FISHKEEPER FIBS
Fib #128: This is my last tank. Honest.

by Susan Aufieri
From "The Daphnian" Boston Aquarium Society, June 2000
Aquarticles

It was bound to happen. My friends told me that I couldn't reduce the number of tanks that I was keeping down to a measly three. And keep it there.

You see, in 1999 my husband and I decided the time was right for us to move to a larger home. In the Spring I began to reduce the quantity of tanks and fish in my fishroom. At it's peak, volumes of water numbered around 30-35 tanks and assorted plastic containers. Fish numbers? Who knows. Let's just say there were enough fish residing in the 3rd floor of the townhouse that they could have applied for, and received, their own municipality.

All had gone as planned. I'd managed to make some tough decisions. It's really hard to decide when they're all your favorites. Why else would you be keeping them! There were but three tanks left. The planted 75G community with a couple species of cories, some otos and a pair of Siamensis. Hoover the Blue Eye Pleco and his roomies, 4 clown loaches and a Gold Nugget Pleco, were hanging out in the 55. Then there was the 39G tank with the two Goldfish.

Moving time had arrived. Fellow club member Bryan Nelson graciously offered to put my fish up for a couple of weeks. It was an ideal situation as Bryan's house was just 3/8 of a mile and on the same water system as we would be. I was very glad that I wasn't trying to move the former number of fish. Even at this reduced number, the challenge was formidable and I was glad to only be moving just a few dear favorites.

All went according to 3-tank-plan until the middle of February when another fish friend called to say that she had to give up her Tropheus duboisi. For some odd reason, I caved in. This friend by the way, was the very same friend who about five years ago at an NEC auction grabbed my bidder card and "forced" me into getting Hoover. How does this woman get my co-operation every time? Predictably the husband began complaining, "Another tank? I thought you were staying at three?!?" I countered with, "Oh it's just one more tank. Really-- I'm stopping here. Honest."

Over the past few months I've grown really attached to the Tropheus. And the Splash Tetras I brought home from a monthly BAS meeting auction. And the Cardinal Tetras that I acquired as well. Eight months after moving, I was only one tank over my self imposed limit of three with that addition of the Tropheus. But the Tropheus needed a good home, right? (Fishkeeper Fib #78) The other fishes that had come to reside here were to fluff out the top half of two tanks since all the residents were bottom critters (Fishkeeper Fib #128 pt. 2; That tank looks empty).

Then this month I caved in again. I've always loved Bettas. In fact that was the very first fish I got as a child of 12 or 13. After about 45 minutes of studying the nearly 60 containers of Bettas at a local fish store I decided on a lovely electric blue with accents of red, male Betta. He's living large in a 5G tank, well planted with lots of crypts and a species of Rotalla and an Aqua Clear Mini. This fish cannot believe his good fortune.

Naturally at the sight of another tank my husband rolled his eyes and muttered something about the increasing tank numbers around here. I looked him square in the eyes and earnestly said "This is my last tank. Honest."