Reef Keeping is Not a Hobby?

[Reefer Matt]

Hey Reefers! I discussed reefing in my recent video, and a viewer made a comment that resonated with me. That reef aquarium keeping is not a hobby. The premise is that when you get a dog or cat, etc., they are not a hobby. They are pets that require daily care and attention. I whole heartedly agree with that, and would like to further the discussion here.

Just because our aquatic friends cannot verbally communicate with us, does not mean they are not animals dependant on us for survival. Btw, coral ARE animals, not plants. What are your thoughts about this? Just a box of colorful decorations? Or animals that deserve and require our daily care? Happy Reefing!

 

[elysics]

Playing with your dog is definitely a hobby.

Plenty of hobbies require care and attention, some kill you if you neglect those aspects. A hobby is just something that you take up for the sake of getting rid of your money, learning new things, and getting long-term happiness and something to do with your free time.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Interesting question! I think I lean more towards it’s a hobby too cause we invest our time and money into maintaining a habitat for aquatic life.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

My dogs are family members, not a hobby. With my fish, I don't think of them as family members but do care very much for them. I feel emotions if one is in trouble or is lost. Anyone keeping fish, especially the water puppies, realize they are not dumb mindless creatures. They have personally. So maybe yes pets not hobby has my vote

 

[Reefer Matt]

Playing with your dog is definitely a hobby.

Plenty of hobbies require care and attention, some kill you if you neglect those aspects. A hobby is just something that you take up for the sake of getting rid of your money, learning new things, and getting long-term happiness and something to do with your free time.

I agree that playing with a dog for enjoyment can be a hobby. However, once an emotional bond has been made, they become a family member, and are not so easily discarded. For instance, if someone had some puppies and decided to "get out of the hobby", they wouldn't just put those puppies in the shed until someone wanted them, or worse. (At least I hope not!) Yet with a reef tank, people actually throw the animals away when they are unwanted. I actually understand both sides of the spectrum, but I consider that these creatures are alive and are animals that depend on us.

 

[doubleshot00]

I try not to look at it like a hobby but it is in the long run. Constantly spending money on it and if it takes up your time; its a hobby. Just my thoughts.

 

[KevinC]

It's a hobby. One that have collection, trading, time investment.

Well it's a given that if you don't invest in maintainance, just like an antique car, it can break down. Wouldn't you say in this context, you have sentimental value to the car?

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

My dogs are family members, not a hobby. With my fish, I don't think of them as family members but do care very much for them. I feel emotions if one is in trouble or is lost. Anyone keeping fish, especially the water puppies, realize they are not dumb mindless creatures. They have personally. So maybe yes pets not hobby has my vote

This fr

I grew up wanting to keep coral, but never thought much about the fish. I always took them for thoughtless bio machines that were just able to survive.

My wife getting our first gildfish tank, threw that idea out. They have personalities, they recognize individuals, they have favorite people in our household it appears. They each have quirks and things they like to do when not feeding.

I feel bad that I used to say that they are the lowest animald and have no feeling.

That goes much further now having kept saltwater inverts that also display individual behaviors and also appear to have individuals they like to interact with. My 2 year old who has never fed the tank, is a def favorite of our CBS, if she is looking in the tank he always comes up to her and does goody stuff. For me, all I get is begging for food.

The way I've seen some freshwater and saltwater fish buddy up with fish of other species also took me conpletely by surprise. My mandarin cuddled with my lawnmower blenny all the time, now hangs out with the engineer goby. I thought it was just because the goby let the mandarin in hiscaves, but the engineer goby will come out to go check on the mandarin accross the tank when it wanders away. They seem to make real attachments. Or my firefish with the runt of the school chromis, they are together most of the time.

I had the same experience with birds, I also thought most birds except for an obvious few were thoughtless, but I've seen so many species appreciate and seek affection from their owners. Animals have a lot more going on than what the average person probably realizes.

 

[elysics]

I agree that playing with a dog for enjoyment can be a hobby. However, once an emotional bond has been made, they become a family member, and are not so easily discarded. For instance, if someone had some puppies and decided to "get out of the hobby", they wouldn't just put those puppies in the shed until someone wanted them, or worse. (At least I hope not!) Yet with a reef tank, people actually throw the animals away when they are unwanted. I actually understand both sides of the spectrum, but I consider that these creatures are alive and are animals that depend on us.

Someone whose hobby only involves inanimate objects doesn't necessarily want to just get rid of them either. People can build emotional bonds to animals, plants, cars, stamp collections, whatever. Doesn't mean they always will. There are definitely people out there that get puppies to try out the dog hobby and then discard it when it's no longer fun for them.

Are your corals family members to you? They are not exactly emotional beings

 

[Dburr1014]

Hey Reefers! I recently discussed reefing in my recent video, and a viewer made a comment that resonated with me. That reef aquarium keeping is not a hobby. The premise is that when you get a dog or cat, etc., they are not a hobby. They are pets that require daily care and attention. I whole heartedly agree with that, and would like to further the discussion here.

Just because our aquatic friends cannot verbally communicate with us, does not mean they are not animals dependant on us for survival. Btw, coral ARE animals, not plants. What are your thoughts about this? Just a box of colorful decorations? Or animals that deserve and require our daily care? Happy Reefing!

I agree with the comments but...
When you are a breeder of dogs and cats, is it then a hobby??

Hmmmmm....

 

[Reefer Matt]

Someone whose hobby only involves inanimate objects doesn't necessarily want to just get rid of them either. People can build emotional bonds to animals, plants, cars, stamp collections, whatever. Doesn't mean they always will. There are definitely people out there that get puppies to try out the dog hobby and then discard it when it's no longer fun for them.

Absolutely. However, there are many people who see coral as "Beanie Babies". They collect them without considering their care requirements, only to realize they are not prepared to meet the full care that is required. In a "normal" hobby, that would have minor consequences. But with aquatic animals, it can result in their death. I think if people were more sensitive to understanding that they are caring for animals, they would have more success in doing so with reefing.

 

[Alexraptor]

Honestly? It's a way of life for me!

While corals are not family memebers, they are living beings and I view them as such, and get very concerned when there are obvious signs that they aren't feeling well, with a few exceptions where the corals have become intrusive pests (Actinodiscus).

 

[Reefer Matt]

I agree with the comments but...
When you are a breeder of dogs and cats, is it then a hobby??

Hmmmmm....

It could be, and that is sorta the same thing as aquaculture. Some people see pets, some people see dollars.

 

[rhitee93]

It is largely semantics from a point of view about definition. According to the Oxford dictionary - Hobby:an activity that someone does for pleasure when they are not working

Seeing as how keeping reef tanks is generally an optional exercise that we do for pleasure, it qualifies as a hobby.

That does not mean we shouldn't care for our critters any less or that we shouldn't have a deep understanding of our responsibilities for sustaining life.

I think what has happened here is that people have assumed "Hobby" means low level of commitment which is not necessarily true.

 

[Reefer Matt]

Honestly? It's a way of life for me!

While corals are not family memebers, they are living beings and I view them as such, and get very concerned when there are obvious signs that they aren't feeling well, with a few exceptions where the corals have become intrusive pests (Actinodiscus).

Yeah, it's hard to play God in deciding what lives or not. I'm certainly not suggesting that I keep everything that pops up in the tank, but I do weigh the health of the collective versus an individual in question. It's a tough balance sometimes, but I do look for alternatives. For example, I had some peppermint shrimp that ate coral. Instead of disposing of them, I gave them to a hobbyist who has a sump full of aiptasia. (With the understanding of their coral appetite communicated).

 

[fish farmer]

I think more a long the lines of animal husbandry. My clowns may outlive my cats, they are both pets. It is a daily/weekly commitment.

Gardening to me right now is a hobby...it failed this year, oh well, maybe next year will be better.

Fishing is a hobby, but for me more of a passion, but I can put the rods in storage and walk away if the fishing conditions are poor.

Model railroading is a hobby... someday I'll find the time to work on it.

 

[design.maddie]

If I am talking to someone randomly, I will classify it as a hobby. If I am talking to someone professionally, I will say that my life work is surrounded by the cultivation and propagation of corals. If I am talking to a close friends or family member, I will talk about them as my favorite things in the world.

 

[Troylee]

Sure it is… everything about it is a hobby except the animals that come along for the ride… just my 2…

 

[reefadam]

I’ve always joked the difference between a Pastime and a hobby is a few thousand bucks haha

 

[fodsod]

Most definitely more than a hobby. Once I take possession of a fish or coral it's my responsibility to ensure it's well being. I'll put myself out to do whatever it takes to give one of my critters the best life possible.

I just had a Diamond Watchman Goby die suddenly for an unknown reason. It was part of a couple that had paired up and never left each others side.

That situation made me feel bad enough for the still alive Goby that I moved another one over from my FOWLR tank, bought a new one at a LFS and put him into my FOWLR tank. The two paired right up within 30 minutes and now it's like it never happened. I'm pretty sure I was more upset about it than the fish were. lol.

It's a life style, not a hobby.