Being the family "fish guy"
So, how many of you folks are known as the family "fish guy" (or gal)?
I've become that way - especially to parts of the family I otherwise don't have much to do with.
It's always sort of worked to my advantage at times, but sometimes it's a tough gig that brings about moral and ethical dilemmas.
For example - a while ago I got a freebie Aquasmart 320 - a little all in one tank, that currently houses a paradise fish. I have two of those tanks - both only have one fish in them, as I think they're a tad small. Nice to be a dumping ground for old tanks and gear if you happen to have the room for them (and I seem to).
Today, I get a call from someone telling me her mum has an angel fish that isn't playing nice. She tells me it's the size of a 50 cent piece, and if I don't take it, it's gonna get flushed. I'm too much of a softie for any fish to let that happen, so I say yeah - bring it over.
I have three active tropical tanks - one is a 4 footer with some cichlids in it, so that rules out the angel going in there. The other two are full of guppies (and I mean a lot). So, I condense them down to one tank full of guppies, leaving me with a 2 footer free. Too small for an angel, but at least while it's juvenile, it'll be OK in there.
I get the angel. It's not the size of a 50 cent piece. It's not fully grown either, but it's no baby.
So now I have a dilemma - do I give it away/sell it, and hope that whoever gets it has a clue about how to keep it, or do I let it live in one of my 2footers on its lonesome until I have a decent sized tank with a bit more height in it? If I do that, I could get tempted to buy an elcheapo 3 footer and stand. At least then I could keep a few other interesting tropicals with it.
That will break into my marine budget though. And then, I have to keep power up to it. Like 6 aquariums don't cost me enough to run already...
That's a tough choice.
I've become that way - especially to parts of the family I otherwise don't have much to do with.
It's always sort of worked to my advantage at times, but sometimes it's a tough gig that brings about moral and ethical dilemmas.
For example - a while ago I got a freebie Aquasmart 320 - a little all in one tank, that currently houses a paradise fish. I have two of those tanks - both only have one fish in them, as I think they're a tad small. Nice to be a dumping ground for old tanks and gear if you happen to have the room for them (and I seem to).
Today, I get a call from someone telling me her mum has an angel fish that isn't playing nice. She tells me it's the size of a 50 cent piece, and if I don't take it, it's gonna get flushed. I'm too much of a softie for any fish to let that happen, so I say yeah - bring it over.
I have three active tropical tanks - one is a 4 footer with some cichlids in it, so that rules out the angel going in there. The other two are full of guppies (and I mean a lot). So, I condense them down to one tank full of guppies, leaving me with a 2 footer free. Too small for an angel, but at least while it's juvenile, it'll be OK in there.
I get the angel. It's not the size of a 50 cent piece. It's not fully grown either, but it's no baby.
So now I have a dilemma - do I give it away/sell it, and hope that whoever gets it has a clue about how to keep it, or do I let it live in one of my 2footers on its lonesome until I have a decent sized tank with a bit more height in it? If I do that, I could get tempted to buy an elcheapo 3 footer and stand. At least then I could keep a few other interesting tropicals with it.
That will break into my marine budget though. And then, I have to keep power up to it. Like 6 aquariums don't cost me enough to run already...
That's a tough choice.