Countdown to the end of your fishkeeping days?

[jsodwi]

I moved to a tiny island off the coast of Panama about 3 years ago, and haven't been able to set up tanks yet.
Took me 2 years to find places on the mainland that sell tanks (there are none on my island) large enough for my needs, and with just the newness of settling in, time and logistics haven't allowed for anything but the necessities of learning to live in a rather more primitive place, with a new language.
Beside buying a tank, just getting it to the island is a major logistical, and relatively expensive process and project.
Add to that we often are without running water for weeks, and take showers under the eaves during monsoon rains, and using rain or sea water to flush toilets.
My plan will be to set up a few tanks, using rain water of the roof into a catch basin for water changes, and going to the mainland to catch native cichlids. This will also be an interesting project, just to get them back alive. It will not take hours, but probably a matter of days, or a week or more.
Until that occurs if and when I get a tank, salt water fish would be much easier to get, although that doesn't really spark all that much interest in me.

This is awesome. I wish I had the balls to move to a place so remote.

 

[fishhead0103666]

Save up and buy your own island and become the ruler

 

[Thomas18]

I live in Australia, i have heaps of fish tanks, just do what everyone else is saying and set up some tanks when you move here, you can get alot of the same species here that you can in america

 

[fishhead0103666]

I don't think too many online places will ship live fish to australia, do you have any experience with getting live fish shipped to you?

 

[Thomas18]

You wouldn't want to get fish shipped to you from other countries even if they would do it, it would cost you thousands. There are websites and companies in Australia that sell fish online and ship. But some companies are different in how they ship, some do it to your door and others do airport to airport shipping

 

[fishhead0103666]

Ahh, thank you for that bit of insight.

 

[spotfin]

Have a plan for the future that doesn't include monster fish or monster tanks. It's a five year plan as well, as long as a series of events fall into place by then.
I've been keeping wet pets for 35 + years and hope to for many more, but on a much smaller scale.

 

[Fat Homer]

First off thank you all for your insights, i really appreciate everyones feedback and thoughts on the subject... will also try and get through some of the posts and answer them...

You will probably setup something with Australian species hopefully.

Possibly, but tbh, not the biggest fan of Aussie natives and tend to be more into rare oddballs...

Here's a positive take on the subject, you can get back to the hobby once you settle in. In my case, my wife has a chronic illness and I've shut down and gave away my tanks and livestock. I currently have one tank running and even that, I've neglected due to my priorities have changed. During doctor visits, I surf the forum and share when I can. Not sure when I'll get back to really enjoy the hobby again.

Been thinking long and hard about this for a while but due to the price of fishkeeping in Australia + the fact they often have droughts means im not sure i’d be ready to jump back in..

How set are you on moving to Australia?

I mean...are you a high schooler that thinks it would be cool to live in Australia with no actual plan to get there, or are you on some sort of concrete life path that absolutely heads that way?

10 years ago I thought I’d be living somewhere awesome with a 5,000 gallon aquarium by now...maybe in 10 more years...

A lot can change in 5 years. My best advice would be to keep easily sellable fish. A 5 year old clown loach can be sold in a day for good money, a 5 year old monster cat fish is a different story. That way when you move you know you’ll be able to sell your fish. Same deal with tanks, don’t buy something custom fancy and expensive, get something standard off Craigslist that you can sell for as much as you paid for it (or more!).

Edit: looking at who actually posted this I realize you aren’t a high schooler, but the general idea still stands....

Lol, as you worked out im definitely far from being a teen, although wouldnt mind being 18 or 21 again...

As for the plan to move, its definitely concrete, just the time frame isnt, as it could happen sooner or slightly later...

I moved to a tiny island off the coast of Panama about 3 years ago, and haven't been able to set up tanks yet.
Took me 2 years to find places on the mainland that sell tanks (there are none on my island) large enough for my needs, and with just the newness of settling in, time and logistics haven't allowed for anything but the necessities of learning to live in a rather more primitive place, with a new language.
Beside buying a tank, just getting it to the island is a major logistical, and relatively expensive process and project.
Add to that we often are without running water for weeks, and take showers under the eaves during monsoon rains, and using rain or sea water to flush toilets.
My plan will be to set up a few tanks, using rain water of the roof into a catch basin for water changes, and going to the mainland to catch native cichlids. This will also be an interesting project, just to get them back alive. It will not take hours, but probably a matter of days, or a week or more.
Until that occurs if and when I get a tank, salt water fish would be much easier to get, although that doesn't really spark all that much interest in me.

Was hoping Duane you would reply, as i’ve seen your move progress and some of your updates over time which gives me hope that maybe oneday after moving i may setup tanks again...

Save up and buy your own island and become the ruler

Lol, i wish i could do that too, but not sure how i’d like life on an isolated island with nothing around...

I live in Australia, i have heaps of fish tanks, just do what everyone else is saying and set up some tanks when you move here, you can get alot of the same species here that you can in america

I dont come from America, i live in Asia currently where you can literally get anything and everything you can imagine for some seriously low prices... which is what puts me off keeping tanks in Oz, considering plants they give away for free here they charge AUD $10 - $15 for a stem there...

You wouldn't want to get fish shipped to you from other countries even if they would do it, it would cost you thousands. There are websites and companies in Australia that sell fish online and ship. But some companies are different in how they ship, some do it to your door and others do airport to airport shipping

Also not to mention quaratine laws in Australia are absolutelt crazy!!! So almost 100% no go getting stuff shipped as you said unless you pay high prices...

 

[Thomas18]

I dont come from America, i live in Asia currently where you can literally get anything and everything you can imagine for some seriously low prices... which is what puts me off keeping tanks in Oz, considering plants they give away for free here they charge AUD $10 - $15 for a stem there...



Also not to mention quaratine laws in Australia are absolutelt crazy!!! So almost 100% no go getting stuff shipped as you said unless you pay high prices...

It may be more expensive then in Asia, but i guarantee that any country that you go to is going to be more expensive then Asia. it is all based on the availability of the the items. and trust me its not as expensive a you think compared to some places.

the quarantine laws are so strict because they work.

After all it is up to you if you want to get back into the hobby or not, but we do what we need to for the hobby that we love.

 

[fishhead0103666]

Just a thought for dustuane. Maybe set up a "large" tank around 55 gallons and stock it lightly with small fish so incase you can't change the water for long it won't be bad. Also evaporation loss won't have as big of an effect with a large understocked tank than an over stocked tank.