income to the tippy-top. People at Petco and Petsmart worry over the expense of a 20 gal tank stocked with platies for the kiddies, and billionaires have exotic sea creature habitats in their living rooms, maintained by professionals. Like a lot of the rest of America, what's in between is withering away. Some of middle America can still afford to indulge ourselves, but we're the exception rather than the rule.

[ericatdallas]

eric... news readers on main st in fairborn around the corner from my shop sells a few different fish mags. you can find some decent used fish books there to sometimes

Well, it's not that I want them. I was just taking a break from studying so I went and looked at the magazines to see what was available. I thought fish magainzes were a good thing to browse through. I am considering subscribing to TFH, but I might do it digitally. For the most part, any info I want (as already said) I can get here or somewhere else online. It's more about the fact that the book store stocks a magazine for rock enthusiast. I mean, rocks... inanimate million-to-billion year old rocks have more of a following than aquariums... that's a sad state of the hobby...

I'll have to drop by next time I'm in the area and see what they have though.

[TURQ64]

Well, it's not that I want them. I was just taking a break from studying so I went and looked at the magazines to see what was available. I thought fish magainzes were a good thing to browse through. I am considering subscribing to TFH, but I might do it digitally. For the most part, any info I want (as already said) I can get here or somewhere else online. It's more about the fact that the book store stocks a magazine for rock enthusiast. I mean, rocks... inanimate million-to-billion year old rocks have more of a following than aquariums... that's a sad state of the hobby...

I'll have to drop by next time I'm in the area and see what they have though.
Well, I've been raising fish for 50 years, but I also rockhound and prospect, so I for one am glad that there are 'rock' mags....And I most likely have more hardbound books on minerals than I do of fish....I have two federal mining claims in Idaho, and my 'rock' hobby yields more cash and fun in my sparetime than 'fishing' ever did...As soon as I learned how to find gold in streams, the fishing tackle started staying home, and the number of dredges and pans greatly increased in the garage...Gary

[ericatdallas]

Well, I've been raising fish for 50 years, but I also rockhound and prospect, so I for one am glad that there are 'rock' mags....And I most likely have more hardbound books on minerals than I do of fish....I have two federal mining claims in Idaho, and my 'rock' hobby yields more cash and fun in my sparetime than 'fishing' ever did...As soon as I learned how to find gold in streams, the fishing tackle started staying home, and the number of dredges and pans greatly increased in the garage...Gary

LOL, if it's a money generating hobby then I suppose that makes a lot more sense. Maybe I should pick up the magazine :P

[TURQ64]

Not that 'hobbies' need to generate cash over fun, it's just nice that a few do!....hard to argue the spike in precious metals prices...but consequently, the outback is full of greenhorn's in their new trucks with new metal detectors, trying to 'get rich'....nature is a hard taskmaster at times...

[ericatdallas]

I don't know, generating cash is quite fun to me :)

Any other revenue source would just go directly into the aquarium or wife "money sink" anyway :P

[snowflake311]

I dot think it's that a lot less people are keeping fish it's that times are changing. Books are on the decline with the new electronic things that's you load books onto. Also the Internet and sites like these who needs fish mags when you have forums. People that lost their homes had to sell their tanks and move to smaller places. I don't think this means they will not keep fish again it's just hard times.

[ericatdallas]

I dot think it's that a lot less people are keeping fish it's that times are changing. Books are on the decline with the new electronic things that's you load books onto. Also the Internet and sites like these who needs fish mags when you have forums. People that lost their homes had to sell their tanks and move to smaller places. I don't think this means they will not keep fish again it's just hard times.

Yeah, but if that's the case, why can't people go online to learn about rocks? We know they can... retail is in it to make money. So their purchasing manager or whoever maintains their magazines saw that it was MORE profitable to stock "Rock and Gem" than an aquarium magazine.

I guess in a way, I'm saying that fish are more interesting than rocks. Although, in my city at least, a lot of people would seem to disagree :P

[Jhhnn]

Yeah, but if that's the case, why can't people go online to learn about rocks? We know they can... retail is in it to make money. So their purchasing manager or whoever maintains their magazines saw that it was MORE profitable to stock "Rock and Gem" than an aquarium magazine.

I guess in a way, I'm saying that fish are more interesting than rocks. Although, in my city at least, a lot of people would seem to disagree :P

With rocks, mushrooms, plants, birds, insects & other stuff, there's value in being able to carry a book into the field. Tropical fish? not so much, because we don't observe or collect them from anyplace wilder than the mall...