# Our fish and our parents.



## LittleNibbles93 (Feb 7, 2011)

My sudden burst of Betta love has kinda freaked my mom out, but we came to the agreement I can have them, but I have to buy any tanks, decorations, food, and medicine with my own money, I found that fair.

Then I asked her if I could have as many bettas as she does cats, she said yes, so thats means I can have 6 bettas!

Tonight I asked her if she supported me in it, she said she does, just not financially, but she'll support me in everything else. She likes sitting at the table (where my tank is) and talking with Cici when eating breakfast, lunch, or dinner  Funny cuz she rolled her eyes when I got her at first, she even calls her "Pepperoni".

I also asked my mom if she'd ever want a betta, she said not a betta, but an oscar, she's always wanted to have one since she was a little girl (she grew up with an aquarium) but could never afford it.

So, just like, 15 minutes ago, I made a promise with/to my mom that someday, when we're our own home (living with my aunt, she doesn't mind bettas), we'll go out and get everything a Oscar needs and get her one.


How about you? What are your parents like about fish?


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## BlakbirdxGyarados (Feb 10, 2011)

Oh my god.
Oscars get HUGE.

But they're freakin fun to have as a pet, too. You can hand-feed them and... they're pretty much like an aquatic dog.


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## Arashi Takamine (Mar 3, 2011)

It was my dad's idea to get betta's! XD I always thought they were beautiful but after goldfish I hadn't really thought seriously of getting one because I always had my dog. After we saw my BFF's betta's in vases with bamboo my dad said we should get one....
Then he suggested as a joke to get two but we liked the idea so now we're waiting on getting two boys. My dad is very supportive of my betta love and he's looking forward to meeting Kalona just as much as I'm looking forward to getting him.


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## hannah16 (Mar 3, 2011)

My Mom likes looking at the fish, she says all the colors & everything help her mood when she's down (And lately, thats often, so I keep dragging her to the petstore).

I like fish, (Mainly bettas & koi) because I think they are pretty & I love taking care of them. They are so unique and beautiful. Even my Dad (who hates like everything....) Likes fish.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

My mum was never really been a fish person, since a certain goldfish tank from back in the dim dark ages of my youth. However, fast-forward eleven or so years, and about the same number of bettas, and she has completely changed her mind.

The only times my mum complains about my fish, is whenever I a) mess up the powder room/kitchen/her ensuite/the laundry when I do water changes, or b) when I spill something like ten liters of water/Seachem excel/half a bottle of blackwater extract on the carpet. All I can say is thank God for whoever invented rugs.

The rest of the time, my mum is actually really tolerant of me and my fish. She lets me spread their tanks all through the house, and doesn't mind all that much when I plug in a heater and blow the power. It's even gotten to the point where I now have to let her choose a pair of her own to fill my final couple of tanks. 

At the LFS yesterday, I was told if we win lottery she is going to set up a saltwater tank and I can maintain it for her. I think I'm going to go find any recent tickets and shred them up haha.


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

my mom LOVES fish. her favorite is the Angel fish. so, she understands my love for bettas, but doesn't understand why i want so many. xD i tell her, "mom! you have alot of fish, if i do" when she tells me that, because she likes schooling fish. my argument is "i don't have alot of fish. i just have to have alot of tanks.". xD


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## BlakbirdxGyarados (Feb 10, 2011)

I can't say much on what my parents think of my tons of fish I have right now. Mostly considering that I'm on my own. 
And I can't say much about my granparents, since my grandpa used to breed bettas and loves fish just as much as I do. Grama... well, she doesn't mind. She just really hates it when one dies, since I bury them and try to make a little "casket" out of paper towels or something... |D So I make her feel extra bad...

Eh... if i ask Mom about what she thinks of my fascination with aquatic animals, she'll probably say something along the lines of "I'm indifferent" or something.

But I bet that if I still lived with her and my stepdad, they'd have a big problem with it. xD;


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

i'm waiting for the day mom plants her new Cherry Tree. >.> she wants to plant it in the "fishie graveyard". ._____o i'm gonna be sitting on the porch, watching, waiting for her reaction when she uncovers four baggied bettas. >.>;


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## BlakbirdxGyarados (Feb 10, 2011)

Luimeril said:


> i'm waiting for the day mom plants her new Cherry Tree. >.> she wants to plant it in the "fishie graveyard". ._____o i'm gonna be sitting on the porch, watching, waiting for her reaction when she uncovers four baggied bettas. >.>;


Aww, maaan... gravedigging. D:
Kind of a scary thing....


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

accidental grave digging. i didn't know she wanted to bury her tree there. xD so, i've been using it as a betta graveyard for the past year. :d


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## LittleNibbles93 (Feb 7, 2011)

Luimeril said:


> i'm waiting for the day mom plants her new Cherry Tree. >.> she wants to plant it in the "fishie graveyard". ._____o i'm gonna be sitting on the porch, watching, waiting for her reaction when she uncovers four baggied bettas. >.>;


That would be funny to watch!  XD


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## BlakbirdxGyarados (Feb 10, 2011)

Luimeril said:


> accidental grave digging. i didn't know she wanted to bury her tree there. xD so, i've been using it as a betta graveyard for the past year. :d


Ah, so she didn't know... |D That'll be interesting to watch if and when she finds fish in the ground....


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

nah, i've told her that's where the fish are buried. xD i just don't know what she's expecting. probably not sandwich baggies with dead bettas in them. >.>;


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## Alex09 (Aug 9, 2010)

Why do you bag them? Just let them contribute to the fertility of the soil and help in the cycle of life. We can all be useful... even after death.

I remember burying my old parakeet (budgie) in a tin box in my backyard under a tree several years back. Probably still there. I sometimes have a morbid urge to uncover it and open it up...


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## PhilipPhish (Mar 6, 2011)

My mum thinks my betta love is weir too. I'm planning on getting 2 more bettas this summer.

I have had 2 oscars in my life time and they are really cool.
I had a big momma lookin one and a medium size one. the big momma died at age 10 years. the medium one is going no 10 years now, maybe 12.


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

Alex09 said:


> Why do you bag them? Just let them contribute to the fertility of the soil and help in the cycle of life. We can all be useful... even after death.
> 
> I remember burying my old parakeet (budgie) in a tin box in my backyard under a tree several years back. Probably still there. I sometimes have a morbid urge to uncover it and open it up...


because, as much as i love them, i don't want to touch them. >.> maybe, if mom digs them up, i'll just unbag them and bury them by the Cherry tree. they can be my little Samurai buried under the Sakura tree. <3


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## wildmagic713 (Sep 6, 2010)

My dad likes fish. He says our guppies annoy him, but he likes them.

He thinks Bettas are really cool and fully supports me in my hobby- he actually paid for half my tank and stuff that I got in the beginning (So he payed about $45). He talked my mom into letting me get two Bettas over spring break (My first one died about two weeks ago).

My mom doesn't like that I spend money on them, but other than that she doesn't really care.


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## TwilightNite (Mar 3, 2011)

I have no clue what my parents think, all I
know is that they don't want me to get another 
one and I only have one! I seriously don't think it would hurt 
to get another one,really!


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## briser (Feb 7, 2011)

At first my mom was kinda like "Ugh another fish??" because I use to have them a lot as a kid, but because I didn't know how to take care of them properly they always died so she saw it as a hassle, but when she saw me taking so much time to take care of my red male she eased off, and when I brought home my female she was kinda like "another one, really?" then when I bought the 3gal tank home she was excited and helped set it up.  She now comes in my room all the time to look at my fish and "play" with them haha. I bought another guy home last night and she was like "You got another fish didn't you?" and she wanted to see him and seemed pretty content about it. As long as I take care of them she doesn't really care. Dad just thinks they're dumb though and doesn't bother with them.


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

my mom used to sigh when i'd want to buy another betta. then, one day, she asked me to help her get herself one for the kitchen. xD i helped her pick out an energetic red CT who we've been calling Counter Buddy, and she likes to clean his bowl and change out the plant in it. i've suggested she get him a bigger tank, since he's in a one gallon bowl, and she seemed to really think about it. here's to hoping Counter Buddy gets upgraded soon. she really seems to love that little guy.


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## RiverStoneBetta (Feb 22, 2011)

Most of my family is fine with my fish, and my mom loves coming in and playing with them. ( She prefers my goldfish though.) my grandmother (who we're all living with. I'm going to college thirty minutes away, my parents lost their house.) has put a cap on how many fish I can have, and I'm at my limit. My grandfather thinks I have too many, but he like the fact that I budget my fish supplies into the equation realistically, and I rarely run out of money prematurely.


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## Abby (Jan 13, 2011)

Luimeril said:


> accidental grave digging. i didn't know she wanted to bury her tree there. xD so, i've been using it as a betta graveyard for the past year. :d


for the last 15 odd years living at the farm my parents were wildlife carers. my mum cared for the cute ad cuddly; dad everything else. at any one time we would have cages full of animals and tanks full of reptiles, as well as pouches hanging off every dinging chair with orphaned wallabies in them.

my mum had bettas, i had them on my own before. my mum died 7 yrs ago but my dad still keeps a 4 foot "creek" tank. bout 5 yrs or longer ago dad caught a sleepy cod out of the creek like : |========| big now he would EAT my biggest betta and not blink. he eats uncooked prawns (shrimp; with head removed) and worms and he is HUGE his head along is about this wide
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## wildmagic713 (Sep 6, 2010)

Luimeril said:


> because, as much as i love them, i don't want to touch them. >.> maybe, if mom digs them up, i'll just unbag them and bury them by the Cherry tree. they can be my little Samurai buried under the Sakura tree. <3


Anytime one of my small animals died, it was wrapped in a paper towel and buried that way. 

Then, one, you don't have to touch them, and two, they're in something that will decompose along with them


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## JKfish (Apr 8, 2010)

Originally my mom and dad were annoyed at me, but after a while they warmed up to them (slightly). Now, they put up with bettas, in fact, sometimes I'll walk into the study and see my mom watching Tux.


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## Goomba3 (Jan 20, 2011)

My mom lives 1000 miles away from me, so she only sees the boys through pictures and videos. But every time I call her, she always asks how her "grandfishies" are. When I was living with her and had fish, she would always watch them when I was out of town. She was the one who got me into fish, she had a 30 gallon community tank with all sorts of fish in it.


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## B3TTA LUVA (Feb 13, 2011)

Well both my parents have had Bettas before... But neither are really pet people (my dad used to eat bunnies in soup ) unless its a dog. But they are both fine with it as long as I only have one....perfectly fair in my opinion because I plan to give that one Betta the best darn home in his entire fishy life!!!! :brow:


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## Arashi Takamine (Mar 3, 2011)

My mom asked me tonight: "So which one of the boys is mine?" Kaida is her scarlet VT or CT and Kalona is my HM.


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## baylee767 (Nov 5, 2010)

)= My parents start yelling at me any time I even mention fish.

My dad is a little more understanding because he owns a 55g saltwater tank, but he also gets angry. I'll say, "So, the rock in my fish tank is ripping Neons fins." something as simple as that gets a, "BAYLEE, come on. Don't bother us right now. Go away, stop begging." Once I heard my mom whispering, and she asked my dad why I wasn't normal and my dad said "It's a stage." 0.0 It is most certainly NOT a "stage"

I'm lucky to go to the fish store once a week, but I can only muster that if I pester them every day about it. My parents seem to greatly dissaprove my love of fish, and when I have lots of money of my own even they don't let me spend more than $10 at a time on fish stuff...

>.< And they don't believe I have the knowlage to diagnose diseases Bettas have, like when Velvet (R.I.P.) got SBD and internal parasites I showed my dad and even though it was completely obvious he saw nothing wrong and didn't let me get medication, which resulted in death )=)=)=

I feel jealous of people whose parents love fish XD


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

If I had kids that liked to keep fish, I would be glad that they have such a nice hobby. I'd rather have my kids into their animals than into trouble.


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

i wanna go to the pet store tomorrow, but i gotta talk my mom into it. bug her, till she's mad and gives in. she never stays mad. xD she loves looking at the birds. :d

also, we only unburied two fish while mom was planting her tree. when Hyde passed, i buried him in a paper towel next to the tree.


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## gmd1800 (Feb 19, 2011)

My parents used to have a huge community tank filled with every variety of fish you could think of. My great-grandfather bred black bettas back during the Depression and we still have a tank that he used. It's about 20gal, a "bookshelf" tank, and quite nice! We kept our four male betta in there before they got wiped out by lymphocytosis. 

We haven't used it in the last two years, but Mom's hinting that she'd like to give it to me at some point to divide. 

When I got Octo, my parents would text me and ask me how their "grandbetta" was doing.  Very adorable! They also love Hestia - they haven't met her yet, though. 

My boyfriend's parents think I'm nuts, but are going to sell me their two 55-60 gallon tanks that came with the house that they bought a couple of summers ago. I plan on starting a community in one and a sorority in the other. Both are going to be planted. The "in-laws" (haha - not married yet!) have no idea!


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## Pekemom (Jan 27, 2011)

Lots of good luck with your new tanks and fish!! Keep us posted - we love pictures!


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## Arashi Takamine (Mar 3, 2011)

My dad told me he saw a really lively delta at Petco the other day in such a vibrant shade of green. Honestly all three of us even my stubburn butt Dad love fish and just how beautiful they are. I'm hoping we find some really beautiful betta's and since our kitchen needs more in it....I'm hoping that a betta will be really active and try to get my mom's attention once again. Personally I want a green betta...A really bright green betta.

Hence why I'm trying to keep off of Aquabid.com.


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## gmd1800 (Feb 19, 2011)

Pekemom said:


> Lots of good luck with your new tanks and fish!! Keep us posted - we love pictures!


Of course! The tanks won't be for another few years, since my apartment next year has a limit on how big the tank can be (one gallon "bowl," unheated. I'm going to sneak in a heater though). I might have to leave one of my fish home too.  Hopefully in graduate school, I can get a small community or sorority started. That'll be after fall of 2012, at least. Depends on when I graduate.


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## tokala (Feb 20, 2011)

I am with you dramaqueen- I am 26, so in between the "being a kid" and "having a kid" stage. But if I do have children someday, I can not think of a better hobby than anything animal related. It teaches responsibility, affection, and hopefully is a child's first positive experience with death (hard, but a reality of the world). I love seeing all these very young ones on this forum so passionate about their animals!


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## FuulieQ (Jan 10, 2010)

My parents have very low tolerance for anything fish related... I tend to get really into whatever I'm interested in to the point where they decide it's unhealthy and band/limit/force me to stop it. And then I have to find something else, and the cycle starts again. 

Robert is really cute, though, and he's worked his way into my Mom's heart a little bit. They also learned to love my frogs - of course, those little guys are so stupid that it's impossible to not like them.


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## BettaLover79 (Mar 13, 2011)

Before I can get a betta I have to study about them it's kinda boring but i've been waiting for a year for a betta and now's my chance but I still have to buy everything but I have $395 bucks any way


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

My mother has never really liked animals but my dad was a big animal lover. We did have pets but when we were really young my mom was the one who had to take care of them. My mom is not real thrilled with me having 11 bettas. I didn't tell her about my babies coming until the day they came. lol


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## BettaHeart (Jan 2, 2011)

When i was a little girl i used to go for walks down to the lake and catch the tiny fish that hung around the edges with nets i made from tree branches and grocery bags lol
sometimes i would catch five at a time and put them into a big pickle jar and when i would have atleast ten i would head back home and my dad would set up the old goldfish tank for me making one trip in the car to get a bucket of lake water. My mom didnt really like my little hobby but my dad really seemed to like my funny little habit and helped once in awhile with them. My younger sister would like watching them and sometimes when i wasnt around she would stick her hands into the tank to grab at them. I did lose fish but my dad would walk down to the lake with me and when he would be fishing on one side i would be doing my own fishing on the other, sometimes alone or with my sister or acouple of my cousins. 
Afew years ahead i guess i never lost that love of fish but when i first heard of siamese fighting fish and seen pictures of them i wanted one so much but it wasnt until 2006 i finally had one well two of my own. I think if my dad was still alive he would be very supportive and probably even have one of his own. 
My mother now is still not really impressed with my interests but she never really approved of anything i like or had to do with my happiness, since i have never lived with her for the past 13 years it makes no difference now if she like my interests or not.


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## YoshesMom (Mar 15, 2011)

Between my mom and I we have ten betta! And 16 tanks when I walked in with my first two boys her response was where's mine?


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## hannah16 (Mar 3, 2011)

I want to take back what I said earlier - my Dad doesn't like fish.. He LOVES them. I had no idea he'd be so supportive of my love of fish. My Mom barely let me buy Red from WalMart, but my Dad actually took me out on his day off and baught me 7 bettas (He only let me pay for one x.x..I felt so guilty) Plus a bunch of tanks for them. My Mom was like.. "Really? Hannah they are a lot of work." but at the same time she is the one who started my love for fish. She had a community tank back when I was little. Only stopped having fish for a few years because we moved and all the fish died before we packed up and left the old house. Then I got into bettas, and I just chose the pretty ones, not the healthy ones, or the young ones. So I went through about 10 of them before my mom said "No More." 

But now, I've gotten back into bettas (And I really would like some neon tetras in another tank.) and my Dad has full blown supported me. He helped me cleans all my tanks, paid for all the heaters, tanks, and fish themselves! The only thing my mom has really done to support me, is drive me to the places I need to go, and after Fighter (RIP) passed away, I went back to PetSmart to get a refund or replacement, and my Mom let me get a replacement. Along with she let me get a 2nd betta from the batch they had. Very healthy little spunky boys I got :3. 

But the water in the 10g hasn't settled yet, so my boys had to spend the night in their cups (Yes I changed the water), and I wanted my mom to help me with the filter & I showed her all my bettas (I wish I had a cam to record her face when I started telling her all my bettas names XDDD) And she's like "Oh God you have 2 extra ones." XDD Then I saw 2 pretty males (I wasn't gonna buy 'em) and just stated "Wow, their pretty aren't they?" My mom was like..." Hannah, PLEASE no more!!" XD 

If it was my dad he'd break out his Credit Card XDDD Ah.. My parents are so...My dad is awesome - My mom needs to warm up to them XD


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## Ariel1719 (Mar 29, 2009)

Haha well my parents are not a fan... They wouldn't mind having a huge tank that i take care of with lots of different fish inside. They just get mad because i had to go and like the fish that need their own homes.. resulting in more than one tank in the house.. thus 'cluttering' the house. Haha. They aren't really into it... I have to really ask and beg and annoy them to get any new fish (currently only have 3 and it will stay at that number). They get mad every time i want to go into a pet store, so i just stop going with them. On monday I bought a 5gal for my room, but again my mom got mad and made me return it. So i snuck out and bought a second mini bowl for DJ for my room and they are fine lol. Supportive... no. tolerating... yes haha. When we move (in a year) i've convinced my mom to let me get a big 55 gallon for the basement. I hate that they just get mad over fish. I mean, im 19 cammon. I'll be moving out soon enough and then I will have all my own fish stuff.


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## PitGurl (Feb 22, 2011)

My mom always supported my betta obsession. She even had one herself. However she did tell me "no more" when I had one in every room of the house, lol. Anytime I went to a pet store or even worse wal-mart I'd always come home with a rescue and soon the house was over flowing with bettas. Now mom lives in another state and I always update her on the betta situation. She no longer has bettas and when she did all they had at stores were VT's. She's seen my Petco HM's and I told her watch out if you go to a petco near you, the betta bug may bite again.


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## BlakbirdxGyarados (Feb 10, 2011)

Love reading these stories... and who votes for this thread to be a sticky?

There are a lot of young members on the forum that live with their parents. Hey, why not tell about what your roomate, boy/girlfriend, etc. think about the fish situation?

It's cool to hear different stories.


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## Goomba3 (Jan 20, 2011)

Boyfriend story? Well, okay! He was not into fish when I met him, we started dating, etc. Then I needed to move in with him temporarily, and the fish needed to come with. I only had one at the time, and he told me "Don't expect me to feed it or clean its tank or anything!" Next thing I knew, he's yelling at me for feeding the fish because he wanted to do it! He was the one who researched bettas and decided we should fast Cheep-Cheep because he was bloated. Then he got more into bettas and decided he wanted a blue one. So of course I went out and got Maximus and Edwin. I would come home from work (at that time 14 hours days) and the bowls would be cleaned. He really got into it, but maintained he didn't like fish, haha.

Once I moved out, he was the one pushing me to get a 10 gallon tank and divide it for the three boys. He helped me build the dividers and set it up. When I got Loki, I asked him to make a top for his tank, and he went all out, putting hinges on it for a feeding door and a little knob to open it. He even mentions every now and then getting his own fish. Yet still says "I don't like fish!" He cracks me up.


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## TheCrysCat (Mar 14, 2011)

Well, my dad doesn't really care either way. My fish are in my room, so he barely even sees them. My mom, on the other hand, has 2 adf's, some chinese sucker fish thing (I really don't know) and five snails. The five snails has their own habitat, tho, don't worry xD Some of the things she says sort of shock me, though. Like today, I mentioned that if my fish had bigger tanks they could have a snail, and she said that I could have a snail in there right now. Fair enough, I'd read somewhere that that was ok, but not the best. But then she said, "Yeah, I mean, you could keep 10 neon tetras in one of those." She was referring to my 2.5 gallon tanks.


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## TheKzv (Mar 20, 2011)

my mom absolutely hates everything that's not human and can't clean after themselves and my dad's okay with it. They both thought i was going crazy for putting 1 betta in a 10 gallon lol my mom said it's only a fish and why care for it so much by putting a filter and heater etc:evil:..... and after that i gave her a long lecture about how bettas are a part of my life lol (okay maybe i'm a little too obsessed with bettas):roll:


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## Alex09 (Aug 9, 2010)

My parents just think my tank and the fish are pretty to look at. So long as I pay for all the stuff and take care of it, they don't mind me having it. Then again, I am 19  Still need to tell them about the 20 gallon tank I got from my neighbor...


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## mywingedhorses (Mar 14, 2011)

My parents haven't met my betta yet since I bought him right after I got back to school in January. I didn't tell my dad until spring break and his response was "Not one of those fish." However, he gave me money to buy a 10 gallon tank and everything else for it after I did some work for him over break. My mom doesn't know I have a fish but she rolled her eyes when I told her I had gotten a 10 gallon. I don't think she or my sister understands why I want to go through all the work of caring for a fish while at school. 

At school, my roommate and friends don't know why I put so much effort into keeping the fish. I have him in a 1 gallon right now until my 10 gallon cycles so there is a lot of tank cleaning to do. I've had to explain to them several times why the tank has to cycle before I put fish in. Ironically, we are all animal science majors looking to go onto veterinary school. We're all large animal focused though so that might explain part of it. In all honesty, I wasn't that interested into fish until I bought my betta.

Yesterday, I was in the bathroom cleaning my fish's bowl out and a girl from my floor came in and saw what I was doing. She got all excited and asked if I had a fish and what kind it was. She told me she loved fish. Once I left the bathroom with my cleaned out bowl, I met her leaving her room with her coat and purse. She told me I had inspired her to go out and buy a fish. I hope she got a good one.


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## Arashi Takamine (Mar 3, 2011)

I'm only going to say this: If my dad tries to put that crappy conditioner he bought that looks like it's in a can for toxic waste into our tanks again he's not going to have a poker game to work from. Because of his tournaments I believe he went to the first site possible which was Ehow...And we all know how Ehow is...

My mom however is totally with me full on the bandwagon with betta's. I wanna adopt our next one.


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## Corpse (Mar 28, 2011)

When I bought Mistress I knew that my mom wasn't interested in having a fish because she's not a big fan of fish. She claims that they die to easily and that they're boring, but not to me. A couple of times a week my dad will walk into my room to talk to me and looks at my fish, but other than that he isn't interested either. They'll help me buy medicine and food, but the tanks, decorations, and any other fish I might want are all up to me. Mistress is the only betta I plan on having because I know that we can't afford anymore animals since we already have 5 cats, 3 dogs, and 1 horse without including Mistress.


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## ollief9 (Mar 16, 2011)

My mum is totally against anything remotely fish-related. Every time I tell my parents i'm doing a water change or cleaning the filter she has a hissy fit. 

My Dad, on the other hand, is mildly interested in the fish and occasionaly helps me out with the 50% water changes on my 50 gallon. He took me to buy the new tank and we left mum behind because we know she'd get annoyed if she found out the size tank we were buying.
My mum won't shut up about how the tank 'sticks out like a sore thumb'. I and my dad, however, think it looks great.


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## ollief9 (Mar 16, 2011)

My mum is totally against anything remotely fish-related. Every time I tell my parents i'm doing a water change or cleaning the filter she has a hissy fit. 

My Dad, on the other hand, is mildly interested in the fish and occasionaly helps me out with the 50% water changes on my 50 gallon. He took me to buy the new tank and we left mum behind because we know she'd get annoyed if she found out the size tank we were buying.
My mum won't shut up about how the tank 'sticks out like a sore thumb'. I and my dad, however, think it looks great.


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## Sweeda88 (Dec 6, 2010)

I'm 22, and still dependent on my parents due to multiple factors (please don't judge), and they LOVE my fish. What started out as one fish quickly turned into a full blown hobby. I actually bought some of my things with money from a few babysitting jobs, returning some things to Walmart that I didn't need, and other things were bought by my parents. My dad is always telling me that "your fish have the best owner they could possibly have." He is especially attached to Banana Freckles, one of my males. He's always knocking on my door to look at my fish, and recently said he'd like to have a tank in the common area. I said that I'd do that, but I like being able to have my fish around me all the time. Also, there really isn't room in our house for fish, other than in my room. My mom likes them, too. She thinks they're cute, as does my dad. So they are very supportive. One of my sisters calls me "The Fish Whisperer" (she doesn't live here, though). My other sister always lets me use her phone to snap pictures of any new fish I get when she comes to visit. My brother actually came in my room one day and asked questions about my fish. So, all in all, I have a very supportive family when it comes to my hobby. Sorry for the wall of text. LOL!


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## Betta Slave (Dec 8, 2009)

My parents don't really care about my fish- my mom's fine with them, but my dad (despite being a fish person himself) has grown to dislike them, or so he says- but I've caught him sitting on my bed looking at Leonine multiple times, so...


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## bahamut285 (Dec 10, 2010)

@Sweeda: This is random, but what's wrong with being dependent on parents at 22? :S...I'm 23 and my parents still pay for the majority of my life XD?

ANYWAY, I'm not sure if I posted in here or not, but here goes my story XD

My family used to have a community tank and two turtles at our house. My dad usually took care of them, but never had much luck with keeping them alive for more than 2 years (I don't know why, I was too young to remember clearly). So he eventually gave up on it, and our turtles were adopted by a close friend of my mum's. My parents are huge animal lovers, so much to the point that they DON'T want pets. They both can't handle the loss of a pet, as they rescued a stray kitten when they got married, then the cat ran away a few months after my brother was born. My mum also had several dogs when she was younger that died and such.

They don't mind my fish too much, and my mum always says that I can only get the fish if I promise not to cry, haha. My parents don't know much about fish, but they always listen to my stories about them just to be supportive . My brother, although I posted in another thread, dislikes it when I randomly bring a fish home, I think he secretly likes them. He feeds my goldfish every morning .

I don't remember what got me hooked onto fish though, my aunt had a pond of koi before, but the last one died recently at the age of 15 O_O.


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## iheartmybettas (Jan 31, 2011)

My parents could care less but I haven't lived with them in about 6 years. Now it is just my husband who has cut me off from buying bettas. He gave away a 10 gallon today that was empty probably just so I wouldn't be able to get anymore. It was his fault I got interested again in the first place because he bought a tank for our daughter and himself so I got 3 small tanks with a betta in each. Now the hobby has just exploded and most of it is mine! I have a 10" oscar in a 75 gallon on top of the bettas which HE bought me for my birthday. He says he doesn't like bettas because they can't live together. He did build me a compound for my tanks though so at least he is still supportive. I am pretty sure everyone thinks I am crazy though! But everyone in the family likes to look at them so I can't be that crazy!


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## Sweeda88 (Dec 6, 2010)

@bahamut285 - I don't know how it is in Canada, but in the States everyone seems to expect EVERYONE to be independent at 18, no matter what. I know so many people that think I should be out on my own, no matter what problems I have. The most prominent of which is my Grandmother.


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## bahamut285 (Dec 10, 2010)

@Sweeda: Wow. I will not pry into your life, but that is a little ridiculous to me ...most kids at our age are still in University studying 27 hours a day (haha) let alone somehow managing a job to support themselves. I'm happy to hear that you family is supportive of you though, and in the risk of this getting off topic, I wish you the very best! *cheers*

@iheartmybettas: I bet your house is absolutely beautiful with all those pretty boys swimming around! <3


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## iheartmybettas (Jan 31, 2011)

@Sweeda - I was 24 when I pretty well broke off from my parents and started my first "out of college" job. I don't see anything wrong with it! I sometimes wish I was still at that place in my life! 

@bahamut - Thanks! I love it! And I am pretty sure my husband at least likes it too! He is about to set up his own 75 gallon veiltail Angelfish tank so he's not complaining too much.


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## Sweeda88 (Dec 6, 2010)

I'm not in college or working right now BECAUSE of my problems, which is why people probably have a problem with it. But I honestly can't do either of those things right now. Believe me, I've tried.


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## bahamut285 (Dec 10, 2010)

Aww, well all I can say about that is you shouldn't be too hard on yourself. At most, all you can do is try your best, everyday  Even if you've got a stomach ache, if the best you can do is eat some toast, then that's great~

As long as YOU know you're trying your best, then that should be your peace of mind, regardless of what others think of you


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## Sweeda88 (Dec 6, 2010)

Yeah, I still help out around the house when I can. I have chronic pain and I also have a whole host of depression/anxiety and Bipolar disorder. One of the REASONS I have fish is to help me manage my depression and anxiety, and doing water changes a couple times a week actually helps stretch out my muscles and relieve the pain. I've stopped taking pain medication because it doesn't help at all.


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## Corpse (Mar 28, 2011)

Well, my dad recently admitted that he wants an aquarium, but he's not interested in having a betta. He said that the fish he wants to own won't get along with a betta and he doesn't want a fish brawl to explode in his aquarium when he gets it. It makes sense to me, so I'll let him do his thing.


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## Cassandra90 (Aug 16, 2010)

Well I came across this and decided to post.
I am 21 years old, college student, working at a marina and living with the parents.
My parents own 3 rental houses and one of the tenants left a 25 gallon tank, so my parents cleaned it all up and had it set up as a community tank. It was a horror story. The normal first time fish owner problems. This was about 10 years ago and the tank was running for almost 7 years.

Let's just say after that experience they were not very interested in fish anymore. 

Then I went out and bought a 40 gallon a few years ago and they just rolled their eyes and said "you better be taking care of that". Which I did. But the tank cracked....
My mom had a fit over that. Our living room was flooded with fish flopping around. My dad on the other hand rushed out and bought some 20 gallon rubbermaid bins to try to save the fish we could.
Now I own a 55 gallon long aquarium and my parents have grown to love it. My mom is always trying to get me to buy live plants for the tank. Which it has some. My dad always goes out and buys neon tetras, he is obsessed with them. Also, he snuck in 2 army soilders in my tank.

Then on my birthday I bought myself a ten gallon for my bedroom. Parents were not happy since I already had a 2 gallon tank in my room with a betta. But I told them I would divid the ten gallon. So now after a death I have my ten gallon with 1 betta and 3 corys. And my parents do not bother me.

Out of sight, out of mind.


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## phoenix91 (Mar 21, 2011)

Luckily i no longer live with my parents so their opinions about what i have in my house don't really bother me. Having said that i told my parents i'd bought a betta fish and my dads first response to me telling him i had to move it up to my room was "i'll come set up a shelf for it then shall i?" and he came to visit me to have a better look at my new fish. My mam pretty much said "what did your dad think?" and said no more about it.

They've gotten used to me and my slight obsession with animals. I have 2 cats that they look after when i got on vacation and a horse which they go to visit from time to time.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

IME people are always quick to judge those of us with disabilities. I'm disabled because of my vision. I've never really lived on my own, except when I was in college. When I graduated I moved back in with my mom and I've been with her ever since. Now I'm in a situation where she's needing my help more and more and that's scary for me. I've always been dependent on people because I can't drive. My mom can still drive but she doesn't do much of it. Now, she's the one depending on me and it scares the crap out of me sometimes. I think a lot of people see disabled people as lazy.I've had "jobs" just not your regular "9 to 5" type of job.


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## Irishdancer (Apr 5, 2011)

My Mom thought it was great when I bought my first. I havn't told her yet that I just bought a second, but I don't think my parents will mind. I'll be spending the Summer with my family, and I think they're looking forward to meeting the fish!


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## Sweeda88 (Dec 6, 2010)

dramaqueen said:


> IME people are always quick to judge those of us with disabilities. I'm disabled because of my vision. I've never really lived on my own, except when I was in college. When I graduated I moved back in with my mom and I've been with her ever since. Now I'm in a situation where she's needing my help more and more and that's scary for me. I've always been dependent on people because I can't drive. My mom can still drive but she doesn't do much of it. Now, she's the one depending on me and it scares the crap out of me sometimes. I think a lot of people see disabled people as lazy.I've had "jobs" just not your regular "9 to 5" type of job.


Yeah, one of the problems I have is I get so depressed and lonely even being by myself for a few hours. I don't think I could EVER live alone, which is one of the reasons I still live at home. I'm sure that problem stems from my extreme anxiety issues. I'm also not even able to think about getting a job right now because I AM focusing on my health. Right now, I'm doing things that I need to do to manage my mental health, and I'm also doing the things I need to do to get approved for gastric bypass surgery. I have to be mentally stable for at least a year and have dietitian supervised weight loss for 6 months. I couldn't handle that if I had a job right now, so I'm not going to try yet.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I think one of the things that goes along with depression is feeling isolated. I live in a condominium community that has mostly senior adults living here. I have tried so hard to make friends but my attempt at friendship gets thrown back in my face. So I do stuff pretty much alone, except when I'm with my mom. I would much rather live with someone than be alone, too. I hope everything works out for you.


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## Sweeda88 (Dec 6, 2010)

Thanks. No matter how hard I try to make friends, I'm never able to keep up with the friendships due to my anxiety, which can be depressing. I don't know, I guess I've stopped trying.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I'm so glad that I have this forum because it helped me in the aftermath of my mom's back surgery. I had a lot of support here.


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