Handling non-interested friends.

I like to point out new addition in the tank to people, but most of them are interested in it somewhat just from seeing it for the first time and are curious as they don't have one of their own. I'll answer any question they have, but within a few minutes we move on to other stuff. I never get in depth unless they're really probing me or have tanks of their own.
 
I just don't talk about it with friends who aren't interested. I'll probably browse over the subject, like, yeah, I got something new for the fish today. Talking about it isn't going to convince anyone who doesn't get it, either.

But why would you let someone else tell you what you're interested in? That's what it would be like if all your interests were deterimined by what's cool. Isn't it phony when people just do stuff that is cool or not cool just cause it is? Your friends probably have not cool hobbies, even if they don't admit it.

And come on, fish are just so awesome. You get to create living art when aquascaping your tank, the earth is mostly water, but we know the least about what's in the water, and you have a little simulation of what's in the water inside of your house, they display fascinating behaviors which you can watch for hours, and i dunno, it's just great.

To each their own hobbies. I think fishkeeping is cool.
 
My GF hates my fish, she says I am obsessed with them... I'm always super busy, not at home alot, so when I am there I like to watch my fish. Usually when I talk to her I am in front of my tank, or cleaning it. She thinks I take better care of the fish than myself.. she thinks I like them more than her :lipssealedsmilie:

but I have to listen to her talk about her stupid cat all day...
not that I dislike cats, I had one for 18 years...But that just seems a little hypocritical to me.

In closing,
If you dont like my fish, I dont care! I do.. and MAYBE my fish dont like you either!! so :silly:
 
well...i can kinda relate to what your saying because at uni, no one knew i was into fish and for the first year, i was the most popular girl in my class, always going out, clubbing, doing everything and anything with all the people in my year. then once i invited all my friends round to my house and they saw my tanks, and they seemed to think it was cool but i was kinda crazy! now when i start to talk about my fish, the girls are like "what the hell...what are you talking about?!!!" and the guys are like "and there she goes again...always going on about the fish...why don't you just fry them all and have an easy life?!!" but i don't care and i just go on about my fish anyway even if no one's listening and now when i come into class and sit down, people actually ask me if my fish are ok!!! so i kind of forced all the people in my class to get used to me loving my fish, because i won't hide myself or stop a hobby because of anyone, and i mean anyone. so if your friends get bored when you talk about your fish then they aren't real friends! personally i don't care whether the people in my class talk to me or not, and i don't make efforts to talk to anyone, but people always come up to talk to me, so that's how i differentiate between people who accept me for who i am and people who don't!
 
Just to clarify a little bit after what Neervana posted, I think it's important to understand that there's nothing wrong with being proud of your hobby. Just as some of your friends may have their own hobbies that they're very happy about. The trick is to not bore your friends to death with in depth discusssions if they don't have any interest in the item, but don't let it change who you are. I'm very big into racing automobiles, and much much more widely known in that arena than I am in the aquarium world. Most of my car guys don't have tanks, most of my tank guys don't race cars. Luckily I have one or two who do both and they're some of my closest friends and the ones I talk to the most.
 
i hate explaning acclimating and water changes. im not stupid, i wouldent do somthing pointless. and i have to hide the fish food too. my friend thought my fish would like mountain dew. looks like they did. next day every thing was coated with this grey stuff. i dont have one friend who keeps fish
 
Who cares what they think. Grab 'em in a head lock, wrestle them to the floor and shout 'all' of your fish knowledge right in their ear....making sure to spittle whilst doing so.

Hell, I'd even go so far as to break out the test kits in front of them while wearing a mad scientist uniform. Laugh maniacally while performing the tests and condescendingly explain the results to them.
 
LMAO!!! Yeah, most ppl I talk to know that I am going to end up talking about my tanks, or fish that I want, or things I plan to do..most think I'm crazy, but OH WELL. Heck, even my regulars at the bar I worked...when they would bring someone knew in and introduce them, I usually get "Oh, is this the one that has the fish" :grinyes:

I figure, I have to listen to stuff from them I really don't care to hear...they can listen to my stuff too:perv:
 
Slappy*McFish said:
Hell, I'd even go so far as to break out the test kits in front of them while wearing a mad scientist uniform. Laugh maniacally while performing the tests and condescendingly explain the results to them.
Click to expand...

LOL! I think I'll try that next time everybody comes over.

Anyway, I'm lucky that my mom lives close by and she is just as much a fish geek as I am. My friends who aren't though, act like they are bored when I talk about my fish, but when they come over to the house, they see the tanks and always go on and on about how much they like them.

Don't worry about what other people think, go do your thing and be yourself.
 
It makes no difference if your friends don't like fish. You need to be able to have a common ground and be able to respect that they have different interests. No matter the hobby - fish, inverts, computers, etc you will always group to those that share your interest. Just don't isolate yourself and you'll be fine.
 
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