I Guess It's Time To End The Hobby.

[FishBlast]

they will probably be ok in the short term if you are careful or you could just keep the one fish you are attached to and let the others go, if a fish meant that much to me I wouldn't let him go so easily

Yeah but he is the one that's biggest. Ok, he's used to smaller spaces, but I am scared if something might happen to him. I have never noticed any diseases of the like mentioned here, but they do sound scary to me and I hope my catfish won't catch them.
Before, I used to do 100% water changes every week (about 4-5 days distance) for many years, but for a month now, I've been just removing about 80% water and refreshing it with new one that's been left to sit out to lose the chlorine. I also clean the filter weekly in tank water in a bowl so that it will be at top power. It's a 300L/h filter. And I never let it get dry, I submerge it.

My friend said that he would lend me until the boss pays me, but I'll have to discuss with my dad about this. Though the boss said he could send me a tank, what if it gets damaged along the way? Or what if I'll have to pay the transport? (I never had anything big sent to me before so I don't know).

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Spend $10-15 on a bin and use that till you can get a tank . Or maybe you already have one you can spare....

This is your answer. When money was tight and I needed a QT tank, I bought a ~120l plastic storage box for £13 from a hardware store, which I then used for my four new baby Hoplos. How would you feel asking your friend to purchase something similar? Far less than the cost of a glass tank and it will buy you time for your owed wages to come through and then buy a 4-foot glass tank.

 

[FishBlast]

Spend $10-15 on a bin and use that till you can get a tank . Or maybe you already have one you can spare....

This is your answer. When money was tight and I needed a QT tank, I bought a ~120l plastic storage box for £13 from a hardware store, which I then used for my four new baby Hoplos. How would you feel asking your friend to purchase something similar? Far less than the cost of a glass tank and it will buy you time for your owed wages to come through and then buy a 4-foot glass tank.

Aww baby Hoplos! X)
Yeah but, the deal was that for starters I get paid $50 by my boss. If I buy a storage box with the lent money, that would mean less money for the tank and I also need to pay for dechlorinator and a test kit. Now, depending on what the pet shop has, I could get either Master Test kit if they have it and save a lot of money, or, buy 1 ammo and 1 nitrite kit, as those 2 should be monitored the most to know how well the water changes work, but then I lose more money (maybe 2-3 dollars above the Master Test Kit and for less tests...

 

[FishBlast]

Well, the boss said that even though he is sick he will try tomorrow to send. But I feel bad, even though I did the work he requested. I feel sorry for him.

 

[micko]

I'd love a few employee's like you FishBlast.

As said above, you can get a storage container or similar for the mean time. If your really attached to these fish then that's the thing to do, if not then you can rehome them if you can. This won't (shouldn't) be a long term solution and you can get your new tank when the boss gets his finger out. Actually, you said the boss offered to send you the tank, could you not ask him if you could take him up on his offer and add the extra bits on like dechlor, test kit etc and he could take them out of your wages too.

 

[FishBlast]

I'd love a few employee's like you FishBlast.

As said above, you can get a storage container or similar for the mean time. If your really attached to these fish then that's the thing to do, if not then you can rehome them if you can. This won't (shouldn't) be a long term solution and you can get your new tank when the boss gets his finger out. Actually, you said the boss offered to send you the tank, could you not ask him if you could take him up on his offer and add the extra bits on like dechlor, test kit etc and he could take them out of your wages too.

Sarcasm?

Well he said he will send soon, no matter what he takes. And yeah I am attached especially to my Tzuppy. He has been my pet ever since I was 13. He's also special to me, as he is the only catfish to have some cool tips formed from his pectoral fins that make him look like a jet plane. None of my other Hoplos had those even when near his age.

And yes the boss offered but my parents have no idea how the transport of the tank would work: what if it gets cracked along the way? Or if they ask us to pay just for receiving the package? (though something tells me that last one's an irrational fear and that only the sender pays).
He could take them out of my wage but that would still require him to go to the post office and I don't know how he could handle a tank that big (unless he pays someone to carry it for him).

I'll wait and see tomorrow. I have sent him my bank acc details. But I still feel sad that I have to request in a time like this, even though he did say he will pay me last week.

 

[Man of fish]

I'm sure that if it was cracked in the sending he would get a refund and could surely buy you a new one. Do you have any storage bins lying around instead of buying a brand new one? You could just take out the clothes/shoes/ whatever are in them for a little bit and use that

 

[micko]

I wouldn't feel bad about it. Its the reason why people work, in order to get money. No one who is supposed to get a wage would/should feel bad about wanting their money. I'm unsure what your job is but I doubt your boss would let someone have something from his business without them paying for it.
If it gets broke in transit then the courier company/post office can replace it if he insures the item (I'm not sure if this is possible in Romania though) its Romania your from isn't it or did I get it wrong?
If your boss has offered to do this and you get to keep your fish then go for it.

 

[FishBlast]

I'm sure that if it was cracked in the sending he would get a refund and could surely buy you a new one. Do you have any storage bins lying around instead of buying a brand new one? You could just take out the clothes/shoes/ whatever are in them for a little bit and use that

I don't have anything remotely bigger than the size of my current tank. I'll just wait for his reply tomorrow. I want to set things up properly. I owe it to Tzuppy for all those years I didn't know what to do.
Even though at some point I had a pretty nicely decorated tank with crystals and white gravel and lotus / elodea plants. But as time went on, those things were removed, the aquarium was replaced because of ending up with only one fish and being cracked on the bottom (though it had been cracked ever since I received it and held on for many years because of the silicone patching). I still miss my guppy team. They were an awesome sight for many years until my last females died. I rarely bought fish, I had my own colonies so I only needed to buy a female or male when numbers seemed imbalanced. The catfish I had to replace once every 8-6 years. This is the reason I find it so hard if I'd have to let go of my last catfish. The swordies I have now are pretty new to me (it's been a bit over a month now since I have them and they're eating, courting, coming at the glass and the female hangs out with Tzuppy) but I've had these kinds of fish before and even raised my own home-bred batch.

Back then, I didn't have a filter. So even though my dad probably messed up something (maybe overfed, maybe didn't change water like I told him to) and killed some of my fish like that, it's my fault for giving up the filter I had before that. Now that filter is back and put to use. It is doing a pretty nice work for a month now, tank is waay cleaner than before. So if I can set it up perfectly till next summer and have a cycled, large enough tank, dad won't have to worry much when I'll have to go for a week or two, and will never overfeed as I'll set food portions so that he knows how much to give.

I wouldn't feel bad about it. Its the reason why people work, in order to get money. No one who is supposed to get a wage would/should feel bad about wanting their money. I'm unsure what your job is but I doubt your boss would let someone have something from his business without them paying for it.
If it gets broke in transit then the courier company/post office can replace it if he insures the item (I'm not sure if this is possible in Romania though) its Romania your from isn't it or did I get it wrong?
If your boss has offered to do this and you get to keep your fish then go for it.

Yes, I am from Romania. (wish I wasn't...)
Here's what I do for a job:
IT domain remote assistance: computer virus removal, computer cleanup (sometimes registry cleanup too but didn't have to do that yet, only wipe-outs / normal cleanup), hardware installation, minor fixing (though in Romania I work alone to do more than this in the IT business and get paid a crappy 15$ from clients once in a blue moon, not by my boss as he has nothing to do with this)
Personal assistant: I help out when my boss needs to send an e-mail or needs to do research on other companies that sell IT hardware / services.
3D designer: currently designing company logo. (May design other things since this is another hobby of mine and I'm planning on making a 3D animation movie soon)

But I work online and my boss is in another country.

 

[FishBlast]

I placed a plastic straw to contain the daphnia flakes so that they won't spread all over the water. If anything would get left behind I can pick it up with the net. But Tzuppy doesn't let that happen, once the swordies take a few pecks, he goes in and vacuums everything.

Tzuppy eating bloodworms.

Bee and Cracker going for the feeding area. They stick around it every time I go there.

 

[sona98765]

If you give up fish keeping you won't feel the pain to loneliness and sorrow until after their gone.
I hope you take this advice to heart and won't give up.
Of I had enough money and they let me send to Romania I'll send you a 100 liter tank.
Best of luck.

 

[FishBlast]

If you give up fish keeping you won't feel the pain to loneliness and sorrow until after their gone.
I hope you take this advice to heart and won't give up.
Of I had enough money and they let me send to Romania I'll send you a 100 liter tank.
Best of luck.

I know, I cried myself to sleep these last few nights. So I know how bad it would hurt if I'll have to give them away. Especially after I managed to convince my mother to let me install a bigger tank in my own room. She doesn't have to do anything, I take (as I did for so many years) full responsibility over the tank and fish.

And thanks for the offer but I think things may improve. If there's no way to get the money this week from boss, my friend will lend me and I'll pay him back, he said he doesn't mind when. Though I feel guilty for so many things right now. First for not knowing better for so many years, second for what my boss has to go through and third because I'd have to borrow from my friend to fix my mistakes in case boss can't do that yet. -.-

 

[riogal_11]

First off, it sounds like you need to find a different job. This boss is totally scamming and/or taking advantage of you. The whole thing sounds shady as heck. Shipping a tank would be crazy expensive, and honestly, I think he's blowing smoke up your butt. I would not count on what he says as a remedy to your problem.

The tub idea is a great one. Where do you all buy groceries or household items? They should have some there and that would be my number one priority.

 

[phoenixgsd]

Well, the boss said that even though he is sick he will try tomorrow to send. But I feel bad, even though I did the work he requested. I feel sorry for him.

sorry but if you did a job for a employer and he dosnt pay you, why hes not paid you is irrelevent, he owes you money and he has to pay his employees regardless of how hes feeling, it sounds to me like hes taking advantage out of the fact your too nice, dont feel sorry for him, he owes you hard earned cash, get him to pay up

 

[FishBlast]

Well, the boss said that even though he is sick he will try tomorrow to send. But I feel bad, even though I did the work he requested. I feel sorry for him.

sorry but if you did a job for a employer and he dosnt pay you, why hes not paid you is irrelevent, he owes you money and he has to pay his employees regardless of how hes feeling, it sounds to me like hes taking advantage out of the fact your too nice, dont feel sorry for him, he owes you hard earned cash, get him to pay up

I've sent the details as he requested, he said that the money will be sent tomorrow and then it's up to the bank, it could take anywhere between 5-9 business (what his bank told him) days or 2-3 as my bank told me.

I'll try to get something till then. But I don't know if I can find something that won't harm the fish. It would be a bad move to use something and wake up with dead fish.
Hmm, but why don't they make aquariums out of plastic? Wouldn't it be more resistant to water pressure / hits? Are there any plastic aquariums? (well, besides the tubs mentioned in this thread).