Ferret_Friend
Aquarium Advice Activist
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2006
- Messages
- 156
Well, today I had to finally suck it up and return my Oscar and Red Devils to the pet store. I had purchased them all small and they were in my 29 gallon. I intended to upgrade the tank within a couple of months so when they were bigger, they could be moved to a more appropriate tank. The problem was, shortly after the move (in which half my fish died, which is another story altogether), we got a new cat. The cat got sick, so all five of my ferrets got sick. That meant six animals going to the vet, and it meant medicine for six animals. Because of this, any tank upgrading money I may have had was gone. Things have been tight since, and there are many birthdays in the fall in my family, along with Christmas. So, we don't have the money to upgrade.
Today, I returned my fish to the pet store. My Oscar had reached about 9 inches. They weren't kidding when they said he would grow fast. I probably could have gone another month if I removed all the other fish, but I know my finances won't be any better in just a month. I had four red devils. One of them was barely 1.5 inches long. Two were 2-3 inches long. One was 6 inches long. He was clearly the bully of the bunch. In recent weeks, he's really been bullying the other fish, which was my first clue that it was time to upgrade or return. Then the water parameters starting going out of control and I just couldn't keep up; that was clue number two. So, today I finally found the time to put them in my cooler and take them back to the pet store. After this long, they certainly wouldn't give me any money for them, but I'm just happy to see them back in roomier tanks with the chance of going to a home with a more suitable tank setup than a 29 gallon.
Now though, I have a 29 gallon with only a rainbow shark and a 6 inch pleco in it. I'm thinking of putting my full sized silver dollar in here, and my juvenile one. I got two small silvers last night, but one repeatedly got itself stuck to the intake on my filter. I rescued him twice, but he did it again while I was asleep and got himself killed. Survival of the fittest I guess. Yes, the filter is a bit more powerful than needed for a 29 gallon, but my painted tetras of the same size had NO problems every staying away from the intake. I'm guessing the move to my tank just stressed this little guy out too much.
So, my silvers will be going in this tank, then I may put on or two more smaller fish in there. Not sure what yet. My Corys seem to be very happy in my other 29 gallon, and my betta and my rainbow don't get along (my last betta had no problems with him, but this one... they just don't get along at all). I don't wish to move my ropefish to this tank because he likes to hide in the conch I put in the other one. I guess I'll figure it out. In the end, I'll probably just stick with the two silvers, the rainbow, and the pleco. That's certainly enough for that tank anyhow. We know how much trouble I have with keeping from impulse buying and getting an overstocked tank.
If I was smart, I'd go all saltwater. The costs involved would make it far more difficult for me to overstock. Even so, I probably would still manage to do it, so I'll stick with fresh for a few more years first. Maybe next year I'll have the money for my 125 gallon tank. I've been wanting one for some time. We'll see I guess.
Today, I returned my fish to the pet store. My Oscar had reached about 9 inches. They weren't kidding when they said he would grow fast. I probably could have gone another month if I removed all the other fish, but I know my finances won't be any better in just a month. I had four red devils. One of them was barely 1.5 inches long. Two were 2-3 inches long. One was 6 inches long. He was clearly the bully of the bunch. In recent weeks, he's really been bullying the other fish, which was my first clue that it was time to upgrade or return. Then the water parameters starting going out of control and I just couldn't keep up; that was clue number two. So, today I finally found the time to put them in my cooler and take them back to the pet store. After this long, they certainly wouldn't give me any money for them, but I'm just happy to see them back in roomier tanks with the chance of going to a home with a more suitable tank setup than a 29 gallon.
Now though, I have a 29 gallon with only a rainbow shark and a 6 inch pleco in it. I'm thinking of putting my full sized silver dollar in here, and my juvenile one. I got two small silvers last night, but one repeatedly got itself stuck to the intake on my filter. I rescued him twice, but he did it again while I was asleep and got himself killed. Survival of the fittest I guess. Yes, the filter is a bit more powerful than needed for a 29 gallon, but my painted tetras of the same size had NO problems every staying away from the intake. I'm guessing the move to my tank just stressed this little guy out too much.
So, my silvers will be going in this tank, then I may put on or two more smaller fish in there. Not sure what yet. My Corys seem to be very happy in my other 29 gallon, and my betta and my rainbow don't get along (my last betta had no problems with him, but this one... they just don't get along at all). I don't wish to move my ropefish to this tank because he likes to hide in the conch I put in the other one. I guess I'll figure it out. In the end, I'll probably just stick with the two silvers, the rainbow, and the pleco. That's certainly enough for that tank anyhow. We know how much trouble I have with keeping from impulse buying and getting an overstocked tank.
If I was smart, I'd go all saltwater. The costs involved would make it far more difficult for me to overstock. Even so, I probably would still manage to do it, so I'll stick with fresh for a few more years first. Maybe next year I'll have the money for my 125 gallon tank. I've been wanting one for some time. We'll see I guess.
