What is "Great Success"?

Rybren · Feb 15, 2018

When I was a kid, success meant not peeing in my pants.

At my current age, success means not peeing in my pants.

dricc · Feb 15, 2018

Rybren said:
When I was a kid, success meant not peeing in my pants.

At my current age, success means not peeing in my pants.

haha that's awesome. I'm in the same boat.

MnFish1 · Feb 15, 2018

Paul - you create a lot of false questions. Not a lot of people claim 'great success'. When you say it that way it makes everyone assume that what youre saying is 'what everyone does'. In reality, very few people say any of the things quoted in your original post.

Example - no one says this: Or did you buy a Moorish Idol because you saw it eating Hamburger Helper in the store and the store owner assured you the fish has been eating this for 6 months so you got it home and although it is covered in spots and is nauseous so you put Prizapro on it and it is still alive after 3 days.

Example - no one thinks this: If a person lives 30 or 40 or even 50 years was he successful?

But you couch these posts in cuteness - and 'humor'. and so everyone says - oh yes he is right. In reality - most people dont think this way. It would be better (IMHO) to just say what you are trying to say with your original post above)- the point of which im still not clear - rather than this I fed my moorish Idol bagels and cream cheese with great success". Because no one ive read have said this.

I have heard some one say that feeding a certain food stimulates or potentiates or maintains the immune system in fish with no evidence...

Kamden Uelton · Feb 15, 2018

I would say my 8 months with crinoids and getting good growth is partial success, great success would have to be 2+ years

Sppf121 · Feb 15, 2018

Getting my BTA to sty in the perfect spot was awesome........ Now if I could get the tank raised clowns to find that same "perfect Spot" that would be a great success....

mcarroll · Feb 15, 2018

@MnFish1 Success is about accomplishing goals! Success for many seems to be when they put a weird chemical in their tank but not everything dies. ;Doctor Woot.

mcarroll · Feb 15, 2018

MnFish1 said:
I have heard some one say that feeding a certain food stimulates or potentiates or maintains the immune system in fish with no evidence...

Paul's tank IS evidence. If you want a scientific explanation of "why and how?" then you're going to have to hit Google scholar like the rest of us (incl. Paul).

We all do it!

I would start by either checking out Paul's immunity thread or my blog's fish section. Lots of good material in both places.

User1 · Feb 15, 2018

Interesting thread. I'm not sure I'd agree that a person couldn't achieve success if they only live to 30, 40, or even 50. That is what you are asking after all, is it not? People live to all ages, 80 and beyond, yet may have never touched someone's lives or done any act of random kindness. Is that success? How one measures success is a lot like how one measures a planet in my opinion.

We can, however, start to measure success in the hobby if we, as hobbyist, have a conscience and stop treating fish and corals has commodities.

Maritimer · Feb 15, 2018

Success, for a fishtank, can be measured by what lives in it, by how long it lives, by how naturally it re-creates a living reef - or by how many people are influenced by it to respect and care for the world around them, or come to a deeper understanding of relationships in the natural world.

Success, for a human, can be measured by living to 103, or by making a difference in the world. If a researcher dies in their mid-thirties, shortly after developing a cure for cancer ... they'd be a great success.

Success, for a fishtank, can be measured by the joy in a baby's eyes. If that baby later grows up to be part of the team that ends coral bleaching events on the GBR, that fishtank is a great success.

~Bruce

Mark Gray · Feb 15, 2018

Interesting Good thoughts I have some great successes I am still alive. but yes my fish prefer hot wings over cream cheese ;Walkingdead;Walkingdead;Walkingdead

MnFish1 · Feb 15, 2018

mcarroll said:
Paul's tank IS evidence. If you want a scientific explanation of "why and how?" then you're going to have to hit Google scholar like the rest of us (incl. Paul).

We all do it!

I would start by either checking out Paul's immunity thread or my blog's fish section. Lots of good material in both places.

It is evidence that he has a great tank. It is not evidence that the 'rationale' that he states is 'correct'. Lots of people using different methods have 'great tanks'. So I respectfully disagree.

MnFish1 · Feb 15, 2018

mcarroll said:
Paul's tank IS evidence. If you want a scientific explanation of "why and how?" then you're going to have to hit Google scholar like the rest of us (incl. Paul).

We all do it!

I would start by either checking out Paul's immunity thread or my blog's fish section. Lots of good material in both places.

Oh - and I disagree with the rationale of Pauls immunity thread. So should everyone - if its not reproducible (more than multiple percent) its just anecdote. And thats not an insult to Paul. Its just that there are so many faults in the logic there that its not applicable to the majority of hobbyists. (imho)

Mark Gray · Feb 15, 2018

MnFish1 said:
It is evidence that he has a great tank. It is not evidence that the 'rationale' that he states is 'correct'. Lots of people using different methods have 'great tanks'. So I respectfully disagree.

I agree many have good secsess but like Paul's tank is exceptional With a RFUG and no Qt not many like it.

Sleepydoc · Feb 15, 2018

I think failure is easier to define than success

Humblefish · Feb 16, 2018

IMO; success in this hobby means that the vast majority of the livestock in your care does not die prematurely. Some (smaller) fish only live 5 years max, but most fish should live at least 10-15 years in captivity. Corals live a lot longer than that!

And look, we all know accidents can happen, wipeouts do occur, etc. You live with it by knowing you did your due diligence in each & every situation. It doesn't need to be judged anymore than that.

d2mini · Feb 16, 2018

I don't think I've ever considered any of my tanks or anything to do with them to be a great success.
Of course, due to upgrading tanks or just not being in the same house for more than 4 years or so, I haven't had the same tank long enough to consider anything a great success.

dricc · Feb 16, 2018

MnFish1 said:
Oh - and I disagree with the rationale of Pauls immunity thread. So should everyone - if its not reproducible (more than multiple percent) its just anecdote. And thats not an insult to Paul. Its just that there are so many faults in the logic there that its not applicable to the majority of hobbyists. (imho)

I am not a biologist nor am I a nutritionist and I understand that what goes for human beings doesn't necessarily go for animals. That being said it is commonly accepted that Whole Foods i.e fruits and vegetables are much better for you than processed foods.

MnFish1 said:
Paul - you create a lot of false questions. Not a lot of people claim 'great success'. When you say it that way it makes everyone assume that what youre saying is 'what everyone does'. In reality, very few people say any of the things quoted in your original post.

Example - no one says this: Or did you buy a Moorish Idol because you saw it eating Hamburger Helper in the store and the store owner assured you the fish has been eating this for 6 months so you got it home and although it is covered in spots and is nauseous so you put Prizapro on it and it is still alive after 3 days.

Example - no one thinks this: If a person lives 30 or 40 or even 50 years was he successful?

But you couch these posts in cuteness - and 'humor'. and so everyone says - oh yes he is right. In reality - most people dont think this way. It would be better (IMHO) to just say what you are trying to say with your original post above)- the point of which im still not clear - rather than this I fed my moorish Idol bagels and cream cheese with great success". Because no one ive read have said this.

I have heard some one say that feeding a certain food stimulates or potentiates or maintains the immune system in fish with no evidence...

dricc · Feb 16, 2018

dricc said:
I am not a biologist nor am I a nutritionist and I understand that what goes for human beings doesn't necessarily go for animals. That being said it is commonly accepted that Whole Foods i.e fruits and vegetables are much better for you than processed foods.

I don't claim to be a biologist or nutritionist. It seems to be commonly accepted that live Foods I.e.fruits and vegetables are better for you than processed foods this doesn't necessarily apply to fish. I know that you're talking about the bacteria from live foods
and Paul's claims that it makes his fish immune but couldn't it both be a nutritional and a bacterial component? I understand you were trying to warn beginners trying to emulate Paul but he does this himself in many posts. I know there are many variables in Reef keeping and he uses bacteria and mud from the ocean as well as a UV sterilizer. He doesn't claim everyone should use his methods. If people don't do their due diligence shame on them. Again I understand you're trying to inform people but I appreciate Paul's advice and love his humor. After all this is a hobby not life or death.
[QUOTE="dricc, post: 4459609, member: 38442".[/QUOTE]

Newb73 · Feb 16, 2018

Paul B said:
Great success is having a great wife who is also your best friend and she is both of those things for the rest of your life. I have that.

Of course, I also have a fish tank.