To take or not to take my fish with me?

hello everyone
I have a little dilemma that I would like some input on.
Background:
in 2-4 months I will be moving away from home for college after a year online. I currently have 2 fish tanks, a 20 gallon and a 10 gallon. My college is a 23 hour drive away from my house. I really love my fish, but since I will be doing a summer semester and then the fall semester, I will be away from home for nearly a year.

If I were to leave the fish at home:
Firstly, I am concerned about my fishes' care. I would feel guilty if I left my parents with two tanks that need a weekly water change.
Secondly, I would miss them terribly. My fish really help me with dealing with depression and anxiety and I am also pretty attached.

But if I were to take my fish with me when I move out, I would definitely have trouble moving them. Driving to college would certainly be a feat not only for myself but also for my fish, and taking my aquarium stands with me would also be hard.

does anyone have any advice

 

Not all rentals allow fish tanks, nor do all the dorms, some have very specific gallon limits. What are you allowed to have?

I would go from there and figure the rest out, it might be best to sell or rehome some fish friends if you don't think the tanks will be kept up without you.

 

Not all rentals allow fish tanks, nor do all the dorms, some have very specific gallon limits. What are you allowed to have?

I would go from there and figure the rest out, it might be best to sell or rehome some fish friends if you don't think the tanks will be kept up without you.

if I were to dorm (which is unlikely) they have a 15 gallon limit. I *am* looking at apartments that will allow a tank but I can't really afford to be super picky. I guess I'll ask my parents how they feel about caring for my fish...

 

Is the pleasure you'll get from having fish worth all the hassle you'll endure if you take them? Only you can say.

Can you keep healthy fish under these conditions?

 

Honestly I think the best bet here is to rehome them. Unless your parents know how to care for fish but if not then rehoming to someone who does might be better. Since you said fish help you then maybe you could setup a nice 15 gallon tank at your college

 

You can easily move a couple fish in a big wheeled ice chest. The ice chest could be plugged into heat and filtered once you get there buying you a while to set up a nice 15. Then once the transfer is complete you have a way to wheel your "beverages" to social gatherings if allowed, could make decent dorm furniture too lol.

The trick to this is obviously you will need to rehome a few fish from your larger tank, or again see how your parents would do. If you are the only kid at home, it might honestly help them with your departure to have a constant hobby handed to them but you will have to be forgiving if it doesn't pan out well. Moms and dads can sometimes have issues when a child flys the nest. My dad enjoyed working on my truck when I left, took a few (10+) years to convince him I needed it back and he would need to find other therapy methods.

 

Hey there! I'm a little late to the discussion, but I am in a similar dilemma. The school I'll be transferring to next fall has a 20 gallon limit. One thing I have read on a LOT of forums is that most people don't even know how many gallons a tank is anyway. Also, if you can get fully setup without the fish to start and get a feel for your RA then come back and move the fish to your dorm that may be your best bet. You could also tell them it's only 15 gallons because you don't keep it full and the substrate takes up a lot of space. They will likely just be like oh that makes sense lol If they even notice the tank at all. PrimeTime Aquatics on YouTube also has a very detailed video about safely moving fish long distances. I would check that out before you make a decision.

 

Sometimes the LFS will take them and keep them for you. I do know they normally charge a small fee for this.

It may be something to ask your LFS's