Mutiple Tank Snydrome: Its "real"

I have been in this "Wet Pet" hobby about 1.5 years now. It's been "Great". So much fun and satisfaction and the perfect stress reliever. Never in my wildest dreams could I of anticipated the success I have had. Most plants growing like crazy, fish breeding, etc..
But with success came the realization I was running out of room (tanks). and before I knew it I have 6 tanks, 2 totes filled with both. Taking over a lot of my spare time.
What to do. During my journey I was lucky to trade plants and fish with my LFS, and sell some at the local auctions. But still really did not help just more plants and fish. Then decided to offer plants and snails for ship only basically free stuff. And lastly ship some fish. As bizaliz3 clearly put it in her thread. The prep, shipping, tracking and follow-up has become a chore (not fun). Surprisingly no "DOA". But, alas, definitely not for me. So, I have decided to scale it all down. During the next few months there are some auctions to attend which I plan on selling most of my surplus plants, snails and fish. Oh, and take down 3 tanks and the totes. Not sure how this will all turn out. Live and Learn.

"Thank You" to all for the help and patience with this "Newbie".

 

So, I have decided to scale it all down. During the next few months there are some auctions to attend which I plan on selling most of my surplus plants, snails and fish. Oh, and take down 3 tanks and the totes. Not sure how this will all turn out. Live and Learn.

As an MTS survivor I'm concerned about the temptations you will face attending these auctions. Good luck to you.

 

Yep, it is real. I have scaled back only to find myself ramped back up again. I am where you are. Taking stock of what all I can sell at auction as well as letting fish that are older to age out without replacement.

I am shooting for 6 tanks, but still plan some breeding projects. I just need to learn to raise only a small batch, not the entire spawn.

 

Have you ever thought of just getting like one very large tank? And getting rid of your old ones when you get everything settled in the new larger one? Just a thought... I know money can be a problem but if you look long and hard enough you can find some really good deals on tanks and stands for fairly cheap... I picked up a few 64g tanks (Fluval Roma 240’s, with a good stand and a 406 Fluval canister filter for 550$ Canadian)... I compared the prices and most places sell the 406 (by the time you add tax and stuff for over half of that, if not more)
Just an idea because I know it’s hard to part with stuff lol.... especially fishies sometimes

 

MTS is a real problem. I started off with a 10 gallon, then upgraded to the 30 gallon. Now ive got my 10 gallon back and set up. Now I'm thinking of getting an 80 gallon lol. I'll probably turn the 30 gallon into a sump though. who knew keeping fish could become so addictive?

 

Haha I started with a 10 gallon and now I don’t even count those small ones... I have a few smaller ones like those... a 26.... 4 64’s... a 50... and a 75 it is real lol
One is even brackish and my son is gonna attempt his own saltwater (gonna be his Xmas present a 29 biocube) lol

 

It's real.... There are way too many future stocking lists/ shopping lists in my desk.

 

We started out planning a 10-gallon betta tank for my son. I got impatient while waiting for him to save the money and started an opae’ula jar for my bedside table. Then we got a very nice second-hand tank stand which came with a second-hand tank. Then I bought a 10-gallon “no guarantees” tank at our LFS while my son was buying his next bit of equipment.
In short, I now have multiple tanks, but only one has livestock so far. One’s reserved for future betta, and I have Nefarious Plans for the others.

 

I have 3 tanks 55,29, and a 10 and that is enough for me.My regret is I should of went bigger something on the order of 75 X2 or 75 and a 40 breeder.The 10 I use for a QT and that is OK for that..The 55 and 29 are just not deep enough for plants and hardscape.With 2 75`s I could of used one of them for a Amazon type of set up and the other one for livebearer tank.Now if I were younger I know I would be a MTS junkie.

 

I can attest to that! Within 1 year and two months, I got to set up a 33 gallon community tank (though I usually refer to it as a 30 gallon), a 29 gallon Walstad, 2 betta tanks (3.91 gallon),1 shrimp tank (3.91 gallon) & 1 spare 2.85 gallon. Just recently took down my 1 gallon shrimp bowl and sold off my empty 15 gallon & 5 gallon. Plus the tubs and totes outside for my plant trimmings.

 

Beginning of July I started getting that itch after being away for like 6-7 years. I decided a 1 gallon jar with plants and snails would take care of it.

So yeah now I have 2 of those jars, a 5.5, 10, 20 long, and 40 breeder. lol

 

@Kjeldsen
I realize the temptation. The last 2 auctions I attended only purchased shrimp.
Plan on attending with no cash just in case.

It's a fluid situation right now. But I am planning for Discus in the 55g.
The 33L as a community and the 20L for ?

 

I have been in this "Wet Pet" hobby about 1.5 years now. It's been "Great". So much fun and satisfaction and the perfect stress reliever. Never in my wildest dreams could I of anticipated the success I have had. Most plants growing like crazy, fish breeding, etc..
But with success came the realization I was running out of room (tanks). and before I knew it I have 6 tanks, 2 totes filled with both. Taking over a lot of my spare time.
What to do. During my journey I was lucky to trade plants and fish with my LFS, and sell some at the local auctions. But still really did not help just more plants and fish. Then decided to offer plants and snails for ship only basically free stuff. And lastly ship some fish. As clearly put it in her thread. The prep, shipping, tracking and follow-up has become a chore (not fun). Surprisingly no "DOA". But, alas, definitely not for me. So, I have decided to scale it all down. During the next few months there are some auctions to attend which I plan on selling most of my surplus plants, snails and fish. Oh, and take down 3 tanks and the totes. Not sure how this will all turn out. Live and Learn.

"Thank You" to all for the help and patience with this "Newbie".

I told my husband last night that I was HOPING to get down to only two tanks before winter--my son's betta tank, and my living room 37g display. Currently we have the betta, my 37 crammed full of male endler, 2-10 gallons crammed full of female endler and their fry, a 27g tote outside full of duckweed, mosquito larvae and snails, and a 20 gallon I have hiding in the laundry room which I haven't set up yet. I have plans to take the excess endler to a local club auction in September, and ONLY come home with plants (I know...yah right >_>).

When I got the endler (2 males, 3 females), I had plans of doing some light line-breeding, trying to perfect the look of one of the males. I also had plans that they would live with the betta when I gave him a larger tank. ...by the time they were ready to come out of quarantine, I had 40+ more endler than I started with, almost all with "surprise" coloration, and only one that looks anything like the male I intended to breed. I don't think I'm ready to be a breeder yet. Maybe when I have a heated and plumbed barn, and about 50 more tanks... and am retired....

 

Lacey D
Similar predicament. I have a fantastic Bolivian Ram breeding pair. They have provided 150+ since I picked them up last October, currently have a bakers dozen in a grow-out tank. Sadly my LFS's backed out of purchasing any, supposedly full tanks but they will take a donation?
Tequila Sunrise guppies just non stop fry close to 50 right now. I have even started feeding them to my young Breeding pair of Angels. Mystery snails just to many. And the Plants, all my tanks look like jungles.
Just be careful for what you wish for. Live and Learn.

 

I down sized to 9 tank, and now back to 14 and set another one up last night for future QT, just in case you know.

 

Boy, do I know how you feel. Just recently I discovered my MTS had escalated to Multiple Pet Syndrome and now I just want more pets in general, not just fish. I’ve got my eyes set on a rosy boa at the moment.

You might try combining any smaller tanks you have and keeping fewer larger tanks. I find that’s more satisfying than having a bunch of impulse-buys in 5-20 gallons that you’ll regret later when you find a fish or community fish idea you really want but you don’t have the space for/can’t afford.

 

For all of you that have the bug maybe a 12 step intervention program is needed.

 

Be very careful with the buy bigger tank to replace smaller ones. Those smaller ones wind up being pressed into service and then you have more tanks than ever, lol.

I had a spawn of 90 angelfish last year that about did me in. It’s when you suddenly need growout space that it gets outa control. I will only raise small numbers from now on. (Says the lady who had ~20 cory fry and decided to pull ~20 more eggs and now has 35 to grow out, lol).

 

It definitely is real. I started off with a free 10 gallon that turned into two 10 gallons, two 55 gallons, and a 25 gallon barrel pond withing a year. Now I want a 6 foot tank.

 

My plan from the beginning was to avoid breeding if possible .With my live bearers I have males only and the egg layers are mostly Cardinals and Rummy Nose,a few Angles and 6 Albino Cory`s ,so far I have been lucky.I have 2 Pearl Gourami`s in my QT but they appear to be males.

 

I started with a 1 gallon, which turned into a ten gallon, which turned into two ten gallons, which turned into a ten gallon and a 29 gallon, which turned into a 5.5, a 10, and a 29G, which then turned 2 - 1G growout, a 5.5 G., two ten gallons, a twenty long, and a 29 G. Water changes are incredibly fun

 

Update.
The scale down has begun.
My son and daughter in-law came for a visit, I setup a tank for her last Thanksgiving. Told her she could have what she wanted out of my tanks. She was so excited, like a kid in a candy store. She spent a lot of time checking out my tanks and deciding. See list below of her choices.

4 Bolivian Rams (juveniles)
7 Tequila Sunrise Guppy (juveniles)
5 Mystery Snails
Frogbit
Bacopa caroliniana
Pennywort
Amazon Sword
Red Tiger Lotus.

It's a good feeling sharing and scaling down at the same time. I should have 20+ bags of fish and plants for the auction in 2 weeks.

 

Congrats! It is a slippery slope that is really hard to climb back up from, that’s for sure.

I am headed that way. I was hoping to decrease my angelfish numbers for the auction next Sunday. I had a pair soooooo close to confirming as a mated pair, but I woke up the third day to the eggs being gone. So close to wiggler stage that I am kicking myself for not pulling the slate to hatch. A confirmed pair will go for $50 and these are in demand since they are from a well known and highly respected breeder. To have one of his pairs confirmed may start a bidding war.

Beyond that, I do have 3-4 other angelfish that I could take, but I am still trying to confirm mates for my black lace girls. These guys are not cooperating with me on the timing of all this, lol.

It is my initial goal to get back down to 8 display tanks and let all the mystery snails age out because they have become a pain in the but no matter how much folks want purple, lol.

I will rehome some and let others age out. I have several that are right at or well beyond their average life span in my 120g. Once that stocking has been eliminated, I can shuffle and shut down my 55 to put somewhere inconspicuous for fry grow-out. Or just leave running with some plants and snails to hold the cycle somewhat. Less maintenance and need for water changes would be good.

 

Update!
As mentioned clearing out the tanks for the Auction, which was a success, ended up with 28 bags of Fish, Plants and Mystery Snails. Here are pics before and after of 2 of my tanks. My "Discus" fund has increased by $100 after the sales. And I purchased "Nothing" (although I was tempted). I think I am having some withdrawal symptoms or its just relief. Anyway I am on my way to controlling my "MTS". I hope. LOL

 

Your tanks look awesome!
I too went to an auction, but unfortunately I bought more than I sold.
Oops.
However in did buy a new light, so that was at least a little bit justifiable.

 

Congrats on your success at the auction! Your tanks are looking great, however, I miss the large sword in the first one. That was a beauty.