I'm done.

[mermaidwannabe]

Hi, Folks,

I have just sold my 65-gallon tank, stand, all accessories and inhabitants to a very experienced aquarist who has several large tanks and knows how to take care of aquatic creatures.

I have torn down my 20-gallon-tall, and will be listing it for sale, along with all of its equipment and accessories. I transferred the fish, shrimp and snails that were in it to my 65 and they are now with the lady who bought it.

I have kept my aquariums since 2010 -- the 20-tall I purchased that year, and in 2012, I got the 65.

For the most part, I have enjoyed keeping my aquariums, and the creativity of making my own unique backgrounds and aqua scapes. I have always tried to see to it my creatures got the best food, and were generally and specifically well cared for.

Recently, I have been experiencing chronic lower back pain and hip bursitis, and have found maintaining these tanks increasingly more difficult. A few months ago, I began thinking about rehoming my fish and either selling or donating my tanks and accessories, including the food.

I wrestled with this, not really wanting the LFSs I used to take the fish, because I knew they would just put them out onto their sales floors and sell them to anyone who wanted them, regardless of their level of knowledge and experience, and I knew there was a very real possibility my fish and other creatures could suffer.

I also needed to find someone who would be willing to come to our residence and retrieve the tanks, stand and fish, as we live considerable distance from the LFSs, and neither I nor my husband are capable of handling the weight of even drained tanks, for we both have physical issues at this stage in our lives. We were also concerned about transporting the fish all that distance, as it would have been at least an hour's trip each way.

Then, hubby got in touch with a local boutique owner and learned that she has tanks of her own, and she has been wanting to get another large one. We spoke with her, and she was eager to come get and do everything, including netting and bagging the fish, taking all of the equipment, transporting the stand, etc. She and her husband came out and they drained the tank and loaded up everything onto their truck.

We agreed on a fair price, and I was paid accordingly.

So, I am out of the fishkeeping hobby, and relieved to know that my creatures have gone to a good home, a better home than I am currently capable of giving them.

It has been fun, for 10+ years.

I still plan on visiting these forums and offering my insights and advice to newbies, and sharing pictures in the photo forum and here on chatterbox.

This isn't really goodbye. I plan on staying in touch.

--mermaidwannabe

[mac]

I know the feeling very well.
Some days I do wrestle with the same thing, then once in the shed its like no must keep going.

Stay happy healthy and look after your self!

[steeler58]

You will be missed

[mermaidwannabe]

Thank you. But I won't be away from these forums forever. There will be plenty of opportunity to help out others who have questions and seek advice.

The pet picture forum is still available to share photos, as is the general photo forum.

I still can contribute, even though I am no longer keeping my own tanks.

That is, if I will still be allowed to do so.

What say you, Matt and Mac?

[Slaphppy7]

Of course you can still contribute, forum wouldn't be the same w/out you.

Sorry you got out of the hobby, but completely understandable...y'all take care of yourselves

[SueD]

You gotta do whatever is right for you at any particular time. I'm currently struggling with wanting to downsize my 6 tanks to perhaps only 2. Two of them are only 5g tanks, so I'm thinking of keeping one of those, and wrestling with whether to keep the one 40g or one of my two 20g's or maybe neither. Finding someplace to re-home as well as assistance in doing that is an issue for me. Sounds like you were able to find a perfect home for your stock.

[mermaidwannabe]

I am really grateful to have found someone to take my stock who I know will take good care for them. For quite some time, I didn't know what I was going to do about the rehoming. The only other option would have been a lady in town who has an outdoor fish pond, but she keeps goldfish in that, and I didn't know if she would have even wanted my community fish, and it didn't seem the best option, as most of my small glo-fish and minnows would probably have become food. The dojos would surely have escaped and dried up somewhere.

This boutique owner knows all about dojos and all the other species I kept, so it was ideal. I still have my 20-gallon, now empty. This same lady is going to help me list it for sale.

This whole positive outcome is answer to prayer, as I prayed a lot about this.

I wish you success in your own endeavors to downsize. Perhaps, placing an ad on Craigslist might help?

[Boundava]

Glad you were able to find a home for your tanks and stock. It is tough to have to make that decision to stop, and I am glad you will keep active on the forum.
@SueD Wish I was closer, I would help you out. My sis has a fish forum on Discord she mods. I could ask her if she knows anyone locally who would be interested.

[RiversGirl]

@mermaidwannabe, I'll share in your relief that you've found a wonderful home for your fish. I'm very glad you will still be about, sharing your vast knowledge with members here.

[SueD]

Glad you were able to find a home for your tanks and stock. It is tough to have to make that decision to stop, and I am glad you will keep active on the forum.
@SueD Wish I was closer, I would help you out. My sis has a fish forum on Discord she mods. I could ask her if she knows anyone locally who would be interested.

Sure, can't hurt and might help. I just get overwhelmed thinking about how to go about this and then do nothing. I am a member of a New England Planted Tank Facebook group I could try posting to.

I have two 5.5g tanks I recently cleaned out that hadn't had fish for a while. I keep thinking how nice it would be to set them up again. But then reality hits and I know I really don't want that extra work. I might try posting them for sale first and see if there is any interest. The main issue I have is this Covid stuff and anyone coming in. I have a lot of anxiety around that.