Reef Keeping is Not a Hobby?

[exnisstech]

It's a hobby for me. Now that I've gotten into coral it's like growing an underwater garden and gardening is a hobby. Hobbies for me have always taken up a huge amount of my time which is why I have them. Without a hobby I would have too much empty time to occupy and that would not be good for me. I don't do well mentally if I don't have something to keep me busy.
My dogs are not a hobby but my best friends and companions. I like them better than most humans I've met. But I don't think the pups would like to spend as much time with me as I spend on the tanks. Even they need a little me time

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

Perhaps reefing is viewed more as a hobby because coral are not sentient. They do not express pain or seem to be self aware. However, fish are sentient, but we also eat them. So that may be a reason they are viewed by some as a hobby as well. We don't eat dogs (well, most of us), so they are usually considered more of a pet. I don't think there are any wrong answers here, it is just interesting to communicate our points of view as Reefers.

 

[Cthulukelele]

It's definitely semantic, but I'd describe keeping any aquariums (reef or otherwise) as a hobby just like I'd describe keeping a garden as a hobby. If I kept a barn cat I'd consider that to be a pet even though its existence in my life is driven by my hobby of keeping the garden. The same is true for my fish. I got the fish as part of my hobby of reefkeeping, but at that point they're my pets.

 

[christwendt]

I personally think anything you go out of the way to do is a hobby. If that’s working on the lawn, taking care of animals, listening to music, cooking etc. At the end of the day we have limited time. I think what we choose to do with our time in our free time away from obligations like work, those are our hobbies. When people ask me why don’t I listen to much music it’s because I don’t take the time to find new songs hence I don’t have time for it. Im too busy doing other things that I consider my hobbies.

 

[nuxx Verified Sponsor]

It's probably a hobby when you first start out with a small manageable tank...

As things start getting larger and more time and money intensive things change. End up turning into a business for me as well.

I tend do that that though, same thing with watches from the early 2000s until now... hobby to business.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

I think humans create emotional attachments to pets for many different reasons. Some healthy, some unhealthy.

I've had tank crashes in the past that killed off all my fish and although I felt bad for a moment, the mourning process didn't last long? Most of the frustration was what to do next, rebuild or take a break?

I do think this is first and foremost a hobby. We invest a lot of time until we are mentally exhausted trying to make a comfortable environment for the fish and inverts. But in my case it's not about their well being, it's about my achievements, how far I can go, how nice I can get the tank looking, can I achieve a thriving robust reef? And part of that is inhabitants health but mostly it's about understanding the intricacies of biologicsl life and how far you can push the boundaries.

There are so many disciplines encompassing this hobby from engineering to biology, it's all covered. One day you'll lose yourself into one aspect of the hobby and the next day you're lost in another. That's the beauty of the HOBBY.

 

[Northern Flicker]

I think if you set up your tanks with only the animals in mind, then you can consider it more than a hobby.

The vast, vast majority of people are keeping mixed reefs (often not ideal for all species of coral/nem), with fish that likely would be best in larger tanks, and many look at their coral as a "collection" that they enjoy showing off. This feels like a mixture of pet care and a hobby. Much like training your dog and doing grooming shows is more of a hobby, while loving and caring for the dog is petcare.

 

[JayM]

The answer is................................. both a pet and a hobby. But for me personally it's more a hobby for one reason. If one of my tank inhabitants dies for one reason or another, my first thought after determining why is "there goes X dollars" and flush 'em down the toilet. When I've lost dogs in the past, and when I will in the future, money never comes to mind, cry, be bummed for a while, and keep their ashes on the mantle.

Personality or not, my tank inhabitants will never even come close to my dogs.

 

[DJF]

What about considering it a discipline? (That can discipline you)

 

[ErikVR]

My hobby is taking care of animals. Doesn't matter if it's my dog, cat, horses, chickens, goats, fish, corals.... I like to care for them and interact with them.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Hey Reefers! I discussed reefing in my recent video, and a viewer made a comment that resonated with me. That reef aquarium keeping is not a hobby. The premise is that when you get a dog or cat, etc., they are not a hobby. They are pets that require daily care and attention. I whole heartedly agree with that, and would like to further the discussion here.

Just because our aquatic friends cannot verbally communicate with us, does not mean they are not animals dependant on us for survival. Btw, coral ARE animals, not plants. What are your thoughts about this? Just a box of colorful decorations? Or animals that deserve and require our daily care? Happy Reefing!

Fish are definitely pets, though I'm not saying that maintaining and caring for a reef system isnt a hobby, maintaining a reef aquarium, keeping coral, aquascaping are all part of it , and while the fish themselves are much more than items, I'd say the process of keeping and maintaining a mini ecosystem is a hobby.

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

Another interesting aspect is that reefing is seasonal. This lends to the "hobby" side. Reefers tend to be lax about performing tank maintenance in the summer and fall months, yet go all out in the winter and early spring. Just ask any lfs and they will tell you when the slow time is. I don't know what my cat would do if I stopped changing the litter box for 6 months. Well, I have an idea!

 

[7of9]

I think pets CAN be hobbies, but not everyone treats their pet as a hobby.

I think of the people who do things like agility with their dogs. That's totally a hobby as well has having a pet. Or people who do dog shows with their dogs and travel all over. People like that don't just keep a dog, they pretty much have a life that revolves around activities with their dog and friends who are into the same thing.

I think it's possible to keep a tank and just have them be pets. I knew a family who had a FOWLR and they had a service come to do routine maintenance and care and all they did was feed and enjoy their fish. Those certainly were pets. Someone else did the researching, setup, and troubleshooting for them and they just enjoyed watching their fish.

For me, they're both pets and a hobby. I like meeting other reefers and learning from them. I enjoy researching and yes, even troubleshooting problems. In a very real way, a big part of my life revolves around my 32 gallons of ocean and I'm happy with that.

 

[Boehmtown]

I do my hobby with my fish .... sure they have no say, but they are just gonna have to trust I'm gonna treat them to a one in a billion life. Safe home, plenty of food, no predators.

 

[00W]

Other than my job and family it's what I do, and what I like to do.
Hobby. Yes and no.
These creatures are my responsibility.
Ever seen a trigger not look at you funny?
They know what's going on.

 

[00W]

Most definitely more than a hobby. Once I take possession of a fish or coral it's my responsibility to ensure it's well being. I'll put myself out to do whatever it takes to give one of my critters the best life possible.

I just had a Diamond Watchman Goby die suddenly for an unknown reason. It was part of a couple that had paired up and never left each others side.

That situation made me feel bad enough for the still alive Goby that I moved another one over from my FOWLR tank, bought a new one at a LFS and put him into my FOWLR tank. The two paired right up within 30 minutes and now it's like it never happened. I'm pretty sure I was more upset about it than the fish were. lol.

It's a life style, not a hobby.

^^^This.

 

[Miami Reef]

I agree with the comments but...
When you are a breeder of dogs and cats, is it then a hobby??

Hmmmmm....

I was thinking the same thing as I was reading through this thread!!

 

[Paul B]

To me it's a hobby. I eat fish almost every day, go fishing and my family owned a sea food business. I don't really get attached to my fish but I do take good care of them. I have some over 30 years old, most of them are spawning and I would never let them get sick. Most of them also only die of old age. They are "only" animals and we Humans eat a lot of animals but not our dogs or cats. At least I don't.

 

[Jose Fatule]

I think both things don’t mutually exclude each other.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hey Reefers! I discussed reefing in my recent video, and a viewer made a comment that resonated with me. That reef aquarium keeping is not a hobby. The premise is that when you get a dog or cat, etc., they are not a hobby. They are pets that require daily care and attention. I whole heartedly agree with that, and would like to further the discussion here.

Just because our aquatic friends cannot verbally communicate with us, does not mean they are not animals dependant on us for survival. Btw, coral ARE animals, not plants. What are your thoughts about this? Just a box of colorful decorations? Or animals that deserve and require our daily care? Happy Reefing!

Collecting stamps and coins are a hobby and collecting fish and coral would also apply
We often see the term used " Reef keeping hobby".