My Rescued Oscar

[AquaNut]

Maybe he's Chester Bertuzzi! Todd's younger brother!!!

 

[AquaNut]

It's official! He's Chester Bertuzzi! I talked it over with him, and he says we got it right.

 

[freshmike]

SUWEET!!! I think Chester bertuzzi is swell!

 

[AquaNut]

Ugh... Chester Bertuzzi is sorta lying on his side like he's really stressed and unhappy. I sure hope he hangs in there until I can get him into something more palatial.

 

[freshmike]

Did you do a rapid temp change?

 

[AquaNut]

No... over the course of about two hours, I slowly added warmer water to the garbage pail he was in until the water he was in was the same temp as the water in the tank (started with it at about 75). Since he's been in the tank, about two more hours, I've slowly raised it to about 77. I figured that would be warm enough for now... seeing as he's been in 69 until now!! That's about two degrees per hour... that's not too radical, is it?

Edit: I should add that he was lying on his side on the bottom of the tank when I was at the house getting him and they said, "He does that quite often... lies on his side like that... and you'd think he's not well, but he's been doing it ever since we got him."

I presumed it wasn't really normal behaviour, but the stress of living in an inappropriate tank/no heat etc.

 

[freshmike]

He will probably stop doing that once he is settled in a new bigger environment......he is basically poisoning himself in a 20.

 

[AquaNut]

Gah. I wish I could move him into something bigger right now, but I just can't do it. He has to wait until the new flooring is down... I can't possibly move all my fish twice, and there's definitely going to have to be some moving to accomodate a new 75 gallon tank for him, plus the 100 I want to put my 45 gallon community into. Will daily 50% water changes keep him okay for another week or so?

 

[freshmike]

I would only do 25% if you are gonna do it every day....don't wanna shock his probably superman immune system as of yet. Gotta kinda gradually acclimate him to his new life IMO.

 

[AquaNut]

lol Sounds okay to me. I'd rather lug less water than more. Do you use one of those python things to do all your water changes or are you a super hero in addition to all your other claims to fame? lol

 

[freshmike]

OMG! I think the Python is the best money I have ever spent!!! So the answer is no, I am no hero I couldn't imagine doing a 25% water change on the 90 let alone the 180 pailing it!!!!! I am human, therefore, LAZY!!!!!

 

[AquaNut]

We've seen your tanks, and trust me, to fishkeepers everywhere, you're still a hero, python or not.

Btw... would an oscar prefer sand or gravel substrate?

 

[freshmike]

HE would probably prefer sand, but your FILTER would probably prefer gravel seeing as he will probably kick it up, spit it up and it would eventually get into the filter, thus stalling it and destroying impellers and shafts :looks at fronts: "did you hear that guys"

Needless to say I have had this happen several times......It's like they do it on purpose or something!!!

 

[freshmike]

Oh yeah, Thank you for the compliment, Aquanut!

 

[AquaNut]

Gravel it is, then!

And you're welcome!

He's not looking very well. I hope he's gonna be alright. He was very stressed by the whole moving thing.