Some of you may remember a couple of threads I put up about keeping wild caught fish (during the summer). Well, we are now halfway through fall and heading into winter. During the summer, I caught many pbass in my backyard canal, the biggest being slightly over 18 (btw, you can see a 14" I caught in my gallery). While I was fishing for a biggun', I left a minnow trap right off the canal bank. I used the inverted top 2 liter coke bottle trap, and left it in the water with one end tied to a tree branch. I never caught anything beyond a couple billion jewel cichlids (also in my gallery), so decided to stop. However, I forgot the trap in the water. Today I was fishing outside for the first time since early august when I noticed the trap still attached to the tree. I hauled it out of the water, and the water inside was totally muddy. I started draining the trap when I noticed what looked like a cockroach fall out. It was a dead crayfish. I shuddered at the thought of what might have been trapped inside for 3 months, but undid the trap anyways. There were 4 dead crayfish other than the one that fell out, a couple dead jewels, a few dead minnows, and three baby pbass. I started dumping them out, when I noticed one of the pbass wasn't behaving like a dead fish should. Whenever I tumbled or turned the trap, it would stay upright. I then realized the little guy was still alive! I rushed to get a cup of water for him, and took him inside to one of my empty tanks. I latched on a heater, filled the tank with warm water, and put him in. I expected him to die, but 12 hours later, he is behaving like a shy baby cichlid should!
Now for the help part. I haven't personally kept peacocks before, so am a bit clueless. The baby is around 1.5", maybe 2" with the tale. He has no sores, hooked on parasites, visible worms, or other illness. What should i feed the poor guy? How should I take care of him. My canal water is getting colder, and the fish that were unable to pack on enough weight and size to travel to deeper waters have died off. I can't release him now. Help me MFK! I owe this guy some tlc for what I must have put him through.
Now for the help part. I haven't personally kept peacocks before, so am a bit clueless. The baby is around 1.5", maybe 2" with the tale. He has no sores, hooked on parasites, visible worms, or other illness. What should i feed the poor guy? How should I take care of him. My canal water is getting colder, and the fish that were unable to pack on enough weight and size to travel to deeper waters have died off. I can't release him now. Help me MFK! I owe this guy some tlc for what I must have put him through.
