# Happy wife = Happy life!



## cichlid (Jul 30, 2010)

Last night I had a chat with my wife, we came to agree on setting up another tank lol.

We have a 40 gallon that is full of younger Cichlids that are just about the size to go in the 90, so we are moving them over, and setting up the 40 as a community/schooling fish tank with plants and a bit of rock work, maybe some drift wood.

The stock list we are planning is:
scissor tail rasbora ( 6)
Black skirt tetras ( 4 )
neon tetra ( 6-10 )
glowlite tetras ( 4 )
german ram ( 1-2) 
* If I can find them, a couple odessa barbs too. 

Sometimes as a man, you just have to let your wife win... but you gotta choose which ones to give her!


----------



## target (Apr 21, 2010)

LOL, I know what you mean. I got that 220g for free, so it was a no brainer. But, it was my wife's suggestion that we also keep a discus tank in a ddition to the large SW reef. Who am I to argue with her?


----------



## cdsgo1974 (Sep 25, 2011)

man, I should get my wife to talk to your wives


----------



## Immus21 (Jun 14, 2010)

cdsgo1974 said:


> man, I should get my wife to talk to your wives


Perhaps we should set up a meeting with all our wives who dislike the hobby. Maybe they can be convinced to give up their aquahate....? Lol


----------



## cdsgo1974 (Sep 25, 2011)

Immus21 said:


> Perhaps we should set up a meeting with all our wives who dislike the hobby. Maybe they can be convinced to give up their aquahate....? Lol


Then I can really get into "Aquascaping" rather than just "Aquascraping"


----------



## target (Apr 21, 2010)

LOL, I love that my wife is into fish. Definitely not as nuts as I am, but likes to have her say on how the tank is set up and what is stocked in it.


----------



## liquid_krystale (Dec 13, 2011)

Hm...do you guys think there are more women than men in this hobby? I've never paid any attention to that fact till now.


----------



## cichlid (Jul 30, 2010)

I think more men, what I have learned is my wife wont do it on her own, she does water changes, cleaning etc, and has learned. She takes care of a tank of tropicals at her work, I gave the fish to them, all there other ones died mine are all still alive lol. but she will help set it up, H3ll she has gotten better at netting fish than I am and I have 2 years exp on her! I think its a patience thing. Everytime We go to a LFS store we arent aloud to leave till we look at every tank. Its hot lol.

I think it all started with a trip to the aquarium, shehas learned a ton thanks to me, but she does her own research too. But its our joint hobby. This will be tank 4. Im doing a 15gal nano, she said.. And I quote " it will be good for you to play with and practice some then someday you could do a bigger one" gentlemen, that is the moment you put a ring on the ladies finger ( unless you already have)


----------



## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

Murphy's Law dictates that where 2 Aqua-loving wives meet and talk with one or more Aqua-hating wives, the least desirable outcome will occur (ie. they'll all end up Aqua-hating).

I'm lucky my wife likes the hobby and the fw planted community in my daughters' room was her idea. She asked for one a few weeks ago and I had one set up and running within 12 hours.

Just picked up a used Red Sea Max to set up as Felicia's new seahorse tank:bigsmile: Since it's Felicia's tank, Irene's ok with having it here


----------



## target (Apr 21, 2010)

Again, same thing here. My wife told me that when I got the big tank we should go SW, and plan it as a reef tank right from the start since I will eventually want to do that anyways. She said to just go for it and spend what needs to be spent. My wife is the same, she is willing to help out, just doesn't want to do the tank herself. But she will also do her own research and help plan the stock list.


----------



## cichlid (Jul 30, 2010)

Yup. My wife had pineapple swordtails, saw a CL add from a breader in cultas lake, guy has discus and everything. Possible 30 tanks of fish. We went she picked out her two fish. Turns out to be a breading pair, non of the fry servived but, it boosted her confidence for the hobby for sure.


----------



## neven (May 15, 2010)

i once got my wife to agree to her own tank, but she ended up calling it my tank in the end and uses it against me, lol

she'll only agree to take down tanks now, or replace existing. even a vase with aquatic plants she'll consider a tank now... so yea, tread lightly, my hobby started from her betta and her and i agreeing that our betta deserved more than a vase.

its the time we spend on the tanks they hate, since they see us by the tanks working on things around them, it seems like worse than say, working on classic cars and or going to the bar drinking with buddies weekly (both cost more and take more time coincidently)


----------



## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

I still like my approach. She goes to bed at 9:00pm. I stay up till 4:00am. She woke up 5:00am in the morning. There is something different but she cannot pin point what happend 

Seriously, I took care of everything around the house, make sure the is money to pay the bills, vacations and some to put away, conscious about how I spend on the hobbies and other stuff, there is never any argument about adding a tank here and there


----------



## neven (May 15, 2010)

Well you are lucky gordon, many don't see it that way

Sent via Tapatalk; SGH-T589R


----------



## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

Back in 1986, I bought a baby spectacled caiman (small crocodile) and kept it in a tank at home. My dad went with me to buy it. My mom finally noticed it several weeks later and when she asked about it, I truthfully told her, "Oh, I've had that for a while now.":bigsmile:

Irene would notice much sooner, but since I also pay most of the bills and she knows I don't buy something unless it is a good deal, she is fine with most of my fishie stuff.

Actually, the cube tank was her original idea. The main tank is a replacement for the 220g that she told my friend Richard he could set up in our livingroom. And the planted tank in the kids' bedroom was totally her idea, so most of the tanks in our place were due to Irene, not me:bigsmile:

The Red Sea Max was a bit of an impulse buy but I was already planning to take down the small spare sw tank and replace it with something bigger and better anyways.


----------



## Dunbar Painting (Apr 24, 2010)

The glowlight tetras will look nicer in a larger school. I highly recommend getting more than 4


----------



## shelby67 (Jun 19, 2011)

When i wanted to get a tank I created a monster! Every weekend its "can we go to the LFS" and we always come home with a bag of something..
You know its bad when you have the store workers in multiple stores telling you how big your child is getting.. because they see her all the time.
now we have 5 tanks running and I think I have given in to set up the 33 that's sitting outside. 
I love all our fishys... And our mini zoo!


----------



## Rastapus (Apr 21, 2010)

To answer the question posed earlier on this thread, yes aquarium keeping is VERY male hobbyist dominated. As to why, not completely sure except there are lots of "gadgets" we men tend to love. Likely started when men discovered they could keep aggressive fish like Piranha to impress their friends and went on from there.....God I love fish....


----------



## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

Rastapus said:


> .....God I love fish....


I guess God loves fish as well that's why he experimented with so many interesting varieties


----------



## target (Apr 21, 2010)

I have to agree. I love this hobby and a big portion of it is the gadgets and all the stuff you get to play with. Plus the challenge of matching an animals natural environment so it can grow and thrive. The fact that my wife supports me in it is a definite bonus. I can pretty much justify any purchase if I can show her how it will benefit the tank.


----------



## liquid_krystale (Dec 13, 2011)

News to me that us girls are in the minority. I guess that's why there are all those Asian bride ads on the planted tank forum and other fish forums!


----------



## Rastapus (Apr 21, 2010)

liquid_krystale said:


> News to me that us girls are in the minority. I guess that's why there are all those Asian bride ads on the planted tank forum and other fish forums!


Hadn't noticed, which sites are those?

Seriously though, good observation, yes supports the theory....


----------



## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

lmao that is just too funny! Good observation indeed!


----------



## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

Another way to get a new tank into the house is to claim it is your little girl's seahorse tank (in this case its true, but you're welcome to use the same strategy for your own spouses).

http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/tank...christmas-present-rsm130-seahorse-tank-23323/


----------



## target (Apr 21, 2010)

HAHA, right now I am trying to convince my wife that our existing 90g aquarium should go in my son's room when we upgrade. Still working on it.


----------



## poiuy704 (Nov 6, 2010)

Started up again last year after many years out of the hobby, it began a s a major battle to get a 75 gal in the living room. I had to buy the wife the new ring she wanted as an incentive to get it. 
We now have 19 tanks which she takes every one who visits on a tour of before they leave the house. She used to sit in the car and wait while I stopped at every fish store I passed but now comes along and picks the occasional fish herself. I even find her sitting staring at the cichlids in the living room now and giving advice on how to improve the look of the tank. As long as the tanks are well kept and tidy looking there are no issues.
Off shopping today for a couple of 55 gal that I "need" for cichlid grow out tanks.


----------



## cichlid (Jul 30, 2010)

Anthony, in order to use that one I would need a daughter lol if I give the wife that then bye bye more fishies for a while. 

Last night the wife was so excited to go buy fish at petsmart, she left the house in PJ pants. She has refused to go out in PJ pants, used to make fun of me doing it! One time I went to safeway and bought her flowers just to proove I would do it. Lol

17 tropicals later...not bad for 35$ taxes in


----------



## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

cichlid said:


> Anthony, in order to use that one I would need a daughter lol if I give the wife that then bye bye more fishies for a while.
> 
> Last night the wife was so excited to go buy fish at petsmart, she left the house in PJ pants. She has refused to go out in PJ pants, used to make fun of me doing it! One time I went to safeway and bought her flowers just to proove I would do it. Lol
> 
> 17 tropicals later...not bad for 35$ taxes in


The deal I made with Irene is that if Felicia doesn't like fish, then I would downsize. (it is a pretty safe bet because most babies love watching colourful fish).

I also keep the tanks looking nice (ie. display tanks) and then she is okay with that.


----------



## tang daddy (Apr 21, 2010)

All this talk about people's wives that love to go to a fish store and getting bigger tanks has made me abit teary in the eye. I wish my soon to be wife would accept it too. Unfortunately she doesn't, she sits in the car giving me a time limit when I visit lfs. Makes remarks about what I bring home ( but puts up with it) and is happy when I shut down tanks.... Poor me.


----------



## shelby67 (Jun 19, 2011)

SeaHorse_Fanatic said:


> Another way to get a new tank into the house is to claim it is your little girl's seahorse tank (in this case its true, but you're welcome to use the same strategy for your own


That is how our first tank came into the house.. lol its downstairs in my step sons room and now there is 4 upstairs soon to be 5. But 2 of them are mine.


----------



## cichlid (Jul 30, 2010)

Tang, start complainingabout her hobbies for awhile thats what I do... Thats how i got truck parts lol " yes babe, go ahead and buy your tupperware. By the way im going to Lordco"


----------

