Hello guys,
I have just managed to rehome my pair of Buttikoferi, and so are just left with my 7 x geos Tapajos in my 180cm x 60cm x 60cm.
I belong to a couple of fish groups here, and long story short, I have landed up rescuing and temporarily housing two red belly pacu from some pretty dismal conditions. I'm surprised they managed to survive so long. The owner was closing down the tank, and if no one was going to take these guys, they would be "disposed of".
They were kept in a "large tank" - (3ft to be exact. here 90cm - 100cm and above is the start of "large sized tanks").
Not only were there two pacu in here, but there were also two giant gourami's. All four of them had been living together in there for about 10 months. He had no idea how old they were, but they were only a little smaller than they currently are when he had bought them from someone else who had them in a similar set up. They didn't grow that much he said. So I don't know their age, but they have to be a year or more I am sure.
The fish could barely turn around, and you will see how damaged the front of their faces are in the video below.
Water changes were only done once every 15days, and when I got there to collect them, the water was very green and smelled super "fishy".
This was only last week, and I am happy to say I have already found a home for one of them. (he is going into a circular pond, which from the pictures doesn't look too huge, but I'm sure over 300gal. But he wouldn't take them both. So I am left with one I am still trying to rehome properly. All the other people who want to adopt him have "large tanks" 100cm - 150cm max thus far who want to take him to live with their Oscars and Arowanas. So still waiting for the right fish to bite in that regard.
I know these pacu may be a little stunted and probably wont grow to their max size, but I'm sure they will still grow and get much bigger. What I want to know from the more experienced keepers out there is what the growth rate of the pacu I have left will be, how stunted he may be considering the previous conditions he was in, the fact he is already over a year old and still at the 23cm mark? (I have kept the smaller one of the two) How long do I have if I don't manage to find someone to adopt this one? I want to start planning now and not leave this worst scenario until he is too big.
I have a final back up plan, but its really last resort and not ideal. I would prefer to find someone who can properly care for him.
Lastly, are the wounds one their upper lips likely to heal up totally over time?
Filtration: 6000L per hour running through 3 x largest canisters could buy, all packed with ceramic media. And of course my wall of pothos. With 80% water changes twice a week.
Thanks!
- the feeding video is just them vacuuming up the geos food, I have some large pellets for them as well as shrimp they seem to enjoy.
I have just managed to rehome my pair of Buttikoferi, and so are just left with my 7 x geos Tapajos in my 180cm x 60cm x 60cm.
I belong to a couple of fish groups here, and long story short, I have landed up rescuing and temporarily housing two red belly pacu from some pretty dismal conditions. I'm surprised they managed to survive so long. The owner was closing down the tank, and if no one was going to take these guys, they would be "disposed of".
They were kept in a "large tank" - (3ft to be exact. here 90cm - 100cm and above is the start of "large sized tanks").
Not only were there two pacu in here, but there were also two giant gourami's. All four of them had been living together in there for about 10 months. He had no idea how old they were, but they were only a little smaller than they currently are when he had bought them from someone else who had them in a similar set up. They didn't grow that much he said. So I don't know their age, but they have to be a year or more I am sure.
The fish could barely turn around, and you will see how damaged the front of their faces are in the video below.
Water changes were only done once every 15days, and when I got there to collect them, the water was very green and smelled super "fishy".
This was only last week, and I am happy to say I have already found a home for one of them. (he is going into a circular pond, which from the pictures doesn't look too huge, but I'm sure over 300gal. But he wouldn't take them both. So I am left with one I am still trying to rehome properly. All the other people who want to adopt him have "large tanks" 100cm - 150cm max thus far who want to take him to live with their Oscars and Arowanas. So still waiting for the right fish to bite in that regard.
I know these pacu may be a little stunted and probably wont grow to their max size, but I'm sure they will still grow and get much bigger. What I want to know from the more experienced keepers out there is what the growth rate of the pacu I have left will be, how stunted he may be considering the previous conditions he was in, the fact he is already over a year old and still at the 23cm mark? (I have kept the smaller one of the two) How long do I have if I don't manage to find someone to adopt this one? I want to start planning now and not leave this worst scenario until he is too big.
I have a final back up plan, but its really last resort and not ideal. I would prefer to find someone who can properly care for him.
Lastly, are the wounds one their upper lips likely to heal up totally over time?
Filtration: 6000L per hour running through 3 x largest canisters could buy, all packed with ceramic media. And of course my wall of pothos. With 80% water changes twice a week.
Thanks!
- the feeding video is just them vacuuming up the geos food, I have some large pellets for them as well as shrimp they seem to enjoy.
