HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Pfft so I'm really excited about my fish's tank upgrade probably happening the week after next so I'm going to tell you all about it. I have a pair of Walmart comets I've kept for several years and hope to have them for many more yet, but I only recently really understood how much is needed with tank sizing for these guys. I'm hoping for a pond eventually, but that's just not in the picture rn so I'd been stalking Craigslist for nice tanks in the upper tens to hundreds range. Cha-ching cha-ching, and most weren't in great shape or had a decent stand that were in my budget. Turned out I was looking in the wrong place! The Goodwill near us is gets an incredible number of bigger tanks (at least 3 in the past 2 mo), and I nabbed an 86 gallon tank WITH a stand and solid oak hood cover thing for $86! The tanks there are p nice, usually need a good cleaning, but all I've seen come with at least the glass covers and stuff which has me really excited to get ready to jump on a deal to upgrade the crabs from their 10gal. I saw one real nice one, actually two, but both were snatched up aha they seem to go quick when they're sold for pocket change. I also have a buddy who's got an 8gal and was using it for way to many tropical fish. They're down to one 'superman' fish and yeah, schooling fish need a school. So I've talked them up about it and they need a larger tank. I'd love to be able to find one there and surprise them with a tank, and maybe a filter as well since I got a job and money is an issue for them.
Speaking of filters, I also managed to get a brand new Marineland C360 for about $120. It's a $200 dollar filter, and I'm super excited about p. much everything to do with this whole thing. Not only have I got a new to me big tank and FINALLY procured a canister filter (I've been after them for a while, only ever used HOB and love my aquaclear which is kinda like if canister filters and hobs had a baby), I've also managed to get aquarium sand which I'm sure my goldies will be super excited about. They've only ever had gravel and I've been convinced that sand is most ideal, so I'm happy they'll soon be able to filter through this stuff like they would naturally. It'll take some time for me to add another 50lbs of sand (I've only got 50 rn) and get enough tank cover for the gargantuan monster, but now they'll be able to actually swim aha. They're in a 29 atm, and were in a 10 before that. I'm suprised they've lived as long as they have though all of my noob aquariust-ness. One of them even had terrible nitrite poising when I got them (black spots to where they looked like koi), I just figured oh! Pretty! but no. They're a great pair of champs.
Now to get ready to set up my 29 in my room again (it's a noise blocker, I have sensory issues) and cycle it while I wait patiently for the right time to strike...I'm on the hunt for a betta bby although my responsible adult disagrees. I really want to save one from someone else/nab some deadly setup on Craigslist for the fish in it and not y'know support the ick industry but I was on the verge of buying yesterday at Walmart. One of the betta's cups had broke or spilled so some dumbell figured 'HEY! I'll just put it in with this other male betta!' so I though I was seeing double for a minute since there were two miserable-looking bettas in the cup instead of just one. I don't have the tank yet but I have some 10's in the garage and an old 10gal filter with my other fishstuff and I would have if there wasn't the problem of parents and how I'd be putting money into the stuff...well mostly parents, since I was devising ways to slip the two past and have it tagged as one. Terribly unchristian like behavior...or is it? Wally world's fish section makes me really depressed, honestly. Surprisingly, they're overpriced on their plants, aha. Petsmart bugged me as well yesterday, and I'm usually more chill with that than Wally World. I walked in and over half of the cups were that weird blue stuff and one dumbo obviously had some issues (bulged probably blind infected eye, crooked swim). I really want to start a petstore one of these days.

How exciting! I know your goldfish will really appreciate the upgrade!!

I was bitten by the aquarium bug a while back and had several tanks of rescued fish and a few purchases running at one time. It's a lot of work and can be expensive! Eventually I did decide to stop taking in or buying fish and slowly got out of the hobby. My last Betta died earlier this year. So after 14 or 15ish years, I have no fish tanks in the house. I sort of miss the running water sound. But we do still have the goldfish pond outside - that's my husbands. So I get all the enjoyment and he does all the work.

3x their current tank size and 750x their first tank, I think so too! It's such a weird number though, and it doesn't have much of any maker identification except for that anchor logo that's on everything and 'Made by J. Cera' or something like that in what appears to be comic sans.
Yes, it's definitely labor-intensive and can get pricey. One of the reasons I really dislike how fish are often labeled as 'starter pets', not that there is such thing, but they're pretty hard to care for and need a lot of responsible matienence and most parent's aren't willing to spend what it takes to not torture the aquatic children. Not to mention the parent hands off philosophy many of them take with their kid's first pets, which I feel only teaches irresponsibility and not what most intend for it too.

Rescued fish are my favorite, I love how rewarding it feels to know you've saved them from certain doom and given them an exemplary (if only comparable) life. Heh, I'm a little worried I'll never get out of the hobby myself! Probably will have to put it on hold eventually for school or life, but it's something I really enjoy and am super passionate about. I'm going to be that 80-year old with like 2000 gal worth of tanks in her home aha, it's be like a mini aquarium!

Goldfish ponds are so awesome, I'm a tad envious! The fishies will probably stay in the tank until I move or something if they live that long, I don't want to dig a pond somewhere were I can't stay to take care of them. One though seems to have some sort of weird growth on his fin? I'm worried it maybe spreading but it's def. growing. I think it started when I changed their water like the first or second time, and accidentally ripped his fin down to the body because they were freaking out. It's been getting bigger lately, so I'll be slipping onto fish forms and trying to research more what it could be, since preliminary Googling hasn't turned up anything.