*gripe* Mom...

[Auratus]

So mom is in the mood to "redecorate" which in her mind means getting rid of furniture and fish tanks

She wants me to move my 30 gallon to right where the dogs run in and out of the house, and the stand for it isn't that stable.... and I have a great dane. Not good. Plus the tank probably has at least 100lbs of rock in it right now that took forever to stack. Then she brought up me selling the 30 and getting a 20 gallon corner! For cichlids!!!

She's getting rid of the entertainment center which has most of my bettas on it and wants the 8 gallon and other betta tanks off the desk. She is also taking a long cabnet type thing in my brother's room that has my 10 gallon on it and using it for a coffee table. Meaning I am 10 gallon standless. My brother's dresser has my 26 gallon show and his tv on it and she wants to get rid of that and get a smaller dresser. OMG! she wants to put the 26 gallon on the kitchen counter (the thing is 3ft long)... thing is my 18 gallon is on the kitchen counter! wtf?

What do I say to this? And what do I do with my tanks!?!?!

 

[Erised]

LOL! ... mothers can be so much fun sometimes!
Can I ask how old you are? Personally, I've never been keen on my parents, and I'd just tell her to fsk off. Then again, that's what I've always been like, that's what I'll be like ... you can't just pull that off if you've never done it before.

Plus, if you're anything under the age of 16 I don't think you have much say in your parents house ... so then you gotta sit back and swallow really.

Ask her where she thinks all the other tanks should go. I mean, she already has ideas for the 26G, perhaps she can figure out where the other ones go as well? Betta tanks can be moved anywhere for now, untill the new furniture is in to stack them onto ... don't let her talk you into buying a smaller tank though! Unless you can talk her into getting a smaller tank AND keeping the larger one ofcourse

 

[Auratus]

lol ok get ready for something sad....

I'm 18

Umm, and I pay rent and utilities and food . I asked her what I'm supposed to do with my ten and she looked at me and shrugged and said "Not my problem". I wont even tell you guys about the birds... ughhh. She told me I'm not willing to "compramise". Pffft! And when she gets this new, smaller entertainment center she said my fish aren't going on it because I'll just warp the wood with water. I'll give it that antique look! I guess the shelves we have our (literally) 300 vhs movies on are going to be cleared off and my bettas will go there. So that's cool. The bettas are easy to move though, it's the bigger tanks I'm freaking about.

 

[Erised]

I'll give it that antique look!

ROFL at that!!

About the bigger tanks, would you have any room at all in your room? I had to give up my computer for my 55G tank, and now have to steal my mums every day ... but hey!

Perhaps tell her that if she buys a new stable stand for your 30G it can go where she wants it? Even a great dane shouldn't do too much damage when it's on a stable stand. Perhaps some scared fish for the first weeks, but after that it should be fine I think. We got a cat that's way overweight and very crap at jumping (I know, it's nothing compared to a great dane! ) but she still manages to lay down on top of our tanks (of which 1 has a very bad table/stand!). They can take more than you think

I honestly have no clue! I guess I'm just really lucky that my mum is into fish as well

 

[BettaMomma]

Have your mom go read the thread about my betta wall and the makeover for my son's room in the bettas forum.

I would have to say - since you're 18, technically you are an adult. However, you do still live in your parents' house - and therefore should follow their rules. BUT.. you are renting YOUR ROOM from them, at least, so I would say that you should be able to do what you want to with that. What are the possibilities that you can put some of these tanks in there? And how many?

Just explain to your mom that eventually you'll move out (I'm assuming lol) and you'll most likely take most, if not all, of them with you when you go. Just ask her to be patient with you until them.

 

[quintessential]

It might be more simple to move your mom out and take over her room for all your tanks.
Sorry though it can't be easy being told what to do all the time. She has got to see that the fish take priority over decorating.

 

[CFC]

Threaten to move out, but make sure you actually have the means to do it first or she may call your bluff. Hopefully the thought of her little girl going out into the big bad world alone will cause her to give into your fishy demands, if not your screwed

 

[quintessential]

Careful on that one, when my son threatened to move out we helped him pack and half a day after he made the threat he was gone. yipeeeeeeee

 

[Dorkhedeos]

only problem with threatening to move out is you might actually have to move out

 

[-*-MicHAeL-*-]

LOL i have a mum who hates my fishkeeping and wants rid of all my tanks!!!!
arggghhh

but then again i have a dad who shares my passion and wants them to stay and there is a stalemate and i keep the tanks LOL

 

[GSD]

my mam dont really care as long as i tidy my room lol!and pay for most of the stuff myself

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

I'd say you need to try the adult approach with her rather then resulting to empty threats. And also, if you can possibly manage it, think of finding yourself a small place of your own in the near future. She needs to be reasonable in regards to your rights also. After all, you are paying your way and not sponging off her. Good luck.
Hugs,
P.
P.S:I love having my own place and freedom to do as I will.

 

[GSD]

i cant wait til i get my own place

 

[pica_nuttalli]

do some quick comparison shopping on tank stands and upgrades (to consolidate some of the smaller tanks). think hard about how you can rearange your bedroom (and maybe your brother's) to make additional wallspace. whip up some price sheets and present them to your mother as your side of the "compromise"--i.e. you'll do it, but this is what it will cost her. keep the rearranged floorplans a secret unless she demands to know where these new tanks/stands will go. if she balks at the cost, offer to take on part of the price (but no more than half, since you are paying rent and thus legally have some say in these things)(athough you might not want to mention that to her).

as for sturdy stands, check around at home improvement centers for modular wire shelving. most of these, while a bit industiral-looking, are rated to hold several hundred pounds per shelf--great for a "fishroom" approach of stacked tanks. that might be the quickest and easiest solution for the tanks you have that are under 3'. if you think your mom would go for a Home Depot solution, she might go for Organized Living, which sells slightly nicer quality shelves by the piece allowing for completely custom creations. Organized Living is however twice as expensive (6 foot 5 shelf system: $75-$90 @HD, $150-200 @OL).

 

[Boxcar Muzzdogg]

Somtimes you just have to make a stand. But by that I don't mean constructing a stand for your tank, unless of course it will solve your problem, then go for it.