I have to go to Afghanistan.

[Glasstapper]

I don't mind going, but it's for four months....I can't keep my fish. :(

I just dropped off my salvini today to his new owner, which is what I was going to do anyway, but now I have to find homes for all of my other fish, as well. I just recently set up that 29 gallon, fishless cycled, decorations made and everything, and now I have to tear it down without it ever having a fish in it.

If I had really hardy fish, I would just have a friend come over once a week and do a part water change and feed, but I don't really have any that I trust for four months, and my blue dempsey is too sensitive to water quality to allow it to slip. He's what I'm most upset over. I really don't want to give him up. I'll also be turning off my electricity while I'm gone so I won't have a bill while I'm gone.

I had someone offer to babysit my fish for them in their spare tank until I got back, but I'll be seperating from the military and moving back home to Louisiana next March anyway, so it would be pointless. I also don't know them and don't know how they keep their own fish.

This is really shytty.

[Glasstapper]

also, I knew that it was a small possibility that I would have to travel, but in the past it's only been for a couple of weeks to a month at most. I was assured that I wouldn't have to deploy overseas during my first four years because I would be too low in rank and inexperienced, but the other chick lied to get out of this one and I'm the only one left. I only have another 13 months before I'm out, and they just had to be a$$es and send me overseas on my last leg of my contract.

I'm so very mad at them right now. I was almost done, you know?
*sigh*

[cocoa_pleco]

that sucks. Cant you board your fishies at your lfs? ive done that a few times.


good luck

[Glasstapper]

What I would really like to do is to see if I could get the LFS to watch my blue dempsey for me, but then I would have to recycle my tank when I got back, and he's at that size where so many of them die. Not very many make it past 3 to 4 inches, and he's just barely under 3 inches.

If I can get them to watch him for me until I get back and maybe get that 29 running again (last time only took 12 days to cycle) then I can keep him until I have to move to Louisiana. Moving a fish for a 19 hour drive would be tough as heck, though.

I just don't know.

[cocoa_pleco]

Ive seen people travel with fish for 24h. Bad idea tho

[Incredulous_Ed]

sorry to hear about that glasstapper. Everyone on the forum will miss you!

[cocoa_pleco]

and your avatar- i still laugh at it

[Lady Hobbs]

Glasstapper, I am so sorry to hear you have to go overseas. For you and for having to give up your hobby for a time. Possibly the fish store will buy your dempsey and find it another home. I know you hate this but you can get back into the hobby when this mess is over for you and you have made your move without having the service to contend with.

You're right! This sucks.

[Abbeys_Mom]

Wow. We will certainly miss you. Shame you have to part with your fish.

[cocoa_pleco]

it super pooper sucks:fish2: :12:

[jeffs99dime]

a[Only Registered Users Can See Links.] man!!! that's beat. sorry to hear that. keep your head down and your eyes open. it sucks out there. good luck. come home safely. my prayers are with you!

[Drumachine09]

a[Only Registered Users Can See Links.] man!!! that's beat. sorry to hear that. keep your head down and your eyes open. it sucks out there. good luck. come home safely. my prayers are with you!


I second that! BE SAFE!!!

[Glasstapper]

Thanks, guys. I'll be looking forward to diving back into this head on as soon as I'm situated back at home....a year from now. It's a long wait, but that leaves me tons of time to do research, save money, and plan. I'm going to have some awesome tanks!

Also, I'll have internet connection there, so I'll come by once in a while and tell you guys hello!

[Drumachine09]

One of my fishing buddies fought in fullujah. He sent me a letter to ship out a fishing rod and some tackle for him so i did. He said that they have some beautiful exotic looking smaller fish out their. He caught a school of VERY small fish, that he kept in a coke bottle filled with water. They lasted 7 months on bread crumbs before someone threw the bottle away. What are you going to be doing in Iraq?

[Sin]

glasstapper i am soo sorry to hear this..aww i will really miss you i know you care about your fishes alot and i know you are concerned about them , maybe something comes up and someone takes in your fishes for the time being? always hope for the best sweetheart , my prayers are with you as well you can count on that , it would be beautiful to hear from you once your situated out there , i wish you nothing but the best

[AquaQueen]

Glasstapper,
So sorry to hear you are being Deployed and sooner then what you had expected. I am so sorry to hear about you having to possibly give up your fish...I can tell how much you love them. Hopefully that will all work out for the best. Good Luck Sweetie. We are all going to miss you. Stay in touch with us I am sure I can speak for everyone when I say We would Love to hear (read) how things are going for you. Remember Everything happens for a reason. You just have to be strong and figure out what that reason is.

[cocoa_pleco]

youre gonna miss aquariums!

[Nautilus29]

Move to canada!!! lol sorry to here about this we will really miss you. Im really sorry to hear about your fish. I wish you the best of luck.

[crackatinny]

Hope all go's well for you, and it will be sad to not see posts as often from such an active member.
Good luck:thumb:

[crackatinny]

I guess that will also put a hold on that great back job

[Glasstapper]

I guess that will also put a hold on that great back job

nope. I just got back my tax returns today, so I'm planning on a nice long session with my artist this month. :) I guess it's time I spent some money on myself for a change instead of my fish. LOL!

[cocoa_pleco]

Move to canada!!! lol sorry to here about this we will really miss you. Im really sorry to hear about your fish. I wish you the best of luck.

you can campout at my summerhome and use my motorcycle as transportation! LOL

[Chaindriven]

Glasstapper,

I understand your current anger and frustration. Thirteen months to the end of your commitment and they send your @$$ overseas. I hope the proposed troop build up is approved and our Servicemen and Women, our real heros, such as yourself are able to return when scheduled and not have tours extended. I have family and friends currently serving in Iraq. My niece just completed her commitment with the USAF. Her contract was extended a year. She served most of her Surgical Nurse duty in the 'Sand Box' of Iraq. However, during her last few months she was stationed in Germany and was in charge of a hospital floor.

Hobbs is correct. Possibly a Aquarium Shop will purchase the dempsey. All of us, the Aquatic Community will get you get back into the hobby when you return.

My thoughts will be with you. I will pray and ask the Lord to bless and keep you safe. May he protect and watch over you always. All of us on the AC Forum want to hear from you when you have an opportunity to get on-line.

I would be proud to receive an e-mail at schematic5@comcast.net
Best wishes and God speed.

Sincere regards,

Jeffrey

[Severus]

That is some really shytty news. I wish you the best of luck and a safe return home. Hope everything works out with your fish situation as well. Good Luck!

[kimmers318]

Well, Glasstapper, I hate to see you so sad about having to leave right now, and will miss your happy go lucky ways around regularly, but, on a positive note......you as a veteran, are my hero! I have the utmost respect for servicemen and women and I can't help but be proud of you:1luvu: . Take care of yourself and hurry back to us, making sure you pop in as often as you can to say HEY!
If I could, I would take in your fish for you for however long was necessary, but alas....too far away from either location for that to make sense. Good luck and be safethumbs2:

[jweintraub]

It's never easy packing up to go overseas! I've had to do it twice now(OIF1/OIF3-4). The first time i deployed I was forced to give away my 2 6"+ Oscars that I had raised for over a year and a Red Eared Slider, that was one of the hardest parts about leaving. I'm sure you'll be fine over there and I wish you the best of luck, as Jeffs99dime said, keep your head down, eyes peeled and finger on the trigger! We all look forward to your return home!

[Sin]

glasstapper is a pit bull person , shes a different breed of people and she will be just fine , shes a tuff girl indeed , nontheless god bless and you do have our blessings all the way , much love:malelovies: !!

[minabird]

glasstapper-

take care of yourself. come back home safe.

And from one former zoomie to a current zoomie.....Watch your 6!!

[Glasstapper]

Thanks, guys. You're the sweetest ever. As for my baby, I think I may have found a home for him. A woman who has an adult one already would like to take him, but she lives 400 miles away. We're discussing right now if we'll split the cost of the drive or the packing supplies. Obviously packing supplies would be cheaper, but nothing beats knowing your fish will be handled properly if you're delivering him yourself! Besides, I'd like to see San Diego (where she lives).

As for going to Afghanistan, I'm not worried about being in any real danger. We have awesome protection and intel on base, so I'm confident they can keep us safe. I just found out some other bad news today, though. Apparently, I don't get my housing allowance while I'm over there, so I'll have to move out of my apartment! That means when I get back, all my stuff will be in storage and I'll have to find somewhere to live for the remaining 5 months of my contract. >:( (and that's hoping I don't get extended.)

I'll be so glad when it's all over. I'll be living back home close to my family, a nice house with a yard for the dogs I want to get, plenty of room to put lots of tanks, and not ever have to worry about going overseas again (provided they don't do a recall--fingers crossed).

If you guys like, I can PM some of you my mailing address once I get there, so you can send me a card if you want. :) Mail is like gold over there. Receiving a letter or card really makes your day.

*hugs*

[Chrona]

Sorry to hear that Glasstapper. We are all very grateful for your services and wish you the best of luck.

[Lindsay_D]

My recruiter told me i'm going to serve time out there too so if you can/when you can tell me how it is okay....Good luck and remember "fear keeps your @$$ alive"--Sergeant Myers

[Glasstapper]

I'd love to let you guys know how it is. I hate that most people only know what the news tells them. The news only shows the absolute worst of the worst so you can imagine my mom freaked out when I told her I had to go. It took a while for me to reassure her, but she knows how those news people tend to dwell on the more dire of news.

[Lindsay_D]

Not to get off topic or anything but i need to know your opinion....

Myers was supposed to come eat lunch with me and stuff today but the school wouldn't let him because he didn't have an appointment. he asked when he could make an appointment they said...he can't do that! i was so P.Od and i wanted to kill somebody!. Myers told me that he was going to come back as soon as the bell rang. that way he gets to see the shop. i called out of work so i wouldn't have to go and now i don't have to be home till 9:30 pm...yay! but i'm still mad at the school.