I need some harsh but honest advice.

Shoebox_16

Shoebox_16

Snr Member who craves knowledge.
Oct 5, 2008
104
0
0
Greater London, UK
OK. I'm having real trouble coming to terms with the fact I can't keep my 3 fancy goldfish.

I made a HUGE mistake. I got bought a 3.4 gallon tank. And then I bought a black moor, a calico fantail and a small fancy goldfish noone seems to be able to name. [a black stripe?].

I'm currently bidding on a 14.2 gallon tank on eBay.

I had hoped that would be big enough.

But alas, only for a max. of 6 months.

I want to do the right thing and give my fishies a good, spacious home. But right now i truly don't have the space. It's more about space than money. Fish are an investment, and are worth money.

I absolutely hate my LFS for not giving me better advice, so I really don't want to return them. Neither do I know someone who can take care of them properly.

I could wait a few months, and see if I can get a bigger tank - if not, find a way to re-house them.

But that just seems cruel.

I need some harsh but honest advice.
 
Where I live there isn't an aquarium for perhaps an hour's drive? And I can't drive...

It's not just that...it's more the guilt factor. If I'd researched properly I wouldn't be in this situation. And I wouldn't have to think of saying goodbye to my fishies [how I feel stupid for saying that, but how I don't care].

What would you do?
 
The cruelty of rehousing to an adequate tank size is at nought compared to the cruelty of keeping 'em in what you presently have or can expect to have in the near future.

Be harsh and honest with yourself here - you can't put them in the right size tank. It would be self-indulgent to try and keep them going in something so small. Equally, you'll go from feeling good about having a fish or three, to feeling awful about their environment, because, if you don't mind my saying, you clearly have the right attitude and caring personality to really enjoy this hobby. It will ultimately be a source of sadness to you if you try and keep those fish in those tanks.

Get to work looking for a more appropriate home for them.

If this seems unlikely to happen, get them back to the fish store asap, and explain politely that you feel let down by the quality of advice offered to you at purchase. And don't forget, this is not all your fault - you were entitled to much better help when you were getting going.

Ask for store credit for the golides, get the 14 gallon tank, start a fishless cycle, and get a thread set up here for stocking advice.

We will get you a great tank going ! (some of the nicest tanks around are sub 20 gallons) But its not going to happen with those goldies.

Give yourself a chance to enjoy the hobby. Give the fish a chance at a better set up. And even if they don't get it, don't lets have you be the one whose responsible for a bad job.

Hope that helps :)

edit : just going to put those over in coldwater for you.
 
I would break down and buy the biggest tank I could afford for them. At least get a 10 gallon from walmart (10dollarish). You can get a hang on back filter for under 20. Instead of bidding on something that will cost you more. After that just look on craigslist and the local papers for something a lot bigger. Goodluck, at least your trying.
 
Simply advertise for free fish, local pickup only if you don't' want to ship. Your location is Essex, is that England or USA? If USA there are many places to take your fish.

The good thing that has come in all this is that you now know that research before purchase is a must! Research all you can about a fish and options how to get rid of unwanted fish. Ok, you blew it this time. Now move on!
 
If you can't/don't want to return them to the LFS, then try using a local aquarium society, craigslist, freecycle, etc to re-home them. Better to find them new accommodations as soon as possible, rather than keep them in a small tank pending possible larger housing imo.
 
To be fair I think Shoebox has very frankly said a bigger tank is a nope on space. On that basis, rehousing to somebody else with the right set up would be great, but I would hate to see the option to return to LFS be lost here due to time taken to get things going.
 
I wish!!!

Here in sunny old England [yeahhhhhhhh, not] my 3.4G tank cost 17 pounds/30 US dollars brand new from an LFS...

By the way...WHERE
 
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