Wwyd?

[Liberty Belle]

I bought a fish tank and stand (sight unseen) from a co-worker. She told me it was a 30 gallon and how much they were asking, and I decided to buy it. She brought it to work today and as we were putting it in my car, she said that it was on their deck and her husband saw ants all over it, so he sprayed it with ant killer.

It smelled pretty bad (chemically), but I figured we could just clean it really good with soap and water.

I get home and unload it and it has dead roaches in it. I swore I saw a live roach crawl under the light, too, but couldn't find it again scared1. So my son and I (it was for him) decided to just clean it out really well (outside!) and keep it. It was a pretty gross clean up job, but we did it.

Then we started looking at it and realized it is too small for a 30 gallon tank. We measured it and it is only 20 gallons.

I really don't want it now, as I thought I was paying the price I paid for a 30 gallon tank and the fish my son wants need a larger tank.

I'm sending her an email, but I don't really know how to word it. I don't want to embarrass her or make her angry, but I would like to take it back to her and get my money back (and just go buy my son a new tank).

Any suggestions?

 

[JessicaR]

Blame it on your son! Kidding. I would just say that you got it home and your son mentioned that it looked too small to do what he wanted and you found that it was only 20 gallons and you really need 30.

 

[Sparx]

Blame it on your son! Kidding. I would just say that you got it home and your son mentioned that it looked too small to do what he wanted and you found that it was only 20 gallons and you really need 30.

This. I wouldn't mention the bugs.

 

[Liberty Belle]

K. I sent her the email. Said we really needed a 30 gallon tank. Knowing her, she'll be embarrassed that she told me the wrong size, but it can't be helped, I guess.

 

[*BTMRR*]

Sounds like you handled it very reasonably.

I wonder if fish could have lived in it anyway, even after all the washing you did. It would be hard to get every last bit of bug spray residue off, and fish can be so sensitive to those things.

 

[pixiewings71]

Are you sure it's a 20 and not a 30? It might be a 30 gallon tall....they do make different sizes. I had a 30 gallon long, it was the same length as a 50 but it was shorter. Just something to consider. Hopefully it works out for you.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Well at least she can re-list it as "pristine and very clean".

 

[swanmom]

K. she'll be embarrassed that she told me the wrong size, but it can't be helped, I guess.

Wait, let me get this straight. She sold you a dirty tank full of bugs (roaches !) and you're worried that she'll be embarrassed it was not the correct size. Sounds to me like she isn't all that easily embarrassed.

 

[daughtersrus]

I'm not a fish expert by any means but I always thought that you were not supposed to use soap to clean a tank because even a trace of residue could kill the fish.

If this is true, what would ant/roach killer do to the fish?