# Rant



## Coolfish (Apr 30, 2012)

Why are people not very helpful at any fish forums? Do they know it all so they feel like they should not try to help someone out. This is the reason people believe the lfs because they will help them even if it's a lie. Maybe all these forums have a bunch of nerds with a stick up there back side I don't know. On here some people at least try to help out.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

i really don't mind helping folks....neither do a lot of the other more experienced members here..but it gets a little frustrating when somebody that has just started in the hobby tyells the long time hobbyist that they are wring or when the newbie just does wharever he/she feels like despite advise against it...
my opinion....if you think you got all the answers ; why the heck are you in here asking questions...
i may sometimes seem kinda cranky ; but i have been in this hobby for at least a year or two....and i have helped more than a couple of folks in that time...


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## Guest (Jul 31, 2012)

I agree with loha on this. There are people who think that they know everything when they are new to the hobby. I don't know much about fish keeping but I will help out with what I do know and if I don't know I will admit it.

I love learning from more experienced fish keepers.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I can't speak to other forums, only this one. 

People here all try to help if they know an answer. But it takes a specific question. Putting the question in the right place helps. You won't get FW help if you post in SW and vice versa. There are other sites that are better for plants, disease, specific fish, monster fish, etc. We can often point you to another place to ask. Some answers are better than others, but it is neat to someone we talked through cycling turn around and help the next person. If we see advice we don't agree with, we will correct it. If an answer is decent, even if its by a newbie, it stands. 

Some posts will go unanswered. If you ask what will happen if you mix two fish none of us would ever put together, we really don't know. Or how to do something we don't agree with, we won't help.  I try to say nothing if I have nothing useful to say. Completely unanswered threads are more likely to get the attention of a mod.

No one want to re-write the how-to book. So look up the basic stuff. Don't be lazy. Use google, and the advanced search here to check out old threads. Almost everything has been asked and answered before. 

Realize that many of us only check the board every few days. So an instant answer just
isn't gonna happen. Twenty posts of "help now" that no one has read yet won't change anything. 

Confusing, illegible or rude threads will just be ignored. And continued meanness can get you banned or IGNORED. We all have a button that makes a poster that annoys us invisible. A flamer could post 200 times a day and once IGNORED, I'll never see his posts ever again. 

Forums are great, but they aren't the only resource. Use books, magazine, wikipedia. Ask specific questions about what you found to be confusing or conflicting.

I do think people get tired of answering the same thing over and over. The 'stickied' threads are an attempt to put much of the FAQ all together at the top.


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## Redhead305 (May 30, 2012)

i agree with everyone here i only use this site now simply because of this. I will admit if im not knowledgeable and admit that to them.


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

Well, guys I am a walking book and know everything in the world lol just kidding guy, I'm not brand new to the hobby but iv been around long enough to answer a question or two. I like to help everyone out as much as I can and if I don't know the question I'll google the question and try to get someone the answer. Sorry guys if I ever come off as a "a hole" to you guys. 
I really do think this is the best fish forum that iv came across, and I feel a lot of us here are pretty tight knit community. Yes crabbiness is a part of life and sometimes I can understand it. I may not have been In the hobby forever but I progressed faster then most I have a ton of fish tanks in ever Corner of my house so chances are I may have been there so I can help out. I also believe that there's a lot of people here who know a lot and you should be able to understand if someone has heard the same question over and over again they can get cranky about it. 
That being said if someone asks if they can fit 60 guppies in a 5g tank you just want to face palm yourself. Anyways everyone just help out as much as you can and we CAN have the best forum for fish keeping on the net.


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