What's the worst advice you received as a beginner?

[Vicki]

On 9/29/2020 at 4:50 PM, Ken Burke said:

Here is the stocking calculator I mentioned this morning.  As near as I can tell, it is fairly comprehensive, and does not require personal info to use.  I like it, but only as a tool when combined with good judgement.

so  what do you think about it?  If you put in the info for your tanks, what does it say?

 

http://www.aqadvisor.com/

Hm.  According to this, my fish should all be dead. 🤷‍♀️ I mean... they’re not, but maybe it’s just because they’ve toughened up?  Maybe?

[ange]

 

10 minutes ago, Vicki said:

Hm.  According to this, my fish should all be dead. 🤷‍♀️ I mean... they’re not, but maybe it’s just because they’ve toughened up?  Maybe?

In my experience aqadvisor is unreliable. I'm really glad that @Irene published her most recent blog as I feel beginner-friendly stocking resources are severely lacking. I know I had to learn through trial and error and have gone through the "how do I stock this" conundrum when learning how to use the space in my 50 hex (so tall! but so little space for most schooling fish)

Edited October 14, 2020 by ange

[H.K.Luterman]

Typical story from childhood - won some carnival goldfish and was told all three would do just fine in a 2 gallon fish bowl. 

[DavidR]

Sure you can add fish immediately to your tank. Take them home with you today!

 

Thanks PetSmart.

[LadyoftheLake]

On 9/23/2020 at 1:14 PM, ange said:

It's possible to keep bettas in smaller tanks, but getting the stable parameters, heating/filtration properly done, and having enough stimulation is tricky. It's like trying to keep a Great Dane in an apartment.

I grew up with danes, and actually they are pretty good apartment dwellers as long as you do what you should for ANY dog (i.e. take it outside, spend time interacting directly and don't leave them alone for 6+ hours of the day)  Danes are couch potatoes and are very low-key most of the time. basically, size isn't the primary factor, my 20lb vallhund would go nuts if we didn't leave the apartment everyday, but my 40lb german pinscher is a total homebody.  

the waste production and activity level of the fish need to be considered as well as size.

[T.H. Fishkeeping]

common plecos will grow to there tank😬

[ange]

1 hour ago, LadyoftheLake said:

I grew up with danes, and actually they are pretty good apartment dwellers as long as you do what you should for ANY dog (i.e. take it outside, spend time interacting directly and don't leave them alone for 6+ hours of the day)  Danes are couch potatoes and are very low-key most of the time. basically, size isn't the primary factor, my 20lb vallhund would go nuts if we didn't leave the apartment everyday, but my 40lb german pinscher is a total homebody.  

the waste production and activity level of the fish need to be considered as well as size.

That was the point I was trying to make, a betta in a smaller tank requires a lot more attention/maintenance due to the smaller sized space. I respectfully disagree about the Danes being couch potatoes, though. I work with dogs and danes are regularly all over us. They're not as drivey as hounds/terriers but definitely a handful.

[Ken Burke]

6 hours ago, ange said:

 

In my experience aqadvisor is unreliable. I'm really glad that @Irene published her most recent blog as I feel beginner-friendly stocking resources are severely lacking. I know I had to learn through trial and error and have gone through the "how do I stock this" conundrum when learning how to use the space in my 50 hex (so tall! but so little space for most schooling fish)

Yup, love @Irene!   Well, haven’t met her, but love the blogs and the videos.  

[Eric W-Farmhouse Fish Room]

"Yes, that stingray will do great in your 29 gallon aquarium.  Just give him a patch of sand to rest on."  Poor guy never had a chance.

[Dandy Pearl]

I've received all the bad advice mentioned above and seen the new tank and 20 guppies leaving the box story to many times.

Like many things, it depends on who you get. It's a roll of the dice. Given the turn over rate at the box stores, you can generally expect to get worse advice there and generally better advice at a LFS.

If the stock at the LFS is low I have no problem buying at the box stores. Unfortunately neither my LFS or the box stores quarantine. That's next on my list ( a quarantine tank ) now that I'm taking things more seriously. 

[mouseturd13]

Using ph up/down is a good way to manage ph in the tank. Also no quarantining fish or feeder fish which caused multiple ich outbreaks. I don’t think we ever did water changes when I was a kid either. 

[FriendlyLoach]

Betas don't need heaters, betas live in one gallon tanks,  8 goldfish in a 30 gallon is a good idea, never being told about fish diseases, your fish can live off of this one can of flake food. 

Yeah I had a rough start, and I am still feeling the effects from it. 

[Saltinthedesert]

On 9/25/2020 at 6:28 PM, igot2gats said:

You can cycle your tank with live fish.

I mean, that’s not wrong...

[Jeff]

8 hours ago, Saltinthedesert said:

I mean, that’s not wrong...

You're right, it's not wrong. But, it 's also something that really shouldn't be done. When you have an option to cycle an aquarium without fish, there really is no reason to put any fish through that, fighting Ammonia - regardless of how hardy the fish is.

[Ramie]

That i could get the fish at a discount when i bought its 12 ounce bowl home! 12 OUNCES. I trusted them. 🤦‍♀️

[Steph’s Fish and Plants]

On 9/23/2020 at 3:02 PM, Dean’s Fishroom said:

The baby 3" fire eel will do fine in my tank of several hundred neon tetras.


Well it did do just fine, 2 months later it was a 6" fire eel and there weren't any neon tetras left.....  😔

I got to feed a 3 foot fire eel at my LFS today, first day on the job. I also got to scrape the algae off of tanks with ones much closer to the 3” and 6” mark and wow was it tempting....

 

worst pieces of advice I got was probably related to replacing filter cartridges, and that bettas can’t be kept with other fish ever.

[Steph’s Fish and Plants]

On 9/23/2020 at 10:41 PM, Casey said:

When I was a kid, my dad would tell us to empty our tanks and clean with soap and water all the decorations, gravel, and the tank.  I remember always going to pet smart to buy more fish.  I now know why...  (I have since educated my dad)

My dad had me tear down my tank and scrub every piece of gravel, the filter, the tank, everything with soap and hose water in the backyard while my fish sat in cups inside. Everything died off within a week, and I wasn’t allowed to set it back again. Totally forgot about that when I did my first reply, but this definitely took the cake for me