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The way I care for my fish....

2K views 27 replies 13 participants last post by  dramaqueen 
#1 ·
I do most everything differently from everyone else with ALL of my fish.

We don't use conditioner for the water,
we don't have any fancy testing kits, ect. ect.

Neither of my bettas have heaters... nether does my 75Gal Cichlid tank, there are 3 fish in there.

Tigger is in a .5 gallon and he is quite happy, philip is in a 1.5 gallon and he thinks its the bees knees.

We, as fishkeepers at my house, find that all the fancy jazz like water conditioners, is just another way for a company to make money, your fish does not need them!

putting water conditioner in your water could possibly shorten your fish's life. All of my fish have lived or are living long and happy lives without all that water keeper jazz.

i dunno, its just the way it is at my house, it saves you money!!!

But yeah.

I'm sure y'all are going to well at me for not properly keeping my fish, but I'll tell you something right now, I have 2 13 year old fish, a 5 year old, a 4 year old, and a 2 year old fish. They all live happy lives and we don't spend so much money on all that fancy crap...

So...

Don't yell, I'm just sharing that.

Don't try to "Make us see reason" because we've been keeping for for 13 years, I think we know what we are going.

"u"

Thanks guys!
 
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#2 ·
What do you want? A round of applause for going against possibly all the most basic rules of fishkeeping? Well, you're not going to find it here.

Not using water conditioner is basically another way of saying making a fish swim around in toxin chlorine, chloramine, and heavy metals. Half a gallon is quite literally torture. Bettas need at least 2.5 gallons with a filter and a heater.

I don't really know what you're trying to achieve here. I know you are going to upset a lot of members on here as what you are doing is very, very cruel.

Oh, and that old trick... 'we've been keeping fish for 13 years'.. that old claptrap. You could have been keeping fish for thousands of years, but that doesn't change anything. There are rules and instructions for fishkeeping. Blindly going against all of them simply because you think you are right for 13 yeears doesn't make you a good fishkeeper.

You should be ashamed. I hope you are trolling and this sort of torture isn't really going on.
 
#3 ·
That may be true for you, but not for everyone.

We at my house have good well water that doesn't have the added chemicals that city water has, therefor we don't need conditioner either. I also don't have a heater in my tank... but that's because I live in Florida and during the summer months the water is perfect for Alpha. My GF has a goldfish that's lived for 5+ years in a tiny bowl with very rare water changes, and its still alive and going strong.

I'm sure some fish are a bit heartier, or there is something in other peoples water that isn't in yours. Or the other way around. In the end, it should come down to what works for you and your fish.

I don't have enough knowledge however to argue any of your other points.
 
#4 ·
In a funny way, I actually kinda agree with you. It seems fish keeping has lost it's relax state and its all about the tanks and brands, and who's better than who at fish keeping. My Ben is much happier now that I have stopped fussing and following guidelines and just letting him and I be normal. I have seen time and time again, people without the internet and forums taking care of fish just fine :)

But we do need to use water conditioners here, it's city water and you can't even drink it. Out of the tap, it smells like a pool of chlorine :S
 
#6 ·
Who's trolling now? You can talk about this subject without coming off as a snobby know it all. Although what you are saying in this post is true, your attitude about it blows.

Not everyone takes care of fish the same way, not everyone is on this forum either. If someone chooses to do something different, it's not your right to judge them and call them unfit fish keepers. What others do may not be for you, but what you do isn't the be all end all either :)

This quote "Thriving not Surviving" is kinda funny... so a fish Thriving for 2 years is healthier than a fish "Surviving" for 5? Nothing Thriving about a fish that has a shorter life span.

We also gotta take into account that not all fish are coming from the same breeders and areas. Not all fish get the same care at pet stores, not all water and homes are the best either (you could have mold in your air and not know it). Just do the best YOU can, do what you think is right and leave others alone that choose to do things differently than you.

And this isn't just YOU... this is everyone.
 
#7 ·
Not all methods work for everyone. I can tell you that our city water is full of chlorine, I can smell it. I doubt my fish would like to swim in that. Maybe you should get off your high horse and just say you do things differently and leave it at that instead of out right bragging.
No One Cares. The end.
 
#8 ·
I do think it is thriving... I havn't seen others that are this size. I am not saying what he is doing is right, mearly stating that some fish might be fine in different scenarios based off its temperament. I also know a goldfish isn't very old, however most people who win cheap goldfish at the fair and keep them in a bowl have them die in a few weeks.
 
#9 ·
Nothing Thriving about a fish that has a shorter life span.
OK, I agree, I was a bit angry. However, I don't know how you can justify what you said about the lifespan. Surely a fish which thrived in a large, healthy tank, however sadly died of a sudden, bad illness is better than a fish which survived 5 years in a tiny, stagnant, filthy bowl, swimming in it's own waste? I mean, really?
 
#10 ·
I have personally SEEN these conditions over the years, and can you explain to me why these fish living in such awful conditions live so long without diseases? But yet our fish that we keep after and clean weekly are getting diseases and dying so early? This is not all cases, for either side mind you.

Don't get me wrong. My boy has a 3gal and water is changed weekly. I also feed live and frozen food. I am by far neglecting my fish, but I don't see the need to jump all over someone who is doing what works for them.

I can see why the first post came off high and mighty, I get a little frustrated too seeing the members here bash people for not doing things they way they see it fit. Not everyone though, but there have been a few who really should have posted to begin with. I have followed advice given to me by pros, that led me to dead fish. Live and learn.
 
#11 ·
I have personally SEEN these conditions over the years, and can you explain to me why these fish living in such awful conditions live so long without diseases?
That, I have no answer for.

I've calmed down now, lol. My only priority when I log on to the forum is the fish. Sometimes this goes a bit too far, and sometimes I downright rant, but that's just me. I only care about fish when I'm on here.
 
#12 ·
@ PhilipPhish: I agree that everyone has their own ways of doing things and that also figures in fishkeeping but your post could have been put in a better way.
Maybe it's just me but saying stuff like this
We, as fishkeepers at my house, find that all the fancy jazz like water conditioners, is just another way for a company to make money, your fish does not need them!
feels like you're calling us stupid. That you're doing what's right and the rest of us are not. Everyone has different approaches and telling us that we could save money or its just "fancy jazz" makes it look like you're trying to prove your method over everyone else's. It's cool that your fish are doing well with your methods but personally, if I don't put chlorine remover in my water my fish will most definitely die...
 
#13 · (Edited)
There is a difference between water conditioner and dechlorinator....as well as the different locations-country, states...etc....can have different methods of treating tap water...most well water generally doesn't need either dechlorinator or conditioner added to the water......

IMO/E...less chemicals added to the fish the better-but for some....dechlorinator are needed otherwise the treated tap water can be deadly.....

Lots and lots of ways to keep fish...both good and bad....sometimes a person will get lucky and are able to keep a fish much different than others and we should not base our fish keeping methods on their luck when is varies greatly from the norm.....we do however, need to find our own way with some areas of our fish keeping....what work for me may not work for you and vice-versa.........sometimes its a matter of using a little common sense.........logic.......

It is not fair/safe to judge methods between keepers in all cases or blame deaths/problems based on information read...often deaths can be linked back to water or hobbyist error.....

To be a good keeper of fish you must first be a good keeper of water along with a good understanding of the dynamics and science involved in regards to the interactions of water chemistry and fish...lots of things go on in a closed system that many don't know about and/or understand....and quickly place blame on the wrong reason......
 
#18 ·
Let's just say we have our own methods, it's just that some work better than others because they are proven by not one person or group, but almost all of the Aquatic Community. Some are less well known, or not as stable throughout the world, so It's interesting it worked for you Philip! But I doubt it would work for everyone. So I suppose whatever works, works. :-D
 
#20 ·
BettaFish15: I change my 2 .5 gallon tanks frequently, though Philips 1.5 is changed once a week( usually Wednesday).
Nez and Tigger's tanks are changed every other day. Sunday/Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
My fish are healthy and happy. I find time to clean tanks, feed fish, and turn on lamps.

I shouldn't post things.. this is what happens when I get board and there's no one in my family who like fish and no one on the forum ever talks to me.


There. OK, I'm done...
 
#21 ·
Phillip, I think the problem lies in recommending people do it that way. You don't know their water quality. My water smells like a pool. A fish would die in it without condtioner/dechlorinator. So, taking your advice would end in death in my house. But honestly we take that chance anytime we advise something to someone without knowing everything.

THAT'S why I rely on test kits, the health of my fish, and common sense to tell me what's going on. All the staring in the world won't tell me when my tap water has had a large ph shift and when I should be careful because of it.
 
#23 ·
I'll never for the life of me understand why people get a bee in their bonnet about info that conflicts with their beliefs when they come to a PUBLIC INTERNET FORUM.

I also don't understand why anyone would brag about keeping their fish in bare bones conditions. Sure the fish may live for x amount of years but shouldn't quality of life be whats important? Especially if this is your pet! I think some people see fish as plants...that is to say less alive than other organisms... if I water it a little and it stays alive I've done a good job when in actuality a good hobbyist not only wants to see the organism live but THRIVE.

I'm not saying that every fish must have a 5 gallon cycled planted tank but no one can deny the basics of water chemistry. No one can sit here and tell me that a fish swimming around in 5ppm of ammonia is a happy and healthy fish. Yeah it may live... but at what cost? I have a theory that one of the reasons you see so many people saying my fish lived x amount of years in a kiddie cup from mcdonadls that never had a water change is because after the ammonia reaches a certain point many of the disease causing agents can't survive in that environment... the fish seem to adapt some how.. doesn't make it right.


There's all kinds of ways of keeping fish. However, Before you go spouting your methods maybe stop and think about the new person in the hobby. How is it going to look when someone says they keep small tanks and never do water changes? Next thing you know new member is crying that flipper has fin rot or dropsy or SBD because that set up DOES NOT work for them.

The socially accepted methods for keeping fish (the ones you see commonly in care guides etc) should be the ones advised because they are the ones most likely to work over a broad range of situations. It is then up to the individual hobbyist to tweak and establish his or her own unique method from there.


One last point. Just because you've seen or heard of a person doing x and y and having their fish survive so many years doesn't mean it was the right thing to do. Goldfish are the prime example because so many people stick them in bowls and think its A OK when in reality if they knew the damage they were doing to that fish's internal organs they would probably be singing a different tune.
 
#25 ·
again... terribley sorry bout all this. its not worth talkin bout anymore.... so just drop it like rain and forget it.
 
#26 ·
You don't have to apologize. In a way I agree with what you said. But maybe next time think about how the membership will react to what you're saying and maybe go a little more of a diplomatic route instead of coming across as "this is right and all of you are wrong". Also think about the possible ramifications of someone thinking that just because something works for you that it will also work for them.
 
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