Do you "reef tank" your friends and family?

[Treefer32]

My husband and I just spent nearly 6 hours taking non stop about reefing. So nice to talk about something other than the kids and business!

I wish this were true. Lol. She complains I talk about reef stuff too much and I complain she talks about work too much... So, back to the weather it is...

 

[TheDorkLord]

Some don't get it, but I've been lucky. About half of my friends and co workers always check it out when they drop by or ask about my tank. They want to "live vicariously" through mine, lol.

Also, being single, I'd be lying if I said I never went "do you want to come in for coffee to check out my reef tank?". It's hit or miss, lol.

But yes, subtly I do try to orient them towards the hobby. I've gotten a few to start watching youtube vids. One step at a time

 

[Treefer32]

Does it count that I tell my freshwater fish the dumb things the saltwater fish are doing and vice versa? I get the same glazed over stare so I think it still counts. Haha. Doh, I think I need more human friends to glaze over their eyes.

I thought it was bad, when I see my copperband spit out a piece of food because he too big a bite and one of my anthias swoop in and steal the food that the copper band was going to chew more. I yell at the anthias to leave the copperbands food alone. . . I praise my copperband for each bit he succesfully eats and doesn't spit out... Very finicky eaters and I'm confident my verbal praise motivates him to eat more.... My wife says "Are you talking to your fish again...." ....

 

[Treefer32]

Some don't get it, but I've been lucky. About half of my friends and co workers always check it out when they drop by or ask about my tank. They want to "live vicariously" through mine, lol.

Also, being single, I'd be lying if I said I never went "do you want to come in for coffee to check out my reef tank?". It's hit or miss, lol.

But yes, subtly I do try to orient them towards the hobby. I've gotten a few to start watching youtube vids. One step at a time

I'm not sure... But, come in and see if my fish can seduce you... Seems kinda fishy to me.

 

[Karen00]

I thought it was bad, when I see my copperband spit out a piece of food because he too big a bite and one of my anthias swoop in and steal the food that the copper band was going to chew more. I yell at the anthias to leave the copperbands food alone. . . I praise my copperband for each bit he succesfully eats and doesn't spit out... Very finicky eaters and I'm confident my verbal praise motivates him to eat more.... My wife says "Are you talking to your fish again...." ....

You totally understand what I'm saying. You get me. LOL It's completely normal to talk to our fish.

 

[Treefer32]

You totally understand what I'm saying. You get me. LOL It's completely normal to talk to our fish.

It is! My copperband is like a puppy. He follows me around the tank, he plays with my fingers as I dip them in the water. And we have great conversations! He's almost to a point where I could pet him like a puppy. He lives dangerously though because he is not afraid of me at all, so when I bring in the magnetic flipper to scrap the glass He's gotten close to being scraped by the flipper or crushed between the magnets as he wants to be my friend. . . I'm just trying to clean his house. He also alerts me when the glass is too dirty for him. He doesn't like that when he can't see out at me. He'll swim back and forth trying to let me know that the front glass is too dirty. Then I clean it and he goes back to being normal. I totally get it.

I also talk to my large tangs. One will lay down for me on the sand (sideways) and just look at me. I don't know if he's got a neurological defect or what. He'll also rest his bottom on the gsp rock and let it pet or tickle him.. We have very good conversations about what is proper and what is not proper for fish to do in my aquarium!

 

[e3pillereefer]

My wife is soooo jealous of the time I spend reefing...which is most every moment I am home. It's just what you do when your home and have a reef? She really doesn't want to engage with me on my reef bc that would signal she's interested. I think she actually likes it a little but would never admit it. I'm on my own but I understand everyone has their thing and the wife/kids help me out when I'm gone. Guess that's all I can ask for!

 

[TheDorkLord]

I'm not sure... But, come in and see if my fish can seduce you... Seems kinda fishy to me.

Oh, it's totally fishy. Just probably not the way they think!

But that's only after my 70lb, year old pup gets plenty of attention. And I do talk to him about my tank

 

[Karen00]

It is! My copperband is like a puppy. He follows me around the tank, he plays with my fingers as I dip them in the water. And we have great conversations! He's almost to a point where I could pet him like a puppy. He lives dangerously though because he is not afraid of me at all, so when I bring in the magnetic flipper to scrap the glass He's gotten close to being scraped by the flipper or crushed between the magnets as he wants to be my friend. . . I'm just trying to clean his house. He also alerts me when the glass is too dirty for him. He doesn't like that when he can't see out at me. He'll swim back and forth trying to let me know that the front glass is too dirty. Then I clean it and he goes back to being normal. I totally get it.

I also talk to my large tangs. One will lay down for me on the sand (sideways) and just look at me. I don't know if he's got a neurological defect or what. He'll also rest his bottom on the gsp rock and let it pet or tickle him.. We have very good conversations about what is proper and what is not proper for fish to do in my aquarium!

That is awesome!!! My yellow clown goby follows my hand around the tank. He sometimes kisses my hand (or maybe he's trying to eat it). Either way it's fun! LOL I love interacting with my fish.

 

[fishybizzness]

Says it all!

 

[Evo R]

I had my first ever Reef tank in the early 2000's and it was a small nano, and i was so chuffed when I had a few different corals in it mostly softies and a red monti cap if memory serves......and all I remember about that tank that i had for years....is when ever i showed anybody the tank or started talking reef with them......all they would do is ooooooo and aaahhhhhh but in hind sight every thing went over there head and they where just polite to not stop me blabbing, until my back then soon to be mother in law stops me mid stride and says....you should get rid of all this junk pointing to my softies, and get more of these....pointing to my Aptasia infestation.......that was the last time i geeked out with a non reefer about reef keeping.

I have since stopped talking reefing to non reefers, unless they start the conversations and or ask reefing questions.....And when we have guests over and they ooo and aahhh a bit. But I had recently had a guest party at my place and you will always get that one cheap skate who will...when drunk try to argue with you in front of everybody on the merits of spending so much money on reefing ect. To the point where other people where chiming in on it. So i stopped the conversation and asked if anybody ever saw the movie Avatar and the scene of them swimming at night and almost everything fluoresced ect. Everybody nods....so i got up, closed the curtains and switched off all the nearby lights....walked over to my tank, switched all the lighting to blue and UV only obviously making everything pop.......pointed my finger to the tank and calmly said.....Avatar B@the$ .... thats why. Needless to say i was never ever challenged again by anyone on the merits of spending large amounts of money on my hobby and passion again.

 

[Just John]

Ex wife would scream it's a darn waste of money! I was only into FOWLER tanks at that time! Current girlfriend loves it.

Excellent second date test. I used to know a guy who would break up with a girl how would not do a specific perverted sex thing for him by the 5th date. Still single at 50.

 

[Kapachuka3]

You know, when you're talking to your spouse/co-worker/random acquaintance and their eyes start to glaze over and you realize they really don't care about how the peppermint shrimp stole food from the candy cane again or how the GSP is finally starting to take off on the back glass but you keep telling them anyway?

Dude all the flipping time man hahahaha. I talk to all my family members like that.