Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)
Hi,
John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.
I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.
With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.
I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.
If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.
I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.
I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.
Thank you
Darragh Sherwin
Glad to be out of Ireland
- Ma (mm mm)
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When selling fish, quality fish a fair few people have turned up with Oh my bank was empty and others too miserable to pay anything near the worth what they are getting. Leeches and vultures.
Oh I went to the bank but it was empty or I only got a tenner on me and the last showing up and getting stuff for €15 only to pull out a €100 note late in the evening at the last minute after me going through an hour of getting the stuff handed over to the buyer.
This is fking disgraceful and some of you should be fkn ashamed. A disgrace to the hobby society and humanity.
For the most part I have had good dealing and never ever gave anyone a bad deal or dodgy fish. I'm living abroad now and thankful for it, hang your heads in shame you know who you are. I don't need to name you and I assume this thread will just disappear.
Alas I would not just deny the sale as the fish would have suffered and so rather than let them suffer I let them go for nothing but some of you, and I mean long time members need to take a long hard look at yourselves and remember this when stamping morality on to others. One or two are\were mods FFS
To the rest of the members that I know, it's been a real pleasure. I'll be getting back into the hobby once I source everything in Finland and see how it goes here.
over and out
mark
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- fishhope (pat)
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- anglecichlid (ciaran hogan)
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I've never met you and I'm slightly angry with this post,
If some here screwed you over for fish then you should make a complaint to
The person!
And in all fairness I'm sure you had an option of just saying no,
If you were told there was no money in the bank
Or I only have a tenner!
That's a two way street!
You took what was on offer and now your giving out about it!
I'm sorry but your partly to blame.
Anyway good luck in your new venture.
Anyone with a aquarium can keep fish,
But it takes real skill to be a fish keeper,
And it's spongeBob,
SpongeBob lives in a pineapple under the sea
BLANCHARDSTOWN
- cichliddave (dave coughlan)
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- Gonefishy (Brian oneill)
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its a sign of the time,people want styff at rock b vottom p rices r for nowt...after an excellent breeding season with my birds,i had alot of cheapskates pming me with offers below the askin price,but I sat tight a sold all my birds for what I was lookin for them,at rhe end of the day,quality aint cheap,but dirt cost nothing.u should hav ran them but no point winging about it now
Hear Hear!! This post annoyed me also...people are always looking to low ball people in this economy but guess what, you didn't have to play ball....basic principle of economics is supply and demand.....sorry you feel like you've been 'done' so to speak but broad brushing the whole country and forum members as a result of your engagement with a limited few (comparatively) seems overboard...best of luck with your new venture and life though and rem don't sell anything for a price your not comfortable with as you will only have yourself to blame....
- anglecichlid (ciaran hogan)
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I'm very surprised no mods or admin have put up any replys to this
Quite offensive thread!
Or decided to take it down?
And the fact it got little replys at all is very strange indeed!

Anyone with a aquarium can keep fish,
But it takes real skill to be a fish keeper,
And it's spongeBob,
SpongeBob lives in a pineapple under the sea
BLANCHARDSTOWN
- newbejkjimk (damien kelly)
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IMHO mark is whinging after the fact and if he was unhappy with any deal done he should have said no, and if he was moving out of the country and was trying to get rid of his fish then he can hardly be pissed cause he didn't make enough money and he should be glad they went to good homes and as for mods not responding or taking the post down well i suppose its a good thing that we can exchange views and opinions without being censored. May i add i do not know mark or have i ever met him or anyone who got fish from him.
jim
- JohnH (John)
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Location:
N. Tipp
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.
ITFS member.
It's a long way to Tipperary.
- sheag35 (Seamus Gillespie)
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Is it just me or is there something "fishy" going on here?
I'm very surprised no mods or admin have put up any replys to this
Quite offensive thread!
Or decided to take it down?
And the fact it got little replys at all is very strange indeed!
i was going to respond to this but sent mark an pm first to see what he had to say, to date he hasnt had the inclination to reply... as said before by others here if he wasnt happy with the price he sold his fish at he shouldnt have sold them, i know i got fish from him back in september but i paid exactly the price he asked for (well i didn't pay him exactly as he was gone to an interview but i did pay his flatmate, now if something foul happened between me paying his flatmate and him getting the money thats not my issue and i've pm'd him saying so, thats if i'm the mod he's talking about). As for this being an offensive thread well.... he is entitled to his opinion, even if some people dont agree with it...
Fishkeeping the Only way to get wet and wild
currently 25 tanks, and breeding is the aim of everything i keep
location:Limerick
- davey_c (dave clarke)
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mark didn't say everyone but did say there were a few...that i agree with hense if you browse my for sale adds i still have almost everything!! were all supose to be here to help each other out but the certain lowballers are set to ruin it for everyone imho. for some of us the goodness of passing on a deal is already gone out of it because some milk the current climate

i say fair play to mark because i refused to give my fish to certain hunger heads and instead half them went in the bin so like it or not he was looking after the fish and not the buyer!!...
personally i think some people have missed the point behind this thread!!
Below tank is for sale
my plywood tank build.
www.irishfishkeepers.com/index.php/forum...k-build-diary#137768
- anglecichlid (ciaran hogan)
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The name of the thread first!
Glad to be out of Ireland, this bothers me,
Why? I can't tell you, with the way things are going with taxes
And such, but it just does.
And the first sentence of the thread,
Seems to tar all of us with the same brush
Tbh the cheek of him giving out that he got done over
By people here for fish when could have said no!
In fact it's solely his fault because he took what was on
Offer!
Anyone with a aquarium can keep fish,
But it takes real skill to be a fish keeper,
And it's spongeBob,
SpongeBob lives in a pineapple under the sea
BLANCHARDSTOWN
- fishhope (pat)
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HALF OF THEM WENT INTO THE BINam i the only 1 who can see the other side??
mark didn't say everyone but did say there were a few...that i agree with hense if you browse my for sale adds i still have almost everything!! were all supose to be here to help each other out but the certain lowballers are set to ruin it for everyone imho. for some of us the goodness of passing on a deal is already gone out of it because some milk the current climate
i say fair play to mark because i refused to give my fish to certain hunger heads and instead half them went in the bin so like it or not he was looking after the fish and not the buyer!!...
personally i think some people have missed the point behind this thread!!

- davey_c (dave clarke)
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With respect Davey,
The name of the thread first!
Glad to be out of Ireland, this bothers me,
Why? I can't tell you, with the way things are going with taxes
And such, but it just does.
And the first sentence of the thread,
Seems to tar all of us with the same brush
Tbh the cheek of him giving out that he got done over
By people here for fish when could have said no!
In fact it's solely his fault because he took what was on
Offer!
i see where your coming from but tbh i'd love to be out of this hole for a while! if you see the 1st sentence and only that sentence then i'd understand but not once since then has mark made out that we are all 1 of a kind... what about where he said he had some good dealings also??... the way i see it is the only ones who should be gettin upset are the ones who tried to do him over!!
lets say if you were selling a fish and a prospective buyer came and said they only had half the asking price so you agreed... next thing he opened his wallet and had a wad of 50's, handed ye 100e and asked for the change or even had the asking there spare?? would you honestly not give a crap?
there are some grabbers as well as some nice folk on this forum and the initial post was targeting the grabbers but i can't be the only 1 too see this.
Below tank is for sale
my plywood tank build.
www.irishfishkeepers.com/index.php/forum...k-build-diary#137768
- sheag35 (Seamus Gillespie)
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Fishkeeping the Only way to get wet and wild
currently 25 tanks, and breeding is the aim of everything i keep
location:Limerick
- anglecichlid (ciaran hogan)
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I'm being selective about the thread,
Personally I would have gone about it a different way,
But thats just me!
I wouldnt mind taking leave from here myself but
At the end of the day I grew up here
My kids are here and I work here!
Home is where the heart is!
I've had more good times than bad and
I love Ireland
When some one is making a point that there happy to
Leave here because they had a bad experience with a small
Few people,
Then I take exceptions to that.
Also I've seen heated debates on this forum for less than
What mark has said,
May I add I never had any dealings with mark!
Anyone with a aquarium can keep fish,
But it takes real skill to be a fish keeper,
And it's spongeBob,
SpongeBob lives in a pineapple under the sea
BLANCHARDSTOWN
- Q_Comets (Declan Chambers)
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I have not had dealings with anyone on the forum really mostly cause I'm so far away down in Kerry but I recon if I agreed a price in advance and the buyer started trying to push down the price on the day I would be miffed, at that point you may have refused other offers and you either take the offer or start the whole sale process again.
Just my tuppence
Dec
- Ma (mm mm)
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Hi.
IMHO mark is whinging after the fact and if he was unhappy with any deal done he should have said no, and if he was moving out of the country and was trying to get rid of his fish then he can hardly be pissed cause he didn't make enough money and he should be glad they went to good homes and as for mods not responding or taking the post down well i suppose its a good thing that we can exchange views and opinions without being censored. May i add i do not know mark or have i ever met him or anyone who got fish from him.
jim
Whinging, are you thick or just ignorant.
it works like this numpty, I made a deal and the deal was broke, the tanks were broken down, it was late, what dont you understand, I guess you're the sort to turn up without cash, yet another leech, I don't now you and you don't know me, so keep it shut mate, that's the kind draft BTW. Get back in your box.
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- Ma (mm mm)
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am i the only 1 who can see the other side??
mark didn't say everyone but did say there were a few...that i agree with hense if you browse my for sale adds i still have almost everything!! were all supose to be here to help each other out but the certain lowballers are set to ruin it for everyone imho. for some of us the goodness of passing on a deal is already gone out of it because some milk the current climate
i say fair play to mark because i refused to give my fish to certain hunger heads and instead half them went in the bin so like it or not he was looking after the fish and not the buyer!!...
personally i think some people have missed the point behind this thread!!
Thank you.
I gave F1 fry to one of those people for fk all, Rusty plecos rainbow fish and large anubias, and that was how I was treated after spending an hour on my last evening in Ireland when I was pressed for time and broke. It was my coffee and smokes money for the 6 hour trip to Finland, I was pished alright
Others have turned up with NOTHING!! pathetic little leeches with 0 integrity, thank you for getting my point. I just could not put my fish in the bin though!!! But I see what you are getting at mate. I've been a good fellow keeper to this board, but I will say, there is one lad who got my loaches, he's loaded and a real cheap b@stard but he has big tanks and I wanted the best for my loaches though he managed to kill many of his own so I am not so sure it was actually best, I've never been stupid enough to wipe out a stocked tank tbh. It's completely idiotic and careless unless it is a freak accident, it is 99% of the time laziness and carelessness.
Like I said, the vast majority are good lads for sure, especially Justin Viper Chinese kevin and a few others who I have had perfect dealings with.
Not one person can ever say they ever had a sick fish from me, nor a bad deal, but when the shoe's on the other foot it's totally opposite. I now people want cheap fish cos most of us are broke, but those with cash that strategically wrangle cheap fish from desperate sellers, hang your heads in shame you greasy cu@ts
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- newbejkjimk (damien kelly)
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I see your still whinging you are a fool to break down your tanks before you had the deal you wanted, as for getting back in my box you decided to make it a topic so it is now fair game for everyone else to comment on or have you not yet got the idea/concept of a forum? As for me "turning up and not paying" to the contrary in fact i have paid extra for fish ask Bonzo, i'm so glad you didn't have to bin your fish like daveyc had to and you got some money when your circumstances changed and all the fish got homes, so remember cash is not king and i'm so glad i never had any dealings with you as i doubt i could put up with the whinging. look at the majority of opinions above and learn a lesson if you are not capable of making deals appoint someone that can act on your behalf! Interesting that my post was the only one you responded to, i'm honored!
jim
- newbejkjimk (damien kelly)
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am i the only 1 who can see the other side??
mark didn't say everyone but did say there were a few...that i agree with hense if you browse my for sale adds i still have almost everything!! were all supose to be here to help each other out but the certain lowballers are set to ruin it for everyone imho. for some of us the goodness of passing on a deal is already gone out of it because some milk the current climate
i say fair play to mark because i refused to give my fish to certain hunger heads and instead half them went in the bin so like it or not he was looking after the fish and not the buyer!!...
personally i think some people have missed the point behind this thread!!
Davey hi
as you know i bought a light unit off you and gave you the saking price and i was happy to do so, IMHO you were wrong to kill your fish as i would gladly give them away free other than killing them after all the care that was put into looking after them but that's just me.
jim
- newbejkjimk (damien kelly)
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Davey how do you know that that "bunch of 50s are not going to pay the rent after he collect the fish? Look if you have to sell your fish because of a change of financial or living circumstances surely it would be better to go to lfs and give them for free?
With respect Davey,
The name of the thread first!
Glad to be out of Ireland, this bothers me,
Why? I can't tell you, with the way things are going with taxes
And such, but it just does.
And the first sentence of the thread,
Seems to tar all of us with the same brush
Tbh the cheek of him giving out that he got done over
By people here for fish when could have said no!
In fact it's solely his fault because he took what was on
Offer!
i see where your coming from but tbh i'd love to be out of this hole for a while! if you see the 1st sentence and only that sentence then i'd understand but not once since then has mark made out that we are all 1 of a kind... what about where he said he had some good dealings also??... the way i see it is the only ones who should be gettin upset are the ones who tried to do him over!!
lets say if you were selling a fish and a prospective buyer came and said they only had half the asking price so you agreed... next thing he opened his wallet and had a wad of 50's, handed ye 100e and asked for the change or even had the asking there spare?? would you honestly not give a crap?
there are some grabbers as well as some nice folk on this forum and the initial post was targeting the grabbers but i can't be the only 1 too see this.
jim
- davey_c (dave clarke)
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jim, i have gotten to know you from here and chattin to other fishkeepers i meet up with so was happy to pass you on a good deal pal... there were no if, buts or ands that you get from a small few others... sure anyone who travels half the country for a couple of fish because they know the quality couldn't be too bad

as for what i did.. i put most fish into 1 tank to shut down another and unplugged the wrong heater, i put on the post it was due to neglect and i feel myself it was because i neglected to see the fault at the time. all eventually perished, including 2 fish the above so-called time waster was taking, so went in the bin. i tried giving them away for weeks and the people who contacted me either got their chosen fish for free or for the price of petrol if i had to meet. in saying that they did make offers, along with others for the same fish, but i've grown to like these people too much to accept lol
i've had a few dealings and meets with sheag and each was a pleasure, not a bit of banter over a price but banter over everything else lol!... he's 1 bloke i enjoy meeting from time to time and chattin to here

Below tank is for sale
my plywood tank build.
www.irishfishkeepers.com/index.php/forum...k-build-diary#137768
- anglecichlid (ciaran hogan)
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Glad I'm not at the end of this one!
Hate to be a greasy ....!
I'm starting to think I'm glad he's out of ireland now myself!
Anyone with a aquarium can keep fish,
But it takes real skill to be a fish keeper,
And it's spongeBob,
SpongeBob lives in a pineapple under the sea
BLANCHARDSTOWN
- newbejkjimk (damien kelly)
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And lol @ anglecichlid

- ck1 (chris)
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- Valerie (Valerie)
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Locking the thread now.
Thanks.
Valerie