heading to iraq what to do with fish?

[brian90vette]

Well I have a little problem. I just found out last week that i will be leaving for Iraq early December. I am currently running a 400 gallon semi reef. I say semi reef because I have coral clams sponges but its the stuff that came on the rock. I purchased a 100 + reef package a while back and have a yellow tang, coral beauty, copperbanded butterfly, and two queen anthias. There is no way my wife can handle it while im gone and we rent so it would be impossible for her to move it. I have an old 55 gallon. My brother could maintain that one. Is this too much fish for a 55?
I hate to send my loyal fish back to the petstore for an uncertain future. I also have a 135 but i htink that would be imposing. Any suggestions?

 

[nm reef]

Dang...thats a truely tough situation to be in. Any chance your wife could maintain things until you return? That would be my first option...but if not then you have a very difficult situation to deal with. I'd hate to have to close up my reef for any reason...but if you must then there is nothing you can do.
On a side note...keep your head down and kill some terrorists!!!! Personally I can't thank our fighting men and women enough for the job they are doing...give 'em hell!!!

 

[ross]

I don't know much about anthias but i think they other ones could be kept in a 55. I wouldn't do this forever though. For a few months it would probably be fine. Good luck over there!

 

[karajay]

I say...give your wife a crash course in saltwater, and send her here if she has any questions while you're gone. Teamwork!

 

[dugan]

No advice but I wanted to say God bless and good luck. Come home safe!!!
Katie

 

[fishman830]

i to am not sure what you should do, maybe get a tank maintance service? and, good luck over there, stay safe.

 

[rbmount]

Somebody in Sacremento needs to offer to help! I'm on the wrong side of the country to help. Godspeed and be safe and we salute you for your service.Keep us posted when you can. PS hows about putting that boot in their a$$ it's the AMERICAN WAY!

 

[fishman830]

hehehe

 

[therock0861]

Brian90vette I am in Iraq right now and with the help of some emails and some other contributing factors my wife has been able to maintain my reef for the past couple of months while I am here. I live in Oceanside and I feel your pain. If you are moving I recommend that you send me all of your corals right away (J/K). I wish you luck and maybe I will run into you over here. Good luck with the aquarium!

 

[powdertoastman]

yea maybe down size before you leave to the 135 or 55 and show your wife what to do. if you have to tear it down, save all your stuff and pack your rock up, you could always get back into it that because once your in your in for life, kinda like the mob and good luck over there

 

[bonermeister]

I agree with everyone else, give the wife a

[hr]
, fast-paced course in Reef Keeping 101. I wish you the best in Iraq!

 

[gollus]

you may want to look for other people that own saltwater tanks, and then get to know them. That way if something went wrong and your wife needed help she would have someone that could come over and check things out. I think with your emails and a quick crash course she will be able to handle things.

 

[eric4usa]

He man
Thanks for going over there.
Seriously. It's a crap situation.
I can't imagine what it's like over there where EVERYONE needs to fear for their lives, unlike past "wars" where mainly the front lines were at risk.
I know Satelite Ops guys that are scared.
Wost situation, you could allways find a LFS to buy or hold you livestock.
Thanks again.

 

[lovethesea]

Send her here, there are enough people to cover the bases for her. Have her ask every question regardless. She will soon catch on. Did you say she will have to move?
God speed, good luck and thank you!!

 

[wrassecal]

I pretty much agree with everyone. Find a competent person to help her out on site, send her here with questions and we'll help and downsize the 400 to the 55 and 135 if possible to make it a little easier on her. Stay safe, God bless you and if you see my jarhead son over there tell him to write his mom

 

[therock0861]

Wrassecal what unit is he with I only know of a few jar heads over here right now and I am one of them let me know who he is with.

 

[wrassecal]

He's not there yet. He's in transit somewhere coming out of Miramar. You Marines are something else, scare a mother to death. When the war started he got stuck in Okinawa, was there a year and felt it wasn't fair that he was stuck there while his brother went to Kuwait/Iraq so he changed squadrons recently and I'm not sure which one now. He just wants to do his part. He's a crew chief on a ch53 lawn dart. It's sounding like you are are going to have more of your brothers showing up in the coming months as they rotate them back in to help quell these damn attacks.

 

[jlem]

Where in sacramento are you. Can you hire somebody to maintain the tank for you. My father knows alot about aquariums and if you can't find something then maybe he can stop by once every so often and check on the tank for you.