Coworkers try to usurp employee's desk fish tank demanding that it become a communal office project: 'They keep saying I'm not being a good team player'

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    DO 5
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    AITAH for refusing to let my coworkers take over the fish tank my employer allows me to keep in the office? So, buckle up folks. This is rather intriguing. I've been allowed by my employer to keep a small aquarium at my desk, which is something I'm really passionate about. I'm a bit of a fish enthusiast and enjoy maintaining the tank, ensuring the fish are happy and the
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    environment is balanced. It's a small, peaceful hobby that brightens my workday and has become a conversation starter in the office. Recently, a few of my coworkers came up with the idea of turning my tank into a sort of "office fish" project. They want to add new fish to the tank and have everyone vote on which species we should get. Their suggestions
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    range from goldfish to guppies and even more exotic ones like cichlids, which is clearly impractical for a tank of this size. They think it's a fun, team- building exercise and that we could all pitch in for the maintenance. Here's the problem: this tank is mine. It's allowed by the company specifically for me to manage, and I've put a lot of care into creating a balanced, healthy
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    environment for the fish I already have. Most of the species they're suggesting don't belong together or require different care than what I've set up. For example, goldfish are cold-water fish, while my current tank is tropical. Plus, the idea that everyone in the office would "help" take care of it is unrealistic-maintaining a tank properly requires more knowledge than just throwing some food in once a day.
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    I've explained my concerns, but they're brushing it off, saying I'm being overly protective and that I'm taking this too seriously. They think it's just a fun little project, but it's more than that to me. This is my personal hobby, approved by the employer, and I don't want the stress of managing a chaotic tank or dealing with de d fish because someone thought a betta and a guppy could live together.
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    Now, the office seems split. Some people are on my side, understanding that it's my personal tank, while others think I'm being selfish for not letting them turn it into a communal thing. They keep saying I'm not being a good team player. AITAH for refusing to let my coworkers turn my personal, employer-approved fish tank into their office-wide project?
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    pnut0027 · 10h ago • Their nonsense is going to have your tank taken away.
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    HelinaHandbas... 9h ago. NTA. Hard line in the sand time. "This is my personal tank, approved by management. If you want to do an office tank, it's up to you to speak to management and organise it, but it will be separate to my personal tank".
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    Jerks like that are exactly the flavour of numbskull that'll arrive in the office early, whack a bunch of male bettas in a tank and then wonder why all the fish are fighting and eating each other later on.
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    OkPitch4189 · 10h ago. NTA it's your tank and youve put in the work to keep it balanced and healthy Turning it into a communal project would just cause chaos especially since they dont understand the care involved
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    lookingformiles • 9h ago NTA. But get that tank out of there before some idiot inadvertently (or advertently) kills your fish.
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    E.. 9h ago Edited 9h ago NTA, I dont see why killing fish should be a team building experince, how its fun to torture fish. • Clearly they dont see fish as living creatures that deserve to be treated like a living being.
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    Outside that I also feel like they just jealous of you having something you enjoy and this very mych disregard the work it is to put in to keeping fish healthy.
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    sapphiresiiiren • 26m ago i rarely get angry over these but wow. don't let those animals near your fish. they jsut don't know what it takes to keep it going, its not a single beta fish
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    . CarmelPoptart 9h ago Before they make everything even worse, talk to your manager about your concerns, and if needed, do not be afraid to carry the issue to HR. Your hobby is not a class. pet(or in this situation, office pet) project where everyone gets to take care of the pet in turns.
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    You need to make them understand the tank is SOLELY YOUR PROPERTY, and if they have a problem with it, they can write it down to their diaries. NTA.

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