I'm packing it in.

[Cross127]

I am packing in fish keeping. I just can't take it anymore. I spend hundreds of dollars a day on supplies and other things I need. I just spent $160 on chemicals and what not today. I love it but I am breaking down very fast and my fish aren't helping. I have to come home seperate them ,shut the lights off, turn them on, make sure they aren't fighting. Make sure everyone is eating. Quarintine sick fish or ones that need to be healed all the time because they are constantly beating each other up. I have do tank maintenance every 4hours because there is something constantly going wrong( fish breaking my heaters, filters, deco, thermometers, and other stuff). I know most of this is what comes with fishkeeping but I always have something going wrong. My 29 gallon that I was using as a QT tank for my Zaliosus because he has pop eye just started leaking today. Water was all over, filters burned up, heaters burnt out, and my Zaliosus has to be transfered to another tank while he is supposed to be happy and getting well again. It just seems everything has to go wrong for me. I don't mind doing maintenance on the tanks but every 4 hours COME ON!! Tell me that is rediculous. I am flat broke right now because I just had to buy more new filters as I just bought them 2 weeks ago and the warranties won't cover fish breaking the equipment. I can't put any of my fish together. All my tanks are trashed because they ALL are destructive. My Angel pair is now killing their babies even though all fry have been moved. They must be retarted or something. Any thoughts . I am SOOO tempted to sell all my tanks immediately but will have to make a final decision. This is soooo stressful and hard but I LOVE FISH KEEPING.

 

[dragonfish]

Maybe it's time to take a break from the private fish store and thin out the herd. Don't necesarrily sell off tanks, just break them down for now and stay with less stock for now. If you sell off everything you will probably regret it at some point. I almost packed everything in a couple of years ago and sold off a bunch of stuff. Almost sold the last one but kept it going with one fish. That reenergized my excitement and now I'm back to MTS. Hope this helps.

 

[Cross127]

Maybe it's time to take a break from the private fish store and thin out the herd. Don't necasarrily sell off tanks, just break them down for now and stay with less stock for now. If you sell off everything you will probably regret it at some point. I almost packed everything in a couple of years ago and sold off a bunch of stuff. Almost sold the last one but kept it going with one fish. That reenergized my excitement and now I'm back to MTS. Hope this helps.

I just broke down 3-10 gallons and 2 29 gallons last night and I had to take down another 29 because it sprung a leak today. So I am getting somewhere.

 

[ShadowBass]

It doesn't sound like fishkeeping is your problem, but your particular set ups and incompatability problems.

Don't worry, I've been there. I've gotten really stressed out worrying bout doing maintanance and the fish and everything else. Just relax.

It will help if you set your tanks up in way that you know you aren't going to have aggression problems, you know you're not gonna be losing fish, and in a way that will allow you to do less maintanance but still keep your fish healthy.

Why sell everything off altogether? Just thin it out a bit, reorganize and calm down! I think you will regret just getting rid of everything. Thin it out to the point where you can enjoy your fish again instead of it being something that causes stress.

Your hobbies shouldn't cause stress.

 

[Cross127]

It doesn't sound like fishkeeping is your problem, but your particular set ups and incompatability problems.

Don't worry, I've been there. I've gotten really stressed out worrying bout doing maintanance and the fish and everything else. Just relax.

It will help if you set your tanks up in way that you know you aren't going to have aggression problems, you know you're not gonna be losing fish, and in a way that will allow you to do less maintanance but still keep your fish healthy.

Why sell everything off altogether? Just thin it out a bit, reorganize and calm down! I think you will regret just getting rid of everything. Thin it out to the point where you can enjoy your fish again instead of it being something that causes stress.

Your hobbies shouldn't cause stress.

Very good point that hobbies aren't supposed to stress you. I am not selling everything lol I was just going nuts at the moment because I just had to setup a new 29 for the QT. I thought my brand new Jeff Rapps order would help me relax and get excited again but it is the problem now. Plus I don't want to sell them but I don't have enough room for all to go around in other tanks and I don't want to screw up the aggression balance in my 240 because I finally got my Black Nasty to behave and leave everyone alone. My only option is buy more tanks lol. I think I am going to completely drop small tanks all together and just keep the 4 monster tanks up with drip systems and all goodies. I have to convince my dad to let me though. Oh and by the way I am 16 and I pay for everything that I buy for my fish. Whether it is new filters and stuff right down to test strips. I can't afford it my self which also a big problem, but I work my butt off everyday after school 6 days a week just so I can afford it and keep it going. I have calmed down lol. I just have to figure out what I am going to do.

 

[CHOMPERS]

Consider automating your larger tanks to remove some of the work from water changing and cleaning.

 

[ewurm]

Don't get out, just reduce your workload. Decide on a couple favorite tanks, make sure the stocking is compatible, and sell off the rest.

 

[Rakie]

/agree with wurm.

Personally, Id put one huge fish in that incoming 300 gallon and just shut down the rest for now.

 

[JuanTamad]

You obviously need more tanks. That should fix it!

 

[cichlaguapote]

It's the damn cichlids..

I say reduce your fish, try out other more non territorial aggressive species even non cichlids altogether. If you have a tank that leaks go to walmart or the dollar store and buy a large rubbermaid for like 10.00 most will hold HOB filters on the back and lots of people use them when you need something temporary or run out of tanks.


But whatever you do stick around just because you don't keep fish doesn't mean you can't hang on MFK..