This is why fish keeping is different to any other hobby...

[Obsessed with fish]

If someone sqis hobby, whats the 1st thing that comes to your head, maybe collecting something, gaming, sport etc etc.

All the hobby I said on the 1st paragraph are probably the most common ones, but very few would think of fish keeping... I didn't even know there were people out there with 50 tanks until I tried it myself.

Fish keeping is different to any hobby. Let's say you collect cards, you simply buy them, hope you get a good one then check them on your shelf to show off to your friends. No care needed. Same with sport, art and pretty much every other hobby.

In fish keeping, well, your keeping something. You have a passion and a responsibility. You are looking after the fish, your not just running around a field kicking some price of cheap leather in between some metal posts.

Theres

Happyness

Sadness

Responsibility

There are few hobby with the responsibility part, the other 2 are common. The best and most 'unique' part is the live and care.

What do you think?

 

[Tamberav]

I mean people keep frogs... snakes.. horses.. birds...whatever.. lots of people keep living things as their hobby.

The coral part is like people who keep gardens or people who keep difficult rare flowers...

What about crazy cat ladies?

 

[Miami Reef]

I agree with almost everything you said but:

You are looking after the fish, your not just running around a field kicking some price of cheap leather in between some metal posts.

I understand that we don’t understand how people can enjoy X hobby.

But the same can be said about us!

Eg “Look how they spend thousands of dollars of a glass bowl with…fish that will die! I eat fish for breakfast!”


Hobbies will always look weird to outsiders.

 

[davidcalgary29]

I'm sitting in my living room, watching my ever-expanding Kenya Tree waving gently in my RSM250 while my angelfish peck algae off the rocks. I also live in the middle of the taiga and it's dark and muddy and below freezing outside. I'm happy to be watching this glass bowl with fish in it right now.

 

[N.Sreefer]

I have snakes lizards spiders quail ants cockroaches frogs salamanders and whatever else I forgot to list and I'll say what sets saltwater fish keeping and reef keeping apart from the rest of it is difficulty, all the other animals I mentioned are much more forgiving if something goes wrong, also upfront investment is much higher than other hobbies. I will say I have a few plants that can compare if my heater fails my orchids will not deal with the swing in temp if my bonsai don't overwinter well I lose alot of time money and effort. But that's what keeps things interesting I agree its very different from keeping other animals/engaging in other hobbies.

 

[Obsessed with fish]

I guess I'll change it to animal jeeping

 

[Obsessed with fish]

I meant animal keeping