Need to Downsize

[Jr.M92]

Hey all. It's been a while since I posted. I need help on a small issue though. I have 3 tanks, all in my room. I need to downsize though. My school work has been heavy lately, and I have been working a lot! And with all my other activities I'm losing time for my fish, and I feel really bad about that. Any ideas how I can condense my tanks and fish?

30 Gallon: 2 male swords, 1 glowlight, and 2 panda cories
29 Gallon: 3 tiger barbs
10 Gallon: Male Betta

I figure I can take the betta and put him in the 30, if he is friendly.

But any ideas? They need to be restocked. Unfortunately I have lost a few over the last 2 years or so. Any stocking ideas either? Also, I'm going to be headed off to college next year so downsizing now would alos help me there. Thanks guys!

[blondeyny]

This may be a stupid question, but if you want to downsize, why would you also want to restock? I would think you would want to be consolidating tanks if possible, not filling them with more.

[Pris]

JR, I would put them all in the 30g, with a divider if necessary to keep the barbs from picking on the other fish. I would not restock given that you will be leaving for college next year.

I know. These fish prefer to be in groups of 5 or more (betta excepted). But unless you can provide for their care long term, it will be better under the circumstances to keep them at the current stocking level - just in one tank. Most college kids have indicated they do not have room for more than 5 or 10 gallons while in college. There is no point in getting more fish, then having to rehome some of them in a year.

There will be time later to get back into the hobby full swing.

[andywoolloo]

I agree, all together. And I agree watch the barbs don't rip your bettas fins off.

[Jr.M92]

The reason I said about re-stocking was that I wont be leaving for college until fall of next year. But I see your point.

The only other option I considered was adding the barbs to the 30 and just have the 30 and 10 together. I'll look into it though.

[Pris]

You know these are healthy. If you purchase more, they will have to be qt'd before you add them to your tanks. If you think you can manage that, then go for it. I did not mean to put a damper on it for you.

[Jr.M92]

Oh know. You're fine. I was just thinking out loud. Just looking for some feedback. On a different note though, how do I store my un-used tanks? They will be in my attic where it gets pretty warm and cold.

[Pris]

I just stack mine in my closet. I know an attic tends to have severe temperature swings, so, not sure. You might want to put styrofoam around them in a box or something so the temp swings occur more slowly. Though I am not certain that it would matter much. I have known people to put them on a shelf in an uninsulated garage in Texas with temp swings from below 32 degrees to over 104 degrees. They never had any issues when they set them up for use.

Make certain they are stored level.

[andywoolloo]

I have always stored mine in the garage and it's cold and hot here. No problem yet on re set up. Got me wondering tho.

[Zabman]

Originally Posted by Jr.M92

Oh know. You're fine. I was just thinking out loud. Just looking for some feedback. On a different note though, how do I store my un-used tanks? They will be in my attic where it gets pretty warm and cold.

had my 30 gal stored in the attica in ohio for years. big temp swings there too. just cover it to keep stuff out of it like insulation, bugs (they will find a way in regardless just gotta make it difficult for them). i put the gravel in a pair of 5 gal buckets after i dried it, plastic plants in another bucket. we are carpenters so we got lots of 5 gal buckets if anyone wondered how we got so many lol. setting it back up was as simple as rinsing and add water. had to recycle though. i did update my 10-15 year old equipment but that was a different story.