Just My Opinion

[ladyhawk]

I read what I could of the thread that started with the question about tank size necessary for a tang and grew into a political debate. I didn't want to add more to it, but have this undeniable urge to state my thoughts separately. I hope you don't mind.
I have had a 40g sw tank for 3 years. Just within the last few months I have went from FO to a reef tank. I traded in my fish of 3 years for lr and dove in. Immediately I experienced disaster and realized my mistake of being uneducated. Upon the death of my Mandarin I also experienced extreme guilt and the overwhelming curiosity of the whole industry and the impact on our environment.
I have no plans on becoming politically involved; I have a hard enough time managing my own life. But I look at the stock in my lfs and imagine these living things being sliced from their environment and shipped all over the world. It makes me hurt thinking about it.
I LOVE the hobby. I respect the hobby and I will do what I can to ensure that any animal I take responsibility for is cared for to the best of my ability. I thought after 3 years I knew a lot. I might as well have purchased my tank yesterday. I have stepped back and will learn all I can before I continue (that involves staying AWAY from the lfs ).
Just an FYI, one of the 2 fish I lost in 3 years was a yellow tang. 40g was not enough room. Ich and overall unhappiness were completely obvious, but I had no idea why. Now, 2 1/2 years later I know why. I can't believe I have been involved for this long and have been this oblivious.
So, all in all I am trying to say thank you to everyone here. It is an addictive hobby and everyone here accomplishes a lot for folks like me who need to have their head examined. I feel for the animals that have died due to my lack of effort and hope after I learn more I can help others avoid my mistakes.
Thank you for listening.

 

[flamehawk]

Anytime. Well said.Good post.

 

[sistrmary]

Every time I've had a fish die (Which doesn't happen much these days. The only fish that usually die in my tanks are experimental fish that I feel bad for and feel that I need to save from the LFS) I feel the same way.
I think how horrible it is to take these things from their homes and put them on display. Although things don't die often anymore, when they do, I'm hit hard still. But I try to make myself think about what a horrible life other people are giving these fish...and that once they're "harvested" there are two ways to go: Into someone *reponsible*'s tank (such as myself and a few others around here) who will try to make their captive lives as happy as possible...or into some soulless heathens' tank...who will try to cram as many fish as he into his too small tank.
Either way, they will never be set free again, and I know that at least I know what I'm doing. It sounds a bit hard, but it's true. It's so easy to shrug off the responsibility of the deaths in your tank to "I didn't know..." but it's not so easy to accept that you caused a death from either ignorance, laziness or cheapness. (Ignorance literally meaning that you didn't know..a lot of people confuse ignorance with stupidity...it's not at all. More along the lines of niavety. **---This btw is not directed at you, it's to those people who have gone through 5 yellow tangs in a 10gal tank---**)
I'm glad you made this post Ladyhawk. All too often in forums all you see is negative feedback from offered advice. (From either the person who asked and didn't like the answer or another member who disagrees, etc) I'm glad that you're conscientious enough to sit back and learn before diving in again. Lessons learned are rare in this hobby..be proud of yourself...although I don't know you from Eve, I'm proud of you.