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Who has to defend their hobby?

9K views 47 replies 41 participants last post by  pandakami 
#1 · (Edited)
How many of you have a spouse / partner / room mate / that does not really understand your addiction? You know - the one who doesn't get why you need to feed your "sucker fish" zucchini and peas, or why you don't get a "pretty goldfish" for your SA biotype tank. :rolleyes:

Or, why you needed to spend $that much$ on your fish :confused: ?!?!

My wife is one of those - but she puts up with me (somewhat....)

She did get me a $100 gift certificate from our LFS for Daddy's day, though! :)

Her friend's husband just bought a motorcycle. I think my wife likes the tanks better. :p
 
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#2 ·
my wife hates it, she HATES all the fish stuff around the house all the time. She wanted me to get rid of every tank i've ever had lol.

When i move to my new place i'll have my man cave downstairs i will surly be setting up my 25 rimless, and if she does not like it.. then dont come downstairs!!
 
#3 ·
My wife is not as into it as I am, but doesn't ever harass me on the tank. She actually helps pick most of the fish, feeds them during the day while I am at work, and told me our house didn't feel like a home until I had the tank in the living room. She will, howver, prevent me from putting tanks in each room. LOL
 
#5 ·
My wife doesn't mind as long as it doesn't get into her space (rest of the house). She says at least I'm not up to "no good." LOL. Thus, she's happy to live with my hobby.
 
#6 ·
I think my wife likes the fact that this hobby keeps me in the house. I coach soccer as well, so I'm out a lot!
 
#12 · (Edited)
My wife will occasionally playfully make fun of me but in reality I think she likes the fish. She doesn't mind me spending money on it either as long as the other necessities are taken care of first. Like her clothing fund. :D\
Everyone needs a hobby IMO and every hobby costs money. I could be into hobbies that cost more and are far worse than liking to keep fish. Like shooting heroin.
 
#13 ·
I think it's time to defend women here a little bit. I have only couple of tanks (20G and 5G) and I still consider myself to be a beginner, especially when it comes to planted tank. My husband loves it and has this wonderful ideas for me - he already picked spot for a tank in every room (including kitchen). Only thing is, he doesn't know anything about aquarium stuff and I will be the only one taking care of it, like I am now :eek:)
 
#14 ·
Most of my friends are impressed by the hobby, and especially my discus.
But when they ask how much this or that costs, and I tell them, they say: "Whoa- that's a lot of $$$"
Then I ask: : "Yeah - how much does your golf hobby cost you per year ?"
Or to someone else:
"How much do you spend on your skiing hobby ?".
And to another: "How much do you lay out for a sea cruise each year ? ".
Almost always, end of subject !
 
#15 ·
My ex use to threaten to turn my fish into sushi and i would just roll my eyes But my gf thinks my fish are awsome and gets excited when they do there mating dance.But with the recent deaths she is getting upset . And is realy pushing me to get into salt
 
#16 ·
I kept saying no for a few years regarding getting fish. Then they changed the pet rules where we live and out of the options I only liked fish so we got our first tank. Very quickly we ended up with many small tanks cause I liked fish that wouldn't get along with his fish. Now we both have to work to keep the other in check when it comes to making fish and fish related purchases.

We have stopped trying to justify our hobby to anyone else and are now at that point where we are upgrading to larger tanks and combining tanks where possible. I see it as I don't drink, I don't smoke and I don't even have cable and I can't even begin to count up the amount of time I have spent just happily watching my fish in the past 7 months.

Also, Aaron and I are both very hard people to buy for so I see it as we are adding a new item that can be purchased for us with a gift certificate for our local fish store :)
 
#17 ·
I'm happily single now, but back "when", my ex and I encouraged each others hobbies. Everyone needs something to keep the mind alive, relieve stress and allow the brain to run background contemplation programs. Without that, misery and irritability sets in.
It's people without hobbies who die three years into retirement.
 
#18 ·
I am currently seperated and going through a process of divorce from my spouse/ex, Dorothy. She really DID NOT LIKE my fish tanks but we still have a mutually respectful relationship. My next relationship will HAVE to be with a hobbyist ;)!

Respectfully,

Stuart
 
#19 ·
For the longest time my parents were against me getting tanks they didn't understand why I liked fish more than a dogs haha But they saw I loved the hobby and just accepted it, but on the other hand my friends thing I'm a weirdo :p It would be nice if one of em had tanks or was in the hobby so I could just talk about the hobby with em..... I wonder how I could convince em to start o_O? haha
 
#22 ·
My dad actually was an aspiring hobbyist! Growing up he tried to get my sister and I into it but we (and our mom) liked cats and it was always a bad combination. He tried to do a pond out back with fish when I was in my teens but if it wasn't our cats it was the raccoons. At one point he had that thing close to air tight with all the stuff he kept using to try and keep the fish safe from the animals......and still all he ever managed to do was give the little thief(s) a good meal.
 
#26 ·
I had someone tell me the other day "keeping fish is the lonely mans hobby".

I laughed! We all have friends, we all have things to do, we all have people to see.

Some of us MIGHT be lonely, but I certainly disagree that it applies to everyone.
 
#28 ·
I had someone tell me the other day "keeping fish is the lonely mans hobby".
That could be said about pretty much any hobby that isnt based around groups. Lonely people look to find ways to fill the gaps, and a hobby can do that. But many people gravitate towards a hobby because it interests them, satisfies their curiosity, or fills a need to create. Personally I dont understand people who never have hobbies of any sort. It is as if they have no interest in the world around them.
 
#27 ·
IMO I Hear To Many People Tell Me They Have To Ask Permisson From There Spouse Or Significant Other To Buy Fish Or Fish Products.
IMO If Your Asking For Permisson Then You Need To Grow A Pair!
Lifes To Short To Have A Someone Make Decisons For You, Your Whole Life.
If The Person Your With Can't Understand Your Passion For Something, Then You Probably Shouldn't Be With That Person Anyways.
Do What Makes You Happy.
 
#29 ·
True...
And, as a wise man once told me, it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission.. :) :) Then again...happy wife, happy life...gotta find the balance :)
 
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