# I'm addicted..when did this happen?



## oodles (Jan 2, 2011)

In November I started with a 5 gallon tank for 2 small goldfish. Once I learned that was too small, I did the next sane thing and bought a 60 gallon tank for my 2 little 2" goldfish. Okay, they have now tripled in size and they have 3 other tank mates of equal size, so I can only get one more and I'm being very picky. 

Okay, so now I had an empty 5 gallon tank, what is a girl to do? Oh yeah, fill it up with fish. I loaded it up with 20 fish (cory's, neon tetra's and glofish) Yes, it was technically overstocked, but they were all happy and healthy and the water paremeters were perfect). I still wanted more fish and always wanted some Platy's so off to the store I went to pick up 4 (yes, they were to live in the 5 gallon).

Due to the fact I didn't want to get my fishies sick I then found a great deal on a complete 10 gallon tank and decided to use that as my QT tank. Yeah, that sure didn't last long. It seemed as if my 5 gallon acrylic sprung a leak (which it turns out it didn't, during a water change, water accumulated under the tank and I thought it leaked. So now I moved all of my babies into the 10 gallon. 

As I'm in the process of moving my fish from the leaking 5 gallon tank, I noticed a pair of adorable eyes looking at me. My very first Platy fry. I didn't realize my Platy was pregnant, as she didn't even look big. I put my new baby "Spudo the Magnificant" who survivied a 5 gallon tank with 20 some-odd fish in it, and put him in the breeder in the 10 gallon for about 3 weeks. When I realized the 5 gallon wasn't leaking, I put him in there and then added his 17 brothers and sisters a few days after they were born. 

I have 1 male mickey mouse platy and 2 male metallic blue platy's (one is still a fry and in the fry tank with Spudco and the posse) and since I know they like to eat, poop and multiply, I am going to need my very own platy tank. 

I broke down and bought a 20 gallon kit from Walmart this morning. It's still in the box and I'm afraid to open it and afraid to put the stand together. I really have no more wall space, to place tanks, and I don't want my tanks in the bedrooms, because I won't be able to see them from the couch, so I'm sure this will be the last tank I get. 

Should I feel guilty for buying tanks and supporting my addictive hobby? or just embrace the insanity?:fish9:

Oh, yeah, I also have a 1.5 gallon tank with a betta.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

No, you shouldn't feel guilty..we all have MTS. I went from 1 tank to 4 operating tanks with fish and 1 qt in about a 3 month period.

But....do yourself a favor before you do start having problems and unload that 5g tank into the 20. That is a timebomb waiting to happen and when it blows you will probably loose them all. The 5g isn't "technically" overstocked, it is "officially" way over stocked by 4-5x.

MTS = multiple tank snydrome.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

I've got 3 tanks. Waiting until I move out of my dad's place before I give in fully to my addiction which is fishkeeping. I've got plans for a 200 gallon tank someday.


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## fishman81 (Jan 12, 2011)

[email protected] said:


> I've got 3 tanks. Waiting until I move out of my dad's place before I give in fully to my addiction which is fishkeeping. I've got plans for a 200 gallon tank someday.


I too suffer from MTS, i have:

1 55 gallon
1 37 gallon
1 5 gallon

thinking about buying a 75 gallon, and maybe a 20 gallon, or perhaps a biocube for saltwater

So my story is i started in fish tanks about 6 months ago maybe... started w/a 5gallon like you, realized i couldn't put many cool fish in it. Overstocked the hell out of it anyway, all of the fish i ever had in the 5 gallon are dead minus one danio, bought a 37 gallon was stoked. After a while it was pretty heavily stocked and still is. Found a great deal on a 55 gallon at a pawn shop w/stand and some gear for $100. Uncle had to move and gave me all the fish from his 75 gallon tank. So i'm still dealing w/an uncycled tank an a tank full of fish (started to see nitrates a few days ago and i do heavey water changes every other day usually around 15 gallons or so depending on the reading. Have yet to see amonia or nitrates above .25 though. some of the fish from his 75 gallon went to my 37 gallon, but a majority to the 55 gallon. my advice, get lots of filtration. I like to overfilter.


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## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

I'm still in the beginning stages of MTS... have a 10 gallon and a 30 gallon set up, and that's just in one room... probably will change in a few months after I get moved into my new place of my own though, LOL


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## mrnmrskyle (Mar 4, 2011)

.. wish i had room to do all that.. right now i just have a 55 gallon w/ cichlids... (probably overstocked, but have been told by enough people to overstock a little to keep territorial instincts down) and plus i have a 350 gph cannister filter and a 60 gph power filter, so water is clean as can be, all levels have stayed perfect... but i'm looking for a corner tank... or something for the bedroom, petsmart had a 36 gallon one w/ a bunch of smaller size fish.. tetras... and w/e else and i want to do a tank w/ a couple swarms of fish like that...


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Embrace the addiction....Besides,you are not addicted(points to Susankat,who has oodles of tanks)Thats addicted.

Anyhow I have a 29 galon set up,a three gallon setup,a five and a 29 gallon fixing to be setup,a ten gallon breeder setup,and soon to be a 25 setup and If I can get the glass,a 20 long.So yeah,embrace....EMBRAAAAACEEEEEEEEEE


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## jerichodrum (Mar 23, 2011)

Oodles, I bought a betta 3 weeks ago with a 2 gallon. it took 3 days and  I bought a 10 gallon. The day after that I bought a 30 gallon. all in all it took me one week to go from 0 to 3 tanks and I love them. 

I had to make myself promise I would not buy another 10 gallon (even thought its on sale for $12) today. 

So, no. dont feel guilty. 
As long as you can afford your hobby, and your debts are paid. Enjoy and be happy.

Oh...
Welcome to the forum


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

majerah1 said:


> Embrace the addiction....Besides,you are not addicted(points to Susankat,who has oodles of tanks)Thats addicted.
> 
> Anyhow I have a 29 galon set up,a three gallon setup,a five and a 29 gallon fixing to be setup,a ten gallon breeder setup,and soon to be a 25 setup and If I can get the glass,a 20 long.So yeah,embrace....EMBRAAAAACEEEEEEEEEE


Bev are you trying to tell me something,  Here's my lists for everyone to compare to for addiction

220 in my living room

I converted the dining room into a fish room. in there lets see if I get everything counted.
90
50 x 2
30 x2
26 x 2
20 long x 3
15 x 24
10 x 3
40
5 x 2
55 needs fixed busted a seam last week.

Thats 42 tanks, oh well should start my own fish store from home


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## phys (Feb 4, 2011)

its a fun hobby.. i have 4 tanks now.. a 55, 20, 10, and a 2.5. Its fun and keeps me busy!


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

It sneeks up on ya in the middle of the night while you are sleeping. )

You know you have a problem when you say "there's always room for one more". Need to get my rack completed so I can get them all organized properly.


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## chris oe (Feb 27, 2009)

Oooooh no! Empty out your five, except for maybe one or two fish to keep it cycling. That is your quarantine tank. Keep your quarantine tank holy. You need to have room someplace for the cycling fish so that when you get a new fish you can move them out to one of the big tanks and quarantine your new fish. 

I have 15 tanks in the basement, 5 x 5 gallons, 1 x 20, 1 x 15, 8 x 10 and I only have four fish down there, where once I could not have told you how many fish were down there, only that it numbered in the hundreds. Parasite infestation. I didn't quarantine. I didn't sterilize my net in between tanks. I moved fish around from tank to tank (guppy breeding) and now, after two waves of devastation, I have only one female surviving from hundreds. 

Keep a quarantine tank and keep it holy. Don't put any permanent residents in it, just temporary residents that keep the tank cycling until you have new fish to quarantine. Put a sign on it, or write in paint marker "quarantine tank" and remember the tale of the ancient fish lady (I have an albatross around my neck, want to see it?) Keep your new fish in there for at least a couple weeks. Some people even medicate new fish just in case, others just watch for symptoms just in case. A new fish with a sickness arriving in an overcrowded tank is like a bomb going off. If you are wise you will not wait to let experience teach you.


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## Shotgun (Mar 1, 2009)

yeah i love the aquarium hobby. glad you are addicted.


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## sharkattack (Feb 28, 2011)

oodles said:


> In November I started with a 5 gallon tank for 2 small goldfish. Once I learned that was too small, I did the next sane thing and bought a 60 gallon tank for my 2 little 2" goldfish. Okay, they have now tripled in size and they have 3 other tank mates of equal size, so I can only get one more and I'm being very picky.
> 
> Okay, so now I had an empty 5 gallon tank, what is a girl to do? Oh yeah, fill it up with fish. I loaded it up with 20 fish (cory's, neon tetra's and glofish) Yes, it was technically overstocked, but they were all happy and healthy and the water paremeters were perfect). I still wanted more fish and always wanted some Platy's so off to the store I went to pick up 4 (yes, they were to live in the 5 gallon).
> 
> ...


my advice, go slow, before u know it u'll destroy your gf's like i did! haha


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

susankat said:


> Bev are you trying to tell me something,  Here's my lists for everyone to compare to for addiction
> 
> 220 in my living room
> 
> ...


Not at all,Susan!Just thought the whole "Lead by Example" thing applied here.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

I don't know many people that could get away with following my example  I don't have a spouse to say no and I have a hard time telling myself no.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Yes, it is good to be single in this hobby. No way could I have what I have in either of my two previous semi-permanent attachments.


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## oodles (Jan 2, 2011)

If I was still married I'm sure I would have a single goldfish in a little bowl. It sure is great being single because I have no one to tell me I'm going overboard and no one to ask permission if I can get another fish. All of you made me feel like I wasn't alone and crazy because we are all crazy!! I do love my fish, each and every one of them. The fun part is now deciding what fish will join my platy fry.


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## retiredsemi (Feb 8, 2011)

seems like only yesterday when i got my first small bowl with a betta in it now that betta is in a five gallon tank and very happily swims to see me every evening when i get to work and feed him,He sits on my desk and entertains me. However it didn't stop there now I have a fifteen gallon with cichlid fry in it and a twenty five with dalmation molleys and blackskirt tetras a forty with my main cichlad comunity and a ten for a quarintine tank with two fish in it for present also another ten in the basement that is crying to be set up and populated with plans to get a bigger tank yet just have to convince the wife that I need it despertly to keep healthy LOL..
addiction well at least it is a healthy addiction and oh so much fun

*old dude


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Well I decided not to fix the 55 as I am in the process of buying a 72x18x18 tank that is divided in half.


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## chris oe (Feb 27, 2009)

oodles said:


> If I was still married I'm sure I would have a single goldfish in a little bowl. It sure is great being single because I have no one to tell me I'm going overboard and no one to ask permission if I can get another fish. All of you made me feel like I wasn't alone and crazy because we are all crazy!! I do love my fish, each and every one of them. The fun part is now deciding what fish will join my platy fry.


I'm married to a very patient, generous non-aquarium guy and he has minimal problems with the aquariums. He bought me the 55 for my birthday, and he appreciates that the ones downstairs largely pay for themselves. Occasionally he kind of mumbles about the electric bill, but that's the most I hear from him about it. There are guys on this list who keep aquariums, too. I suppose a fishy gal and a fishy guy could even marry and keep aquariums together. The key is having a good marriage to start with, that leaves room for each of the people involved to enjoy themselves without a lot of difficulty from the spouse.


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## roacan (Dec 25, 2010)

I know the feeling...
Started with a 37G. Got a 20 to be a QT, it turned into a guppy and platy tank.
Bought a 10 to be the new QT, now my daughter wants a tank of her own with a betta so now I would need a new QT tank.


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## e-zlight (Mar 20, 2011)

Yeah, I kinda of have it too. two weeks ago, empty 10 gallon that had been sitting there empty for the last 7 months. (Not my tank) 

Craigslist had an ad for a free tank, I happened to be 15 minutes away, guy has a 180acrylic tank. Yippe for me!

Next day, found a 55 with stand and a few accessories. ($50)

THEN, I decide to setup the 10 gallon with freshwater. (3 tigers barbs, and 3 of something else, 1 placo, but he died yesterday)

Two days later, I find a 125 with stand & hood, with skimmer & a few other things. ($175)

Last night I bought a wet/dry sump, 3 pumps, and 2 partial skimmers. ($70)

BUT, I bought that, on my way to pickup a 55 gallon complete tank, stand, hood, T5 lighting, about 75lbs live rock, 40lbs sand, 2 crabs, 5 hermit crabs, tailfn tang, sump, air bubbler, and all his accessories . ($130)

Was up till 5am setting it up, and doing a light cleaning.

What did I get myself into? LOL BTW, all was found on craigslist. Just trying to show it can be done on a budget.


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## mrnmrskyle (Mar 4, 2011)

wish craigslist was like that around here... your lucky to find a 55 and 2x4 stand for 100 around here...


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

mrnmrskyle said:


> wish craigslist was like that around here... your lucky to find a 55 and 2x4 stand for 100 around here...


Where is here? Some places (like here in SLC, Utah) there are local classifieds sites that soak up all of the listings. Here we have a local radio station KSL that has their own classifieds section specifically for fish, aquariums, and hardware. I see 10-20 postings a day on KSL while Craigs gets maybe one or two a week.


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## e-zlight (Mar 20, 2011)

mrnmrskyle said:


> wish craigslist was like that around here... your lucky to find a 55 and 2x4 stand for 100 around here...


The guy I bought the sump & skimmers from, had just picked up a 125 with dual overflows, drilled, and a beautiful cherry stand, and matching cherry hood. $300

The stand for my 125 is 4x4's, 2x6's, and plywood. I'm going over it with 1/4 oak to pretty it up a bit, and staining it to match some kitchen cabinet doors I picked up.

Gonna have to build a new one eventually for it, because the stand will actually fit my 180. LOL


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## phys (Feb 4, 2011)

Yea, the local classifieds have tons more than craigslist here. My buddy just picked up two 55 gallons for 125.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

To answer your title question:


You were addicted long before you realized it. *old dude


my .02


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## pringleringel (Apr 3, 2011)

I have MTS also. We we went from a 20g to having a 20g and a 55g in a week.. I might also be getting another 55+ in the next couple weeks if all goes well. My sis knows a lady with "a beautiful huge aquarium" with some sort of very large cichlid that she is sick of taking care of. She was talking about selling it for quite a bit but then said she's so sick of it she might give it away, so, obviously I jumped on that.

Not that I have room for another tank, but I'll throw out my sofa or something 

Welcome to the addiction.


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## roacan (Dec 25, 2010)

So, I got a new 10g for my daughter and my 10g QT became a cherry red shrimp tank. Now I need another QT.


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## phys (Feb 4, 2011)

haha.. I just figured out how to fit another tank in my room... so, looks like i may be getting another tank. lol that'll be 5.


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## roacan (Dec 25, 2010)

This is getting crazy...
I started with a 37G mid Dec. 2010. It's only Apr. and I already added 3 more tanks. Getting nervous...lol!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

roacan said:


> This is getting crazy...
> I started with a 37G mid Dec. 2010. It's only Apr. and I already added 3 more tanks. Getting nervous...lol!


You need to move up to a 75 or so.  Better still a 40B is awesome. Will be my next one.


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## retiredsemi (Feb 8, 2011)

*pc well it has happened I was the recipient of a free 25 gallon tank just last week now I have two empty tanks crying to get set up wife is saying no we need to down size if we plan to do any extended traveling .Hmmm is there a way to build a tank or more into the fifth wheel so we can take my friends with us have to work on that *r2 am thinking that I am going to try my luck with another sw tank with the new 25 gallon tank.. so far i have a 40 long with cichlids and two black stripe cats in the basement a twenty five with dalmation molleys and black skirt tetras and two cory cats in the liveing room and an 18 gallon tank with cichlid fry and three cory cats in the dineing room
and a ten gallon tank in the bedroom as a qt tank with one silver cichlid to keep it cycleing.. a ten mt in basement and a twenty five mt in basement and still looking at a 55 gallon tank that a friend is trying to sell me trying to wait him out and get lower price LOL..*old dude we who have the addiction will never quit


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## saltydad (Jun 27, 2008)

When I was married I had 3 tanks- a 10 for my son, a 30 tall with a mini reef, and a 75 reef. Afterwards, my new girlfriend and I had 8 tanks between us. Now I'm in another city and am down to just a 20 long for now, plus a 1,000 gallon pond. But I think a 75 reef is in the future. I keep dreaming of setting up another 220 reef also. So where is our 12 step program?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I'm working on the 12-tank program.  A little ways to go still.


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## cooltow1 (Mar 30, 2011)

phys said:


> haha.. I just figured out how to fit another tank in my room... so, looks like i may be getting another tank. lol that'll be 5.


I just when ahead and build a room :fish-in-bowl:

Rick


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## jerichodrum (Mar 23, 2011)

cooltow1 said:


> I just when ahead and build a room :fish-in-bowl:
> 
> Rick


WoW. I took at your picasa albums. 
You werent kidding.. You built a whole room just for tanks. LOL


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## Roy (Apr 8, 2011)

I guess im one of the lucky ones then... When i got hooked (couple weeks ago) so did my wife  so she told me that every time I buy a tank/fish she gets one.... lol fine with me


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## chris oe (Feb 27, 2009)

Gratz, Roy!


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## retiredsemi (Feb 8, 2011)

wow roy you got it made friend


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## ReStart (Jan 3, 2011)

The secret to having MTS with a spouse, imho, is to have at least one as a show tank or close to it. My 60G tall makes people go "Holy crap! That's a beautiful tank, and man, it's big!" Most folks have never seen a 220 in house so they don't know that the 60 is really kinda small! ;-) And, I have a ways to go with this tank, especially as all of my Rainbows are juveniles.

I spend as much time with the decor as I do with the fish. Oh, and keep the water crystal clear, all the time.


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