July 07, 2019

The loneliness and romance of "first."

Ever felt a bit nervous when contemplating some new idea for your aquarium; you know, the one that no one ever tried before? The one everyone says can't be done, or "won't work", or "is destined to fail"...or the one that simply flies in the face of what's been considered "The Way" for so long?

I mean, there's a chance that you could be the first hobbyist to pull it off. Or, more lily, the first hobbyist simply to try it. And I suppose, it can be a bit scary.

“First”.

It’s a powerful word, huh?

Throughout our lives, we’re taught that it’s good to be “first”: Winning the race, being the first in line, the first one to finish our homework, etc. In the aquarium hobby, however, “first” sometimes carries a little more baggage with it.

A little extra challenge, right? A lot of scrutiny. Skepticism.

When you’re the first hobbyist to keep a challenging fish, or proffer a different way of doing things, you have some serious responsibility- to the animals, the natural environment, and even tougher still- the hobby “establishment”. It’s a heavy weight to shoulder!

Visionaries in our hobby have always suffered the criticisms of those who came before them.

I guess it’s human nature to question the gangly newcomers to our little utopia. If you are pioneering a new technique, keeping an animal previously thought un-keepable, or, worse yet- challenging a long-held hobby “truism”, the fact is, you’re likely to take a beating. Or, at the very least, hear a lot of hushed whispers when you walk into the room.

Sad, huh?

The fact is, somebody has to be the first. Somebody has to dip their toes in the water, trying that new technique, or trying to keep the fish once thought impossible.

Look at a guy like Jack Wattley. He was breeding multiple strains of Discus on a regular basis, when most hobbyists were just happy to keep one alive! He single-handedly unlocked so many mysteries of this fish-and shared his findings-that it made it possible for aquarists worldwide to successfully keep and breed them.

I remember not too long ago, when my friend Matt Pederson succeeded at spawning and rearing the Ornate Filefish? This was a fish that would pretty much expose your neck to the chopping block for fellow hobbyists if you dared even try to keep one. It was considered nearly impossible to keep- an obligate corallivore, supposedly only feeding on live coral polyps. Matt not only believed that he could keep and breed the fish- he defied the naysayers and actually did it! It was a major achievement in the marine fish breeding world at the time.

Still is impressive.

Courage, my friends. And conviction. And the strength to endure scrutiny, criticism, and those naysayers who call you "foolish" or "brash" for even trying. If you have those traits- and a good idea, go for it!

On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with a bit of healthy skepticism or peer review. Preaching something that is contrary to conventional wisdom (“You can keep non-photosynthetic corals in a reef system”) is one thing- it challenges us to re-think our previously long-held beliefs. However, advocating an idea that, in most cases, will cause harm to our animals (“There is no problem letting different species of Mbuna hybridize and releasing them at random to the LFS for sale.”) is another thing entirely. And proffering advice that’s downright foolhardy {“I think we should teach our toddlers how to hand-feed Piranha! ) will justifiably qualify you for an online assault from the fish-keeping community!

However, those are extremes of absurdity.

Trying something that hasn't been done before is an entirely different game. And one you should condor playing if you're ready.

If you're ready. If you think it can work.

If...

I’m NOT discouraging you from testing a theory or radical new idea.

What I AM encouraging is responsible experimentation. Share your data. Force progress. Where would we be if hobbyists continued to believe that the undergravel filter was THE ONLY way to maintain a healthy aquarium, or if we never tried fragging a stony coral? Or if we were afraid of tinted water? Yikes!

Radical steps are often necessary for change. Besides, who cares if people laugh at you once in a while. Not giving a flying f--k is great for the soul, trust me.

I leave you with a favorite, rather cliched, yet perfectly appropriate inspirational quote from Apple co-founder and visionary, the late Steve Jobs:

“Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

It's okay to be the first. It's okay to look at the hobby a bit differently.

It's okay to push the outside of the envelope.

Flying in the face of “conventional aquarium wisdom” is a tough, but entirely passable road, if you've got what it takes. Perhaps a rather lonely, sometimes bumpy road, filled with the occasional obstacle or two. But totally worth the journey.