help to save bahooka's mascot, rufus~~~ - General Tiki

T tikiskip Grand Member (8 years) Joined: Nov 26, 2005 Posts: 5994	T tikiskip Posted posted on Wed, Feb 5, 2014 5:38 PM Looks like San Francisco's famous Steinhart Aquarium took these fish. "maintenance was grueling" "Read this story about the enormous tank size requirements for Pacus I bought two red belly pacus back in 1993, when they were only the size of a half dollar coin. Not doing any research on these two fish, I bought them because I enjoyed their manner in appearance, the way they fed, and their "unaggressiveness"; however, as they slowly grew in size, despite their small size, all of my small connunity fish became their dinner. Years later, (around Sept. 1999) reluctantly, I gave them up. They were still surviving in a 200 liter tank, with crystal clear water flowing endlessly, as they stayed by the bottom of the tank, moving slowly about, and only during feeding time did they briskly move their now 50 cm long, close to 6 kg bodies about. These two beautiful fish were like family members; the maintenance was grueling, but more importantly, I loved them, and could no longer subject them to such confining living space. Living only some 56 km southeast from San Francisco's famous Steinhart Aquarium, I finally got a commitment from the staff that they would keep my fish, instead of "utilizing them as fish feed". My pacus were initially placed in a 2000 liter holding/quarantine tank, making sure they did not harbour any parasites or diseases that could infect other members of the amazon-type setting they would eventually be placed. Finally, my two pacus were placed in a 50,000 liter amazon type pool, along with several larger pacus, caymen, large tortoises, eels, and other amazon type fish. On several occasions I visited them, and they grew even larger (twice their size). Interestingly, I was always able to recognize them (they were lighter in colour) and believe it, or not, I would gently tap on the glass, and "call" out to them: "Hey guys, how are you doing?", and as they had done hundreds of times when I had them at home with me, they would swim where I was, and stay by me, as if saying: "We are fine, now are you going to be feeding us?"

Looks like San Francisco's famous Steinhart Aquarium took these fish.
"maintenance was grueling"

"Read this story about the enormous tank size requirements for Pacus
I bought two red belly pacus back in 1993, when they were only the size of a half dollar coin. Not doing any research on these two fish, I bought them because I enjoyed their manner in appearance, the way they fed, and their "unaggressiveness"; however, as they slowly grew in size, despite their small size, all of my small connunity fish became their dinner. Years later, (around Sept. 1999) reluctantly, I gave them up. They were still surviving in a 200 liter tank, with crystal clear water flowing endlessly, as they stayed by the bottom of the tank, moving slowly about, and only during feeding time did they briskly move their now 50 cm long, close to 6 kg bodies about. These two beautiful fish were like family members; the maintenance was grueling, but more importantly, I loved them, and could no longer subject them to such confining living space. Living only some 56 km southeast from San Francisco's famous Steinhart Aquarium, I finally got a commitment from the staff that they would keep my fish, instead of "utilizing them as fish feed". My pacus were initially placed in a 2000 liter holding/quarantine tank, making sure they did not harbour any parasites or diseases that could infect other members of the amazon-type setting they would eventually be placed. Finally, my two pacus were placed in a 50,000 liter amazon type pool, along with several larger pacus, caymen, large tortoises, eels, and other amazon type fish. On several occasions I visited them, and they grew even larger (twice their size). Interestingly, I was always able to recognize them (they were lighter in colour) and believe it, or not, I would gently tap on the glass, and "call" out to them: "Hey guys, how are you doing?", and as they had done hundreds of times when I had them at home with me, they would swim where I was, and stay by me, as if saying: "We are fine, now are you going to be feeding us?"

Post #706878 by tikiskip on Wed, Feb 5, 2014 5:38 PM