Buying A Tank (help Please!)

[Clbrtwewill]

I have been looking for another (third) tank to get for myself and found a decent looking 40 gallon tank, it's used. All of my tanks have been used and after discussion with the sellers, I have trusted they haven't had any fish with serious problems (one just gave up fishkeeping and had given his fish away, another was moving and sold her cichlids).

So the problem I have is that the guy selling this tank (for a good deal, but now I understand the catch of it) has an oscar in it. In a 40 gallon tank. By itself. And it has hole in the head. Now I haven't kept oscars but I just looked them up, and I looked hole in the head up, and I understand perfectly well why this fish is in such bad condition that it is in, but he wants me to take the fish too potentially (and there's no way I can!) This isn't about my expertise or lack thereof with this kind of fish, as I have none, so please don't go there. I have a couple of angel fish, gouramis, some kuhli loaches and tetras. And a betta.

So, let's say he finds something to do with this fish (I suggested he look up treatment or euthanasia options for it, from what he's said the fish is in really, really bad condition), and I was to buy the tank.

I couldn't find info as per whether or not hole in the head is contagious (and the fish might have other problems too for all I know, I haven't seen it). I clean tanks that I buy but what exactly would I have to do to ensure the other fish wouldn't get it?

It just seemed like a good deal but now there's a really big catch to it. Is it more trouble than its worth?

 

[drobbyb]

You just need some bleach. Fill the tank with a 1 gallon bleach to 10 gallons water solution and let set over night. This will sterilize the inside of the tank.

 

[CKutz]

as far as his oscar. maybe he (or you if you want to speed things up) could look into whether or not a lfs would take him for free, maybe they could treat him and bring him back around and get a good sale. but it would definitely have to be a good lfs..1. to bring back the oscar 2. so that they don't just go and throw it in their tanks and hope to sell it

you wouldnt believe the lfs' around me. i was in one recently and there were two very large oscars in one tank and the bigger one was killing the other right there in front of everyone, literally taking bigggg bites at him and ripping him slowly apart. you would htink they would have noticed this and seperated them?...i dunno..

 

[Clbrtwewill]

You just need some bleach. Fill the tank with a 1 gallon bleach to 10 gallons water solution and let set over night. This will sterilize the inside of the tank.

An entire gallon of it? Wow, that seems like a lot.

as far as his oscar. maybe he (or you if you want to speed things up) could look into whether or not a lfs would take him for free

He's contacted a few stores and none of them are interested in the fish.

The guy was supposed to call me back with tank dimensions and never did last night so maybe changed his mind, I don't know.