Peanut_Power;1758455; said:
Our fish are all rescued fish. My husband found them at a moving away yard sale--eight very large fish crammed in a very dirty 55 gallon tank. Like the previous owners, we knew nothing about fish/fishkeeping. We had to get online to figure which fish were the pacus and which were the oscars. I joined five fish forums to learn fishkeeping.
Like you, I've been through rough times. During the time we were setting up our 300 gallon tank, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. During that two month span of setting up the tank--stand build, major radical plumbing on the tank, 3 surgeries for me, fishless cycling the tank--it all came together, and the pacu and two oscars and the plecos were enjoying their new home before I became radically ill from chemotherapy. There was a reclining chair I could lie on to watch the fish when I was very ill. I discovered that even in my sickest moments, I could still sit at my computer and browse fish forums. I spent days on Oscarfish.com. I was educated and entertained by fish forums. We started out as newbies who knew nothing. Our horrendous experience of daily 100% water changes (we changed out more than 55 gallons a day, 15 gallons at a time) on the severely overcrowded 55 gallon tank, made my husband determined to design a low maintenance system for the new tank. It was a really good thing, because I was too ill to even think about having to vacuum out the new tank. Our tank is bare and undecorated, but it is a safe clean home for our fish.
Fishkeeping is not a hobby for us. Our fish are part of our family, and we are committed to them for the rest of their lives. After I was through chemotherapy, we spent five weeks at the lake recuperating. Every 7 - 12 days, we made the 9+ hours round trip home to do water changes. We try to keep the nitrates < 20 ppm. Since pacu can live 30+ years, we're in it for the long haul. We live in a fairly remote area, and getting rid of our pacu would be a death sentence for them as there is no place for them to go. Our fish bring joy into our home. They helped us through rough times. Getting rid of them is not an option. We did lose the plecos, and one oscar died from HITH. Freddy, the stunted runt oscar is alone in original tank.
Our fish are dearly loved.
Original tank
Just before my husband cut my hair off. My hair fell out that week.
Between chemo rounds, feeling well enough to play 9 holes with a visiting friend
