Navigating holiday visitors: How do you deal with guests and your fish tank?

[Peace River]

Navigating holiday visitors: How do you deal with guests and your fish tank?

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and whether that means a snowy winter wonderland or palm trees wrapped in Christmas lights, it often means holiday parties and guests. Are you protective of the tank or are you one to share every detail? Do you take any steps to avoid unintended vodka dosing or holiday treats being added to the tank? Anyone want to talk about how to prevent guests from tapping on the glass or trying to interact with the fish? However you celebrate the holidays, let us know how you and your reef tank navigate holiday guests!

Photo by @Jr'sReef

 

[design.maddie]

I like to treat it as if I am at a museum and leading a tour. I love the idea that it is a piece of living art. If it does nothing more than to bring beauty to their lives then it is already a success. If it drive interest into fish or even better corals, then I will open up that can of worms very slowly. I only give knowledge that they are seeking while letting them just take in all that there is to see.

 

[Sean Clark]

What is a visitor/guest?

 

[Big Smelly fish]

I put a tip jar by each tank in hopes of getting some extra money. It hasn’t worked yet .
I share if someone ask. But most just look for a few minutes and then done.

 

[i cant think]

I like to treat it as if I am at a museum and leading a tour. I love the idea that it is a piece of living art. If it does nothing more than to bring beauty to their lives then it is already a success. If it drive interest into fish or even better corals, then I will open up that can of worms very slowly. I only give knowledge that they are seeking while letting them just take in all that there is to see.

This sums it up, although it doesn’t seem people get interested in my coral as much as they do the fish. Unfortunately I can’t play the game of ‘How much did I pay’ as of now as my 3 digit fish passed yesterday (RIP scribbles). But it’s still extremely fun to talk to others about it!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Usually, when I go to someone's house and see their tank I'll ask them about the tank, and they'll share with me the highlights unless I want more detail haha.

 

[vetteguy53081]

 

[MoshJosh]

I share my tank if asked. . . and pray that they ask!!!

 

[Reefer Matt]

I see everyone as a potential reefer. I offer to show them the tanks, but let them decide if they want to or not. They usually want to see.

 

[AtlantiCat]

They Don't Wanna Know. It's sad.

Me encountering a new tank: Ooh, what's this, what's that, tell me aaaaaalllll about it!!!

Non-fishkeeping friends and family: Oh you have tanks. Cool. Okay, now how about them Bears...?

 

[Petcrazyson]

They Don't Wanna Know. It's sad!!

Non-fishkeeping friends and family: Oh you have tanks. Cool. Okay, now how about them Bears...?

Yea most of my family members are like that. Well I guess I can’t blame them cause my uncle and I are the only ones in the family who keep/have kept aquariums. But a few occasions some people come over wether family or not and they do get interested. I try to seize the opportunity but they just want to know what exactly that is and that’s it unfortunately. Although on rare occasions I have opened a can worms and get a biter.

 

[JZ199]

I'll share mine if asked, but there's 2 sad realities (at least for me! Lol)

1.Guests are very limited
2. Most people just want to look at all the cool stuff and say how much they would love a tank. Then when I try to explain things to them, they say it's too much work and lose all interest...

 

[DeniseAndy]

I will share as much as they let me. I even show all workmen, delivery people, anyone walking by....

I love to talk about it, but it does go over most heads, so I do highlights and show them the equipment side of things. Most people are surprised at all the equipment (granted I have much less than some).

My family just thinks I am crazy, but my husband's side love to watch the tank for long periods of time. Granted, they only see it every 5 years or so. Being abroad, and it is difficult to visit.

 

[Slocke]

My 6 year old future niece in law (I believe that is the relation haha) loves nothing more than to feed my fish (even the eels) and then clean off every speck of algae with the magnetic scraper. Christmas is gonna be easy this year.
Also fairly glad my English family won't be making the trip over as their "How much" questions are not the questions I want to answer.

 

[olonmv]

When I upgrade to a bigger tank, I plan on making a binder naming the livestock in the tank and giving a brief explanation of what it is they’re looking at. I figure that’ll take me outta the equation of having to explain what I got.

 

[Floyd-]

I have two recliners in front of the tank. People come in and sit and watch and ask some questions but mainly just sitting and enjoying it.

 

[flashsmith]

The older you get the smaller your circle becomes. Some pass on but most you just move on from for various reasons including extended family. The people that feel obligated to see me once a year I don't invite anyway.. The people in my circle know what I do so it's just another gathering. The Holidays for us mean decompression time the last 2 weeks of the year so we prefer to be low key and spend the time relaxing and drinking fine Bourbon and Scotch and just enjoying life without all the stress the Holidays can bring.. Bah Humbug! Lol

 

[i cant think]

When I upgrade to a bigger tank, I plan on making a binder naming the livestock in the tank and giving a brief explanation of what it is they’re looking at. I figure that’ll take me outta the equation of having to explain what I got.

Honestly, this is a smart idea. I may actually do this as it’ll be much easier to explain the stocking and they may be a bit more interested in the science side of things.

 

[unchaotic]

My father-in-law usually leads the way by pulling a chair right up to the tank and quietly watching it for a good 10-20 minutes. My wife usually does the talking and occasionally asks me for clarification. I don't step in too much because nobody really cares about the corals or the background details of running the reef, they just want to talk about the fish and the cleanup crew.

This is honestly more than half of why I sell/trade coral frags locally ... I want to talk to someone in the hobby. My wife just rolls her eyes and laughs at me when the person leaves after an hour of chatting and I toss aside a crumpled up 10 maybe 20 dollar bill.

 

[olonmv]

Honestly, this is a smart idea. I may actually do this as it’ll be much easier to explain the stocking and they may be a bit more interested in the science side of things.

I don’t mind explaining my livestock and such. It just seems more interactive for whomever is interested in knowing what they’re staring at.