My Oscar Is Checking Out...

[lumberjack]

How big is that aquarium?

 

[MasterBlaster]

A 46 or 48 gal bowfront.

 

[lumberjack]

So what did you do with the fish while cleaning the tank?

 

[MasterBlaster]

He in the freezer and will go out with the trash tomorrow. He's too big to flush.

 

[lumberjack]

I meant while he was alive and you had to clean the tank.

I'm an aquarium nooob.

 

[MasterBlaster]

You don't clean a tank, they are self sustaining and need lots of good bacteria to maintain homeostasis. What you do is clean the glass, the filters in the power filters, and do routine partial water changes using an aquarium gravel suction thingy.

 

[lumberjack]

Gotcha.

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kopwVqXOGe4&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kopwVqXOGe4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

 

[Mr. Sir]

That's what I was mentioning earlier; that tank had rocks, shells, plants, etc. Something besides just gravel and a fish.

 

[lumberjack]

http://www.oscarfishlover.com/index.php/Oscar-tank/Oscar-Fish-tank-setup.html

 

[MasterBlaster]

That's what I was mentioning earlier; that tank had rocks, shells, plants, etc. Something besides just gravel and a fish.

Yes, that guy must not know a lot about Oscars. Decorations just get knocked around and they can hurt the fish.

 

[woodworkingboy]

I don't know about putting things in the tank for scenery, except for it making it more interesting to look at for the human. For the fish, eight years in there, any type of ornamentation in your crib would get old after awhile. Just wonder how much they get stimulated by their surroundings? Food seems to be the main priority. Some of the tropical fish seem to like cruising out near the aerator bubbles.

 

[Mr. Sir]

Ha! WTF was I thinking? It's a FISH! Food and water, bingo!

 

[woodworkingboy]

Right, it's just like those crazy people who feel the need to put clothing on monkeys....underpants, even shoes, the whole nine yards. Butch should have put a wetsuit on his oscar.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Yes, fish aren't concerned with any of man's decorations. Most require some sorta shelter/hiding place, but that's about it.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Some fish really prefer the minimal in terms of surroundings, the bottom dwellers like halibut, in particular. Those deep water species as well, not much down there at those great depths, where sunlight doesn't penetrate.

 

[MasterBlaster]

So here's the new aquasclupture set up. I'm not sure 'zactly whut kinda fish I'm gonna introduce, but it won't be an Oscar.

 

[treetx]

8 years and you never named the fish?

 

[MasterBlaster]

We didn't talk all that much. Hell, I haven't even named my two cats. Seriously, what are names to an animal?

 

[Blinky]

My favorite freshwater fish is a good old native chain pickerel. Vicious but elegant, they start little but grow big if you feed'em well. Live food mainly, blackworms when they're little and feeder goldies when they get bigger.

Only thing is, you can't buy'em and it's illegal to collect them without a permit... but permits are free and easy to get if that bothers you.

 

[treetx]

Heck, what are names to people?

It is ok to name an animal

 

[MasterBlaster]

Names for people are most important, animals less so.

 

[Che]

I would have named him Oscar.

Chip, that fish looks like a mean sob.

 

[Mr. Sir]

Yup, I wuld have named him Oscar and thrown a little trash can in the tank for him to sleep in.

You'd need a pretty big tank for a pickerel.

 

[Blinky]

Yup, I wuld have named him Oscar and thrown a little trash can in the tank for him to sleep in.

You'd need a pretty big tank for a pickerel.

I like the garbage can idea, you could add the Chain Pickerel and name him Beaker... feed'em little gold Elmos.

You'd need a pretty big tank for a pickerel.

I never kept them more than a year so they were about 5" long when I let'em go. That was in a 40 gallon breeder with some other young of the year natives.

I saw three 15" pike in a 50 gallon at a bait shop once... looked a little cozy for my taste.

 

[woodworkingboy]

How about one of these for the new set up? They are pretty layed back and hearty, and become large as well.

By the way, did you know that there is an oscar forum? It's a little after the fact, though.

http://www.oscarfish.com/