Please persuade me that I don't really want...

[Rajah]

... a larger (12-15ish gallon) aquarium? LOL! That's all I've been able to think about today and I know right now anyway it would be more like an impulse thing than a real desire thing. But, at the same time, it would be *so* nice to have a 12-15 gallon tank with a betta, a few neon tetra, maybe a couple of zebra danios (if research shows them to be acceptable tankmates for a betta), and a catfish or other algae eater... And a larger tank would be easier to keep away from the kitties....

 

[Beauty]

I can't convince you of anything when I can't convince myself ....

I got this email the other day...

Dear Beth,
I heard about you from XXXXX in XXXXX that runs the XXXXX group for animals. She informed me of your love of animals and your love for the Maine Coon breed. I run a no kill shelter in XXXXX and have a Maine Coon that was surrendered to me because the owners feel their new baby may be allergic to it. Of course all kittens and cats deserve a new family and to be loved but this cat has been well cared for and I would like to be assured it goes to a home where it will continue to be well cared for. I understand if you are unable to take the baby and I will take it with me to our local PetSmart this weekend to try and find it a home if you are not interested. If this is the case of course we can never guarantee an indoor only home or the type of home the baby will get. This is what scares me. We are allowed to charge $40 dollars to offset the cost of having cats fixed, but the first person who offers the money gets the cat. There is no screening which is what scares me about this boy. This is an especially sweet boy and he is going to be quite large. He has had all of his shots, he has been neutered and he has also been declawed. He loves to be held and give kisses and hugs. I just can not stress enough what a joy he will bring to you if you take him. If you are interested there will be no charge and I will be glad to get him transported to you.




NOW WHAT IN THE HECK DO YOU THINK I AM SUPPOSED TO DO!!!

 

[Adrianna]

12-15 gallon is large??? My ex and I had a 125 gallon tank with a lot of african cichlids, it was pretty darn cool. It's a lot of work though, but they're fun to watch. Just sucks when a disease hits the tank and destroys about $100 worth of fish!

 

[daughter_of_amid_chaos]

Originally posted by Beauty
I can't convince you of anything when I can't convince myself ....

I got this email the other day...

Dear Beth,
I heard about you from XXXXX in XXXXX that runs the XXXXX group for animals. She informed me of your love of animals and your love for the Maine Coon breed. I run a no kill shelter in XXXXX and have a Maine Coon that was surrendered to me because the owners feel their new baby may be allergic to it. Of course all kittens and cats deserve a new family and to be loved but this cat has been well cared for and I would like to be assured it goes to a home where it will continue to be well cared for. I understand if you are unable to take the baby and I will take it with me to our local PetSmart this weekend to try and find it a home if you are not interested. If this is the case of course we can never guarantee an indoor only home or the type of home the baby will get. This is what scares me. We are allowed to charge $40 dollars to offset the cost of having cats fixed, but the first person who offers the money gets the cat. There is no screening which is what scares me about this boy. This is an especially sweet boy and he is going to be quite large. He has had all of his shots, he has been neutered and he has also been declawed. He loves to be held and give kisses and hugs. I just can not stress enough what a joy he will bring to you if you take him. If you are interested there will be no charge and I will be glad to get him transported to you.




NOW WHAT IN THE HECK DO YOU THINK I AM SUPPOSED TO DO!!!

Man talk about a guilt trip!

 

[Pat_Elliott]

Originally posted by Rajah
... a larger (12-15ish gallon) aquarium? LOL!

I know just how you feel. I get the same emotions every time the guy at Long John Silver offers to supersize my meal for 70 cents....

 

[Rajah]

Well Beth, I think I would have a very hard time passing up that baby.

Adrianna -- I said large*r*. I have a 1/2 gallon at work with a beautiful betta with a wonderful personality, and a 2 gallon right now at home with a betta who hasn't settled in yet (it'll be a week tomorrow). I keep wondering which day I'll come home and find him dead, and I think part of the problem is Sienna won't leave the tank alone. Skye will, Sienna won't unless I'm hovering over her. I think she's scaring him, and I think he'd feel safer in a large enough tank that we could set it up on a stand so the kitties could just barely look in, not get up and wander around the tank like they do now. The only room in the house we could easily put him in that the kitties couldn't reach is my craft room, and then he'd be pretty much left alone including by us most of the time -- that's not the point of having fish.

What I'd like to do is get a larger tank (start at about 12-15 gallon) to set up next to the TV downstairs along a wall that gets, oh, maybe 15 minutes of direct sun in the evening? Otherwise just indirect light. Nothing's on that wall right now, and it would be really neat to have a tank set up there. We could get a stand that just fits the tank, and that would make it so that the kitties could be either on the lid or on the ground, but not up at the edge of the tank. Can't do that with a 2-gallon. And by starting with a 12-15 gallon tank, we can get a decent number of fish but not totally break the bank doing it and see if this is something we want more of. If so, then we can always upgrade.

 

[Rajah]

Originally posted by Pat_Elliott
I know just how you feel. I get the same emotions every time the guy at Long John Silver offers to supersize my meal for 70 cents....

LOL Pat! You are hillarious!

 

[Pat_Elliott]

Originally posted by Rajah
LOL Pat! You are hillarious!

Yeah, but I'm getting kind of worried about this fish sandwich obsession I'm developing. You think I need therapy?

 

[WishingStar]

I have a LARGE aquarium, it is 165 gallons (6 feet long two feet tall, two feet wide). Any how I have learned a couple of things about fish over the years.
1. The larger the tank, the easier it is to keep it clean.
2. DO NOT put a catfish with those little fish, even if it starts out small, it will eventually grow to it's enviroment. Which means the tetras would be a light snack.

 

[Rajah]

Nope, Pat. I think you and Amy just need a good visit to the best seafood restaraunt in town as soon as Amy is able to.

 

[Rajah]

Wishing -- aren't there other algae eaters that would work in the tank, though?

 

[Beauty]

Oh Tammi, I'm not turning him down, hell one day I'm going to wake up and have 50 cats! Seriously though I have told the lady that recommended me to please not do this anymore. I just can't take care of any more babies. I am also going to tell the lady I get this one from to please not recommend me. I have enough!

I don't know much about fish and I'm afraid if I started to learn it would be an obsession with me. I have seen these GORGEOUS tanks. The man that did my tattoo has 2 of them and they are absolutly stunning. The fish are gorgoues, his decorations are gorgeous....I can see where it would be very easy to become addicted. I also think my cats would love watching them...and like you I wouldn't feel too safe unless I had a big aquarium. John has mentioned it a few times but has never pushed it. I think if you decide to go ahead with this that you will probably have a hobby for the rest of your life and it could be a lot of fun.


Oh and Pat, you are priceless! I really laughed out loud when I read that! Come visit me in Mississippi and find out what a REAL CATFISH sandwich tastes like...YUM!!!

 

[Rajah]

What I'd *really* like is one of those *huge* (150-ish) gallon tanks.

And someone else to care for it. LOL!

 

[Brer_Papa]

The tank you buy today is the tank you'll move someday.....

when DD WishingStar bought her new house, the 165 gallon - 6 foot by 2 foot by 2 foot tank had to be drained...have the gravel removed....loaded on the truck and removed from the truck....

after that experience, the only tank i want to look at is the one i pick my lobster from when we go out for supper....lol

 

[katerkat]

DH and I looked into tanks -- try petsmart.com for articles on fish that go well together and how many to get per the size of the tank. They are expensive little fishie tanks, though! (Says the lady who paid a whopping $50 for her cats!)

Beth -- no kidding! The catfish around here SCARE me!! There's ponds everywhere!!
I did a story on the local Humane Society, and do a lot of things with the president, and he is always telling me about the cute new cat that just arrived. I want a third one so much and he's just toruring me!!

 

[Beauty]

Kate where in Mississippi are you? I didn't know we had anyone else on the DIS from Mississippi!!!!

 

[katerkat]

Up north.... I'm not a real Mississippian -- my husband dragged me down here for his pilot training. We'll probably be moving again in December/January, so you'll be all alone again! We're at the Columbus Air Force Base.

 

[Beauty]

Been through Columbus a zillion times...its on the way to Atlanta! Never been to the Air Force Base though. I know you will be glad to leave me alone again won't you???

I really dislike it here!

 

[katerkat]

Originally posted by Beauty
I really dislike it here!

Oh, thank goodness! LOL! I HATE it here! (I was afraid to say it in case you loved the state! I'm sure some people do, but I'm a northern girl at heart!)
The base is slightly north of town -- you pass it on 45, but it's a bit off 82...

 

[Beauty]

Yep 82 comes through Greenville too.

Yes I was born and raised here and I HATE IT HATE IT HATE IT! There is nothing but crime and the whole state is going to hell if you ask me.

Don't get me wrong we have some wonderful history and some gorgeous homes but as for the state...ugghh!

We have 3 years before my mother can retire and then we are OUT OF HERE! We are considering Minnesota, Maine, Vermont, northern New York or northern Pen. Somewhere where there is snow!!