The end of our hobby nearing?

[Jungle-mania]

Seems alot of good shops selling quality plants and fishes are closing down over the past years and that population of shops doesn't seem to increase. This may seem more business and less competition for such other shops that do cater to our niche, but in the long run, the lack of choices for consumers will lead to the lack of interest for the public, meaning less awareness and less likely fade away into obscurity.

To say our hobby is the oddball out would be unjust, myriads of other hobbies, art and sports too suffer similar predicament too. Is there anything we can do about it?

[Sunfire]

Well, one way to do it is to keep building nice tanks and showcasing them, which attracts more people to the hobby. You never know what kind of people you influence.

I got into the hobby when I visited my friend - a married couple's home and was fascinated by their 'instant nano tank' they got from Sam's aquarium for about 100 plus dollars. It was so fascinating, the way the pouch snails were so fast and it was just like an underwater garden, I wanted one for myself.

Shortly after, I chanced upon a closing down sale at an aquarium in Chinatown, and the rest is history...

In addition, I don't think I'm so higher end as you all, so I'm relatively happy with the normal fish I keep, like rasboras and cherry shrimp and easy to find plants. If....our planted hobby nears it's end....perhaps I'll switch to marine! Hahaha.

[valice]

Nothing we can do about it. A sad fact.
No matter how much discussion we go about, people are too used to cheap stuff, bread and butter fishes.

For more serious fish hobbyists, the pool compared to the commons is small and how can local shops who dare to bring in expenisve stay afloat by just surviving on this niche of hobbyists?

Many shops close because they decide to stock up certain plants or fishes, but the prices are high due to low stock volume and most local hobbyists will brand these shops are cut throat shops for selling expensive stuff...

So to cut loses, they close. They would never be able to compete with the incumbent shops that already been selling products which is more common and less expensive.

And Sunfire, as you slowly progress in the hobby, you will reach a stage whereby you want to explore more... And that's when you will understand what jungle-mania say...

[XnSdVd]

I'm agreeing with Valice. It's not that we're "high end" we're just "well informed". A rasbora is just a rasbora to the undiscerning.

But to someone who has a passion for native species? I'd gladly pay $2 for a Harlequin. And hey, it's not like i make much. And i still owe Valice money

Add to that the individuals who refuse to buy from "cheap" shops that sell dyed fish or that overstock tanks to the point that several fish are seen floating every morning. AND the (*&^%$@&ing wonderful shop owners who try to sell "Fish from Baddis Island!"

With the experience you gain comes a depth of understanding of the industry and your fish. It's not just a planted tank. It's a biotope

[David Moses Heng]

May i share my 2 cents worth of opinoin.

Well to keep the hobby going, we can always approach CC, RCs and schools to set up interest group.

I did that a few years back to help promote military modelling and in fact was making a bit of money form it because i also conduct lessons on the basics of plastic military modelling. pointers like the tools needed, what kit to chose for begineers, which brand of colour suits which type of application, etc etc is covered.

This is one good way of spreading the passion of our hobby.

Just my 2 cents worth...

Cheers!!

[valice]

May i share my 2 cents worth of opinoin.

Well to keep the hobby going, we can always approach CC, RCs and schools to set up interest group.

This sounds interesting... This probably can be discussed further?

[Wackytpt]

Not going to be easy. I conduct a session in a secondary school with some of my friends before.

The teacher wanted to teach the students regarding a planted tank.

As in the life cycle in a planted tank.

[Jungle-mania]

Tell me, I am a geography teacher, it is not easy for us, let alone people who do see them daily.

IMHO, I realise that the lack of knowledge leads to apprehension and fear, hence not the 'lack of interest' but the 'lack of motivation'.

When people have the intention to dabble in something different from their usual mundane routines and decide to ask around for advice randomly. People around them who have little but more more than the other guy knowledge will generally say (especially in local context): "Yeah! I know someone who know someone who does it, you sure you want to do? Too Difficult, don't bother."

Sounds familiar, I am a culprit too when it comes to marine tanks, but then I am biased to planted tanks.

Long story short, I say we have to go forth and spread the knowledge en masse and evangelise people to our hobby.

Let's say I can get enough people to go for such talks and workshops, is anyone here keen to go and present?

[David Moses Heng]

I believe that nothing in this world starts out to be easy. BUt if we are willing to put in some effort and time, even the toughest thing can be done without much a hassle because it is fuelled by passion.

when i started to teach plastic modelling at the CC, the going was tough but what kept me going was my passion for plastic modelling. However the club cum class was closed by the CC cos enrollment dropped from 6 to one.

back to aquascaping. If we can use the talents that was bestowed upon us by God to serve the community, imagine the impact that it is going to create in the society.

but then again, we must be passionate enough to embrace this vision before something can be birth...

My two cents worth.

Long story short, I say we have to go forth and spread the knowledge en masse and evangelise people to our hobby.

Let's say I can get enough people to go for such talks and workshops, is anyone here keen to go and present?

If i can learn in the process, i don't mind commiting my time and energy to it.

Count me in. My capable other half is also a geography teacher.

Cheers!!

[Jungle-mania]

If i can learn in the process, i don't mind commiting my time and energy to it.

Count me in. My capable other half is also a geography teacher.

Cheers!!

Kudos to that, you are just as capable for getting a geography teacher as your spouse, many have tried and have failed.

[David Moses Heng]

Well. I'm only an O level holder.

Wooed my wife for 1 month.

Was my gilfriend for about 18 months and we tie the knot 15th Oct 2001.

Cheers!!

[XnSdVd]

Geography teachers are a hot item i see... lol. In any case, you've a willing art student here who doesn't mind committing some time to teach and is always available to design posters and the like.

[Sunfire]

Hmmph, this sounds interesting. Perhaps I should let my school principal know that I and perhaps some other teachers have this kind of skill. (I am the school IT trainer)

[David Moses Heng]

Looks like we can start the ball rolling. AQ Educational Consultant anyoune?


Seriously, we can really start something for the hobby that we are so passionate about with so much talent around. Furthermore, i'll be going out of job soon. Looks like a business opportunity for me.

any one else interested?

Cheers!!

[valice]

Altum, maybe you want to start a thread to poll a list of interested party and then meet up to discuss further?

But not sure if this will be in the name of AQ or as an individual effect kind of thing. Need to get the senior moderators to feedback on this.

[benny]

David,

It's heartening to see your passion for the hobby growing strong. I do agree that the hobby is not what it used to be for various reasons. The pace of life and the cost of living being a major factor, most folks would opt for lower cost hobby with instant gratification. Not to forget other distractions such as online gaming/console gaming taking friends away from the hobby too. Given the cutthroats style of running business and the natural tendency for hobbyist to gravitate towards low cost retailers, it's hard to keep good LFS in business. Whilst all of use agree that some shops are good, but do we patronise them? Or do we run to shops like C328 for the best bargin again?

As for spreading the interest, that's what AQ is all about. It's an online platform for like minded hobbyist to gather and take it further offline. The more people see beautiful planted tanks, the more chances there are for the hobby to survive. Beside exposure, we also need to focus on education. With the right knowledge, at least new comers won't be "doom" from the start as they will have the skill sets to manage the tank and keep it beautiful.

If you are interested, perhaps we can meet up for coffee one of these days and let's work out something. Nothing happens overnight and a good plan will be advantageous to set the cornerstone for those with the passion to share to take this further.

Cheers,

[Jungle-mania]

here here, I concur with what benny is saying, right now I am doing something similar for my sports too. Hopefully, if it does pull through, it will do the same for our hobby. If it does, I have something to show at the table when we do meet. I am game to meet up during the weekend before chinese new year, but regretfully I will not have anything to show for by then yet.

[Wackytpt]

All things start from small. It is great to see your passion in this. Keep us update and we will try to input ideas to strength the concept

PS: How are your weitzmani?

[bryan]

May i share my 2 cents worth of opinoin.

Well to keep the hobby going, we can always approach CC, RCs and schools to set up interest group.

I did that a few years back to help promote military modelling and in fact was making a bit of money form it because i also conduct lessons on the basics of plastic military modelling. pointers like the tools needed, what kit to chose for begineers, which brand of colour suits which type of application, etc etc is covered.

This is one good way of spreading the passion of our hobby.

Just my 2 cents worth...

Cheers!!

Hehe AL76 we seem to share more than one passion. I am into plastic modelling as well. People have viewed me in the queer.. strangest eye when they visit my home. Indeed these 2 are very niche hobbies. Fish tanks, gas canister, miniature tanks, cars etc... Our other hobby has it's far share of casualties. Went to Sunshine plaza recently, and Zam's shop is boarded up and the car guy is having a 'Clearance sale'. But good thing being niche is that this things never die, just that it won't grow big and there will still be too many people wanting to turn their hobbies into a career.

[David Moses Heng]

Firstly, to address the views that valice has posted. well i did try to start something called Christian Aquarist Outreach some years back. Back then, i was breeding angel fish and bringing in wild discus through a now defunct LFS. But as i do not have internet access back then and also just embarked on my studies on the SAF LSA, I toned down until i was posted to 3RD GDS. It was at 3GDS that i set up my first planted tank and it was a huge success. The sad thing was i was posted to 7 SIB one year later and i do not have an office to myself.

But all these years, my love for aquascaping, breeding angel fish,rearing discus has never left me. So the name of the consultancy is just a form.

Now benny, we can always meet up for coffee. I'm now on 2 months MC. Anytime will do.

Bro JM, i once also did something for my very first love which happens to be a sport and after slogging for 6 months, the attendance jumped from 25 to 70. in fact whenever classes were conducted, the courts were always filled and for the quaterly grading, we would take about 2 buses to ferry the trainees down for grading. But sad to say, i withdrew from the scene due to some quite serious injury. That's me.

Bro wackytpt, Mayb we can have our very first informal brain storming session for this project.

Eh neighbour, may be I can invite you over to view my model gallery?

That's all folks!! Cheers!!