You should put a hardheaded newbe with his nose in the books and underline the paragraphs which tell that keeping fish in an aquarium is not about what you want. For example the paragraphs saying a plec is a river biotope fish living in highly oxygenated water. Yes it can live in other circumstances as well if you know what you are doing, but still any other invironment is far from ideal... And fresh nose doesn't know what he's into and already wants to deprive the poor anymals what they need the most?
In the era of internet, most people think that by reading a couple of posts and asking in facebook groups everything is done. Reading books is becoming a kind of vintage activity, changed by the laziness that internet has created in the habits of people. However, I would insist to a newbie starting reading information for a few months BEFORE even plan an aquarium. But that is me...
Unbelievable that this still occurs in 2016 with so much very good information for the grasp..
Well, to be honest, large part of the eternal discussion comes because there is a mix of good and bad information, and with no a good base that only invites to confusion. Even in this forum I read all the time some wrong statements, perpetuated by people thinking they are right when they are not. Discussion is good, however, but does not make things easy for a newbie. A newbie would really struggle to discriminate what is right from what is not in this forum, for example.
Slab the books even beter the desktop monitor because this one is harder around his ears till he finaly understands that he's dealing with living animals which have needs. It's not an ornamental toy and not about what he needs, wants or likes and living creatures are not to be experimented with for fun.
I could not agree more into this. This is not a toy: Plants and animals are living things that require the utmost respect and care for their life. As Amano said once, encapsuling animals into a glass box involves the responsibility of providing them the best conditions as possible.
Sorry if it was my friend not willing to listen i'd kick him (so to speak) and tell to find help elswhere. For example in the lfs where everything is possible.
Sorry no pun intended.. But the way you discribe this dude he's beyond any help. He misses a few very essential things.
As many things in life, there are two ways:
a) Trying to be influential in people to break wrong habits.
b) Do not get involved and avoid arguments.
In both cases the result can be a fail, but I am always in the a) side of the life.
However, there is a limit: If someone does not want to listen then...why asking for help? Nowadays this is more and more common, in which people just want help to confirm their own assumptions, not to accept a different point of view...
Anyway, back to the topic, Darrel and Marcel are right. The guy is too ambitious and will have issues with the aquarium. The bad side of it is that our small friends will unnecessarily suffer for it.
Cheers,
Manuel