Opinions that differ from everyone else's. Thoughts?

[aaren92]

So I'm slowly learning that the saltwater aquarium trade is a lot like wine. Everyone has their own opinion, and it is largely up to you to discover for yourself what works, and what doesn't.

I got a tiny tiny Hippo Tang and added it to my 100 gallon after quarantining it for a week, and the people at the fish store were extremely adamant, telling me that it was a 'flip of a coin' whether my fairly large Yellow Tang attacked it or not. Needless to say, they're getting along perfectly. They even swim alongside each other most of the time.

On a different note, but adding to the fact that my own opinions differ from everyone else's it seems, I have a Dogface Puffer that I've had since the very beginning. My friend had to get rid of him when he was very little, so I adopted him into my 55 gallon (yes, I know this was too small for him, but he was tiny at the time). Since then I've upgraded to a 100 gallon, and not once has he ever looked twice at any invertebrate or fish I've added to the tank. People at my LFS cannot believe it. They kept saying "Well when it gets older things may change." But so far so good. I can probably say he is actually the most docile fish I own.

Anyway, I'm curious to hear other stories from you guys. How weird is it to get fish that are 'different' than what the 'norm' is?

 

[johnc99]

Things worked out for you. That's great. But you are a sample size of one; I am a sample size of one. RC is a sample size of thousands. Would everyone's experience mimic yours? I think not. That's why the "consensus" would be not to do what you did. But like there will always be outliers in statistics, there will also also be fish whose behavior differs from their expected norm - but you can't know or predict this ahead of time.

As an experiment - roll a dice 20 times and see how many times you correctly predict the number that you roll.

BTW don't take this the wrong way. I am glad that things did work pout for you. But there's usually a reason for the consensus opinion.

 

[snorvich]

And, of course, as fish mature, their viewpoint with regard to environment and roommates will change.

 

[BrianD]

It isn't a matter of "opinions". It is a matter of long-term experience in the hobby and recognizing that while there may not be any 100% certainties in the hobby, there are areas that are a pretty safe bet. Often people who would prefer to look at husbandry as based on "opinions" rather than experience aren't doing anything new, they just are doing something contrary to expert advice because it justifies their choices in their mind.

 

[fishkid6692]

It isn't a matter of "opinions". It is a matter of long-term experience in the hobby and recognizing that while there may not be any 100% certainties in the hobby, there are areas that are a pretty safe bet. Often people who would prefer to look at husbandry as based on "opinions" rather than experience aren't doing anything new, they just are doing something contrary to expert advice because it justifies their choices in their mind.

Agreed. I did things my own way and ignored peoples advice when I first started in the hobby. While in some cases it worked for me, I made some very costly mistakes that could of been avoided if I had listened to the experts that have been doing it for years.

 

[BigBarnacles]

It isn't a matter of "opinions". It is a matter of long-term experience in the hobby and recognizing that while there may not be any 100% certainties in the hobby, there are areas that are a pretty safe bet. Often people who would prefer to look at husbandry as based on "opinions" rather than experience aren't doing anything new, they just are doing something contrary to expert advice because it justifies their choices in their mind.

Echoing my sentiments. Also, I have a few corals that defy the norm. My placement of them wasn't defiant but in regards to their preference. I have a zoa colony and acan colony that prefer lighting similar to that of an sps. I move them down and they close up. I put them in high lighting and they thrive. My nem likes high flow areas. I hear people saying the opposite about nems quite often. If I were to listen to them the nem would be unhappy. Once again, not defiant. Just conscious to what my inhabitants desire. Certain practices fall under a general consensus for a reason. They work and are proven to provide success (99% of the time).

 

[sinenomine]

Fwiw: consensus once allowed people to be imprisoned for trying to prove the earth is a sphere. In some cases it's accurate (no tang in a 10) but only outliers innovate. Experimentation requires contradiction.

I thought you were going to make a reference to the stupidity of the "lineage" based pricing of various organisms within this hobby when you made the wine reference. I hope people will eventually admit that the "emperor is naked" when it comes to that sillyness.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[fishkid6692]

:deadhorse1:

 

[BigBarnacles]

Fwiw: consensus once allowed people to be imprisoned for trying to prove the earth is a sphere. In some cases it's accurate (no tang in a 10) but only outliers innovate. Experimentation requires contradiction.

I thought you were going to make a reference to the stupidity of the "lineage" based pricing of various organisms within this hobby when you made the wine reference. I hope people will eventually admit that the "emperor is naked" when it comes to that sillyness.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

I think the point is how many outliers are trying to innovate as opposed to just defying proven methods for the sake of doing it their own way? Personally I have no issue with you, or anyone else for that matter, trying something different. Be an outlier as you put it. But realize in doing so you risk a great deal. Very few innovators succeeded without suffering great losses first.

 

[rssjsb]

Fwiw: consensus once allowed people to be imprisoned for trying to prove the earth is a sphere. In some cases it's accurate (no tang in a 10) but only outliers innovate. Experimentation requires contradiction.

The innovations you cite were made by people making a leap of faith after devoting their lives to studying the natural world, then working to prove or disprove their theories over the rest of their careers.

No disrespect to the OP, let's not conflate that with someone who's just starting out in this hobby getting lucky in the short term with a fish or two and concluding that the "experts" are wrong. The latter happens on these boards at least once a week.

 

[BrianD]

let's not conflate that with someone who's just starting out in this hobby getting lucky in the short term with a fish or two and concluding that the "experts" are wrong. The latter happens on these boards at least once a week.

Yes, but we will keep beating the drums, because sometimes the message is heard.

 

[rssjsb]

Yes, but we will keep beating the drums, because sometimes the message is heard.

Absolutely.

 

[snorvich]

The innovations you cite were made by people making a leap of faith after devoting their lives to studying the natural world, then working to prove or disprove their theories over the rest of their careers.

No disrespect to the OP, let's not conflate that with someone who's just starting out in this hobby getting lucky in the short term with a fish or two and concluding that the "experts" are wrong. The latter happens on these boards at least once a week.

I agree. I spend a lot of time in the Fish Diseases Forum where I often encounter the "Tragedy of the Month" from those who feel that the "experts" are wrong.

 

[MrTuskfish]

I agree. I spend a lot of time in the Fish Diseases Forum where I often encounter the "Tragedy of the Month" from those who feel that the "experts" are wrong.

.......and many tragedies start with keeping a fish in quarantine for only for a week, like in the opening post. This practice (or "opinion") is a tragedy waiting to happen. But, hey, it worked for someone, somewhere, once, I think!

 

[Big E]

I agree. I spend a lot of time in the Fish Diseases Forum where I often encounter the "Tragedy of the Month" from those who feel that the "experts" are wrong.

Steve,

I give you & others a lot of credit for trying to help these people, especially before tragedy hits.

I got worn out years ago..........it can be very frustrating.

 

[Fatmike92]

I had a friend who had a puffer for 6 years in a 210. One day he woke up after 6 years and the puffer had killed almost everything in the tank.

I feel like its usually just a matter of time. One day they all seem to snap

 

[jackde]

After finding RC it did not take long to learn there is more than one way to do almost anything. What works for one may not work for another. All I can say is to read-read-read and from the different opinions try and decide what may work best for you. It may turnout not to and something else will have to be tried. I myself always pay close attention to posts of the long time reefers here on RC.

 

[snorvich]

Steve,

I give you & others a lot of credit for trying to help these people, especially before tragedy hits.

I got worn out years ago..........it can be very frustrating.

Thanks. I try not to take anything personally but realize you can only help people that want to be helped. I wrote a lot of stickies on fish parasites, treatment, etc. These are useful only if people read them. And, at times, I too get frustrated, especially if people give up.

 

[Canadian125]

I always do lots of reading on here before I attempt something, and for the most part, things have worked out for me. But sometimes you just need to try things, I got along tentacle anemone that refused to stay anywhere, I read everything I could, dig it a hole, use a colander. Finally I just let it be, and one night I came down and it was attached to a rock, everywhere you read says they like the sand but this thing is happy on the live rock, has been there for weeks. i would say its less an opinion thing and more of a what actually works thing.

 

[skraj011]

After finding RC it did not take long to learn there is more than one way to do almost anything. What works for one may not work for another. All I can say is to read-read-read and from the different opinions try and decide what may work best for you. It may turnout not to and something else will have to be tried. I myself always pay close attention to posts of the long time reefers here on RC.

very well stated. I try and pay attention to everything I read, but I also take everything with a grain of salt.