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Western Women and Aquarium Keeping
Interesting question. It'll keep me pondering for a while. I don't
have a theory that is tangible yet, but here is what I have noticed:
Woman writing from Oregon, USA here-
My best friend owns a pet store (whee! everything at cost for me!) and
she has graciously set aside an 8 foot aquarium for me to set up as a
planted tank. I go putter about the store once or twice a week, or when
she is short on help (she comes to my house and paints walls- I think I
have the better deal). I spend most of my time in the fish room,
planting new arrivals, or netting fish for customers, and answering
questions the best I can.
Most, around 90%, of the people I net fish for are female. They pick a
fish or a plant because its pretty, and they stand with nose glued to
glass while I try to reach over their shoulders and catch the exact
molly out of 100 they have their hearts set on. Men come along to hold
the baby. These women know next to nothing about the technicalities of
their hobby. Yesterday I bagged an ounce of "Tubular" worms, and caught
"2 platypuses" and put up with a store regular exhorting me while I
cleaned a salt tank to not change more than 20% of the water or "the
nitrates would go sky high from chemical reaction."
The occasional male that is there for his own sake usually has at least
a working knowledge of his hobby, but more usually knows a lot about
it. But he is VERY rare.
In my house, there are many aquariums. My long-suffering husband is
willing to plumb anything, haul any amount of water, wire anything,
build anything I want for them, but apart from thinking they are nice if
I ask for an opinion, has no direct interest.
My friend with the store? Her husband gets excited about ordering
strange sounding fish off the wholesale list, but that's as far as it
goes. She is the aquarium keeper in the home.
Marci