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I think almost all of my "offenses" have been covered here from using kitchen tools to sneaking extra
tanks but there is one left. I assumed control over my son's little plastic toy shovel to remove
gravel from aquariums. It's just the perfect size and completely flat and I have yet to find a better
tool for the purpose of removing or changing gravel without draining the entire tank.

Jackster wrote:I think almost all of my "offenses" have been covered here from using kitchen tools to sneaking extra
tanks but there is one left. I assumed control over my son's little plastic toy shovel to remove
gravel from aquariums. It's just the perfect size and completely flat and I have yet to find a better
tool for the purpose of removing or changing gravel without draining the entire tank.

Most kids I know would enjoy watching their dads 'playing' with their toys. It could even be a way to get them interested in the hobby in the first place

I assumed control over my son's little plastic toy shovel to remove
gravel from aquariums.

Ok Jackster, even I draw the line at stealing from my own child. She really does not need that sand in her sandbox as much as I need some new substrate.
-Shane

Last year my wife went away for a weekend and left me with the instruction to dig her a vegetable patch in the garden. When she came back the intended vegetable patch was covered in a big pile of clay that came out of the fish pond I had dug instead. The kids made me do it, honestly. I have since constructed some very elaborate raised beds for the veggies...

1) using her good eyebrow tweezers for delicate covert manouvers in the fish room ( actually she hasn't caught me on that one... yet? )

2) trying to clean out a microworm culture container that has really gone way too far off. I've learned that the resulting smell in the house is better avoided by grudgingly throwing the container straight out in the garbage.

3) I used to cook up about 30-35 pounds of a homemade paste food in the house using the family microwave. Again, I've learned that it's better to cook the formula out in the detached garage, although NOT during the peak hornet season!

I have found this post somewhat comforting, ( some would say in a twisted way ) in that I am not the only one who "inherits" the various household gadgets so necessary to the ultimate success of our hobby.

I got in the dog house for going on a collecting trip to South America over her birthday and Valentines day.... and forgetting to bring back a nice present that was not Fish related.

I love reading this thread! rofl

I have also "aquired" many kitchen items for the fish. Also many bathroom towels and wash cloths.

The live blackworms in the fridge was frowned upon.

[quote="WhitePine"]I got in the dog house for going on a collecting trip to South America over her birthday and Valentines day.... and forgetting to bring back a nice present that was not Fish related.[/quote]

Try coming back from 2 Catfish Conventions without something for the warden and looking at that visage without turning tail and whimpering in the corner like some poor mutt. I even explained that they hold the convention out in the middle of nowhere so that the conventioneers can spend more time mingling, socializing and exchanging information, which makes it that much more effective and enjoyable. (she has a hard time with that line ) Maybe I'll get smart and pick her up something in the airport before coming home. Naaah, I'm not that smart. :?

Whitepine's post reminded me that some serious TLC (in the form of Colombian emeralds) was required when I returned from the Amazon while being away on my wife's birthday.

Actually, I think it's working quite well. My ever tolerant good lady got me a wormery for Christmas! Green composting and live food all in one!

Cheers!

Jools
----------------
Listening to: Meat Loaf - Bat Out Of Hell
via FoxyTunes

My favourite scenario is when a table in a restaurant (or any other arrangement for that matter) is booked for 8, and at 7.30 I decide it is essential I perform a "quick" water change.

Priceless.

Live black worms in the fridge pale into insignificance next to the forgotten white worm culture that fell down behind the veggie cooler...

And my precious collection of daphnia & other things that bite when they hatch has been witheringly referred to as "bucket city", sometimes in conjunction with the words "one day I'm going to tip them out"

Oh dear oh dear what fun this is, how many of you are going....."yep done that, done that, done that .....that sounds like a good idea" as I found myself saying to the boiling the peat in the coffee thingy,
oops

Another thing considered an offense, putting an end to a days outing because there just happens to be a LFS which you just had to go into which astonishingly has a fish you have been looking for and now it has to go straight home, I have learned to always have a insulated box handy to avoid this

This used to be my most common offense, my excuse was always "the kids love going to the fish shops" which they do by the way, and it always worked until a trip to alten towers was interrupted and then totally written off when I found a megladoras on the way......
Oh dear, I think we may be all going straight to hell.

Matt

By the way Racoll, last minute water changes are another of my specialties and made me late for my best mates wedding, can you guess who was the best man?

I haven't read this one:

I wanted a new fish tank but my wife wouldn't let me buy one so 2 years ago I gave my brother money to buy the tank (in this way I didn't buy it) and while she was away on a business trip I changed all the fish from the 30 gallon to the new 45 gallon tank I purchased. When she gets home she didn't even notice that a 30 gallon tank was now 45 gallons. 3 days later she noticed

I'm going to try again but this time I am thinking 90 gallons:-)

Bas Pels wrote:

Jackster wrote:I think almost all of my "offenses" have been covered here from using kitchen tools to sneaking extra tanks but there is one left. I assumed control over my son's little plastic toy shovel to remove gravel from aquariums. It's just the perfect size and completely flat and I have yet to find a better tool for the purpose of removing or changing gravel without draining the entire tank.

Most kids I know would enjoy watching their dads 'playing' with their toys. It could even be a way to get them interested in the hobby in the first place

Speaking of substrate, this reminds me of an incident I had yesterday. I was moving some substrate from an empty 10 gallon tank to a 20 gallon long I'm redoing. There's already some sand in the 20 gallon long. The substrate in the 10 gallon tank is a planting substrate-flourite based. I successfully got 2-1/2 liters of the substrate out. The last 1/2 liter I just happened to accidentally tip over onto a brown carpet. I got out the vaccuum cleaner. The good one, of course. Nice motor. Sucked up that flourite, no problem! I need to see if we have another bag for the vaccuum.....
Amanda

Quit your job (or get fired), get rid of all the fish tanks in the house and open your own aquarium store. Then agree to stay on as president of a local fish club AND sign on as chairman of an aquarium convention on top of it!

Well, at least there's no tanks in the house and thus no opportunity to commit these other sins. I do remember a couple incidents with microworm cultures though...

I have the cleanest sink in the neighbourhood. My turkey baster is now for the fish. Also have two forked forks that we used to use for mussels and oysters but are now used strictly for cucumber. I'm not as advanced as most of you...but probably good thing I don't have a blender...though if I did, the fish would come first. Can any of you talk to my husband? He's written me off Women also get sent to the "dog house".

PS: found a used 6 foot tank that I was ecstatic about. Made the mistake of mentioning it to my husband...even have a spot in the house it could work...however, he vetoed me and even if I try to slowly convince him, the tank will be gone and I don't know if I will find another one for the same price. Scariest thing is that I have a friend that has salt water tanks...that's another story...needless to say, don't even have the support for my freshwater tanks...though secretly, I think he likes to watch the fish too...man thing...won't admit it..just not sure how to get more tanks into the house.

pssst Betta blue! get the tank! Hide it somewhere!

Yes, being of the female persuasion I can attest to the doghouse as well.

I have aquired kitchen, bathroom, and garage items all for my fish. When we go into town we always manage to end up at the fish stores before we go home! I have taken to sneaking fish into the house and tanks since I am made to feel like a heroin addiction with fish. Alright I've only sneaked in two or three in the last 6 months. He didn't notice the last one for a week!!

"Hey I thought you only had 4 of these syno cats? I'm counting 5."

"Uhmmm, how many did you say? Be right back I gotta, get the laundry yeah that's it."

Hey,

looks like I am lucky! Still living with my parents and my father is plants addict almost as much as I am a fish addict. So he understand all my little sins ;) and even use water from waterchanges to water plants . My mother however get really mad when I use water softing filter for human consumption to fill and later change water with my killifishes - you know the best water you get just after filter media has been changed.

Many times I've to bought new spoons or pots but hey I've never thought about using dishwasher for cleaning rocks and wood! Splendid idea - it will save so much time with much better effect than messy handcleaning, thanks! .

Only comment I got when I bring home new tank is "where the heck are you going to put it" and after few seconds "ok, forget this question, I don't want to know" - few weeks ago I get rid of 3 of 4 my wardrobes and bought very small cot ;). Also during winters when we cannot open windows air in my room get really, really humid and that makes crazy whole family and maybe this fungus that appear on walls? Who cares ;).

Regards.

Indeed, who does.
Matt

Richard B wrote:uh-oh, errrr... mealworm in a plastic lidded tank stored in the cool of the bathroom &

wait for it,

Her indoors walking into the kitchen to find me shredding earthworms (albeit with my dedicated knife & chopping board for aquarium use only)

She was not happy!

Don't blame her for getting mad, you're supposed to prepare human food there!

[mod edit: Remove "Disable BBCode" so that the quote appears like a quote. --Mats]

Oh the special occasions I have missed because I was out collecting. I am tempted to ask my wife because I am sure she remembers them all... birthdays, wedding anniversaries, the Christmas and New Years she spent in Venezuela taking care of me because I was down with Dengue fever. On second thought I had better not ask or she may finally come to her senses.
Missed our wedding anniversary during the trip Jools and Whitepine mentioned. I did learn however that no woman can stay mad when you are offering a box bearing the Tiffany & Co. logo. Bookmark
http://www.tiffany.com
-Shane

All I can say is Thank God I'm single again. Just got back into the hobby this year when the now Ex-boyfriend decided he didn't want the tank anymore. I took it and the 3 balas he had in it. If I had more space i'd have more then a 29 gallon and a 2 gallon (the kids). I now realize how lucky I am to not have anyone say anything about the blood worms thawing in the Fridge. But thanks for all the horror stories cause I'm about to have to move into the Parents house to take care of it while they sell it. So I'm sure in a few months i'll have plenty to relate to.

Shane wrote:Oh the special occasions I have missed because I was out collecting. I am tempted to ask my wife because I am sure she remembers them all... birthdays, wedding anniversaries, the Christmas and New Years she spent in Venezuela taking care of me because I was down with Dengue fever.

Worst thing I ever experienced was dengue - and the doctor told me I was barely sick enough to have it. Having sat with my wife for 5 days when she was in hospital with dengue, I also know that's really no fun either.