What to do with your fish when YOU die

[pstennett]

Hi all,
Here's the situation:

We are redoing our estate planning on how to handle our mammal and aquatic charges in the event of both our deaths. It's easy to determine what to do with our furry pets...they just go to various relatives. But how to handle our Monster Aquarium and its Monster occupant is why I'm here.

We have a 1000 gallon freshwater system that required a forklift and crane to get it into the house during a remodel. It's main inhabitant is Aticus, a 34" Chinese high fin shark (myxocyprinous Asiaticus). Getting the tank and stand out again would be a MAJOR undertaking and would probably cost at least $4000 dollars to get it relocated and setup at it's new location. I attached the canopy to cables going into the ceiling with a Linear actuator to raise and lower it. Removing and reinstalling that part somewhere else is not part of the $4k estimate as it was my own DIY (another company wanted to charge over $20k to just do the "engineering" and fabrication)

The property will be left to 4 surviving grown nieces and our wish is that the property will continue to be used as a family compound for the next generations. Hopefully they would want to keep Aticus and the tank...but what if they don't? Or what if they decide to sell the property?

Any ideas for an estate plan would be most appreciated.

 

[skjl47]

left to 4 surviving grown nieces

Hello; Leave the property to only one person. Odds could be that of the four with equal shares in the property, one or more will need money and want to sell. Likely will be able to force a sale or demand a buyout from the others. My neighbor passed last year. I could not talk him into specific details of how his property would be divided. He insisted his two children split everything equally. Not an easy thing to do.

wish is that the property will continue to be used as a family compound for the next generations.

Hello; I have a friend who wants to limit his children's ability to change his large property after he is gone. Both children live and work far away. I doubt they will honor his wishes unless there is some legal instrument in place.

want to keep Aticus and the tank...but what if they don't?

Hello; Leave the property to Aticus and tie any one or all the nieces that they inherit the property after the fish dies. if the fish is properly cared for.

All that said I have my doubts of you being able to set things up the way you want if the heirs do not share your passion for the fish.

 

[TheBtchWhisperersWife]

First, WOW. That's a helluva fish.

We've had similar debates. None of our aquarium occupants are nearly that size and our tanks are all 300 gallons or under, but it's a definite concern. In our case, we'd want the fish to be sold off with proceeds going to our young children (not that there's ever many proceeds from such things). We have a few trusted friends in the hobby who we'd probably task with this. I'd think a fellow fish hobbyist is your best bet for the big guy.

 

[krichardson]

Wr need more photos of that magnificent fish and set up!

 

[esoxlucius]

It's highly unlikely that your remaining family members will look after Aticus as diligently as you have. If it was me, for peace of mind, i'd contact Ohio fish rescue. Aticus could live out the remainder of his life in a converted swimming pool and be cared for by big Rich and his family, who are very familiar with true monster fish and their requirements.

Check out his you tube channel, he travels all over the place picking fish up.

 

[The Masked Shadow]

I agree with esoxlucius , that’s a good isea

 

[celebrist]

I have been pondering this lately as well but I only have a 450

Second on the need for more pics on that beauty

 

[Brent419]

It's highly unlikely that your remaining family members will look after Aticus as diligently as you have. If it was me, for peace of mind, i'd contact Ohio fish rescue. Aticus could live out the remainder of his life in a converted swimming pool and be cared for by big Rich and his family, who are very familiar with true monster fish and their requirements.

Check out his you tube channel, he travels all over the place picking fish up.

100%!

 

[Chief Tom]

Do what is best for your family.

 

[jjohnwm]

Do what is best for your family.

This ^, absolutely. Fish are fish and people are people; it isn't reasonable or fair to force your heirs to take care of an aquarium that they probably don't want, and especially when they are in the highly-stressed situation of having just lost the two of you. You will have an executor; he or she should be entrusted with the task of contacting whoever you select (such as Ohio Fish Rescue) and arranging for the pickup of the fish. Done and done.

My wife knows that if I kick it tomorrow, she is to contact the people I specify to get the fish out of the house immediately. It's not her hobby or her interest, and I don't want her to have the worry of inheriting it.

Oh, and if you actually consider the comment about leaving the property to the fish, to be passed to the heirs after it dies...I would give the fish about a month, tops, before it suffers an unfortunate accident...and I wouldn't blame anyone if and when that happened...