My First Monsters!!!!

ifoundnemo

Feeder Fish
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Mar 12, 2008
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So I was browsing through my LFS yesterday to see what had come in since my last visit (lucky for me they carry cat litter and whatever odds and ends I needed for my other animals, so I visit quite often!) Anyway, I'm browsing their stock when what should appear before my eyes.. but PACUS! I couldn't believe it. They have never ever carried any monsters. The closest shop that does is about an hour and a half away from me - I usually only go there when I absolutely have to, thanks to the obscene gas prices.

So here I am, overcome with joy that I can finally get my first monsters!! :nilly: I ring the bell for 'fish assistance' and wait impatiently. :chillpill:

Then this kid comes bumbling over. He looks to be about 16, and asks me if I want fish. Mind you, I just pressed the button that buzzes in the back room to tell him that someone wants fish. And I was the only person in the store. So I tell the rocket scientist yes, give me two pacus. "Two what??" he asks, scanning every other tank besides the one I'm pointing at. Once he gets his act together, he starts trying to slam them into a corner and into his little net. Meanwhile, I'm like "Careful! Don't kill them!.. just sneak up on them. Be gentle! God!" So finally I just take the net and gently scoop two little pacus out myself. I lecure the noob about how you can't just smack 'em with the net and expect them to jump right in. What a genius, really. :duh: I hope the rest of the pacus in the tank survive. Poor little buggers.

So after my adventure at the LFS, I head home with my new RBP babies, resisting the urge to name them (it's bad luck!! i swear!!). I moved them in with my gold severum, rainbow shark, nicaraguan cichlid, and silver dollars. Sure enough, my silver dollars took to them immediately and it's a happy tank still. I'm hoping that by putting them with my calm, trusting fish they too will become calm and trusting. I am going to try my very best to prevent them from being tankbusters down the road. I usually hand-feed bloodworms so that all my fishies get super excited when I get near the tank. Hehe. ;)

Any and all suggestions from anyone who has or had pacus is welcome, and much appreciated!! They're as cute as a button - and about the size of one too! - for right now, but I know they'll quickly become monsters and I need to be as prepared as I can be. There's only so many books and articles I can read.. it's the first-hand experiences that really help!

Right now, they're sharing the 75g with my other babies but I know that won't last long. I was thinking of getting a used 180g as the next step.. or should I just bite the bullet and go straight for the 300? How fast do they really grow, in your experience? What do you recommend?

Like I said, any and all advice is appreciated. I'm sure I'll be posting a million times in the next few weeks.. I feel like a new mom! I'll be posting pictures soon too! :D
 

headbanger_jib

Doomsday Device
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Nov 12, 2007
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welcome to MFK
thats how most of the employees treat fish at the lfs
 

koop171

Fire Eel
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Feb 1, 2008
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Take it one set at a time if you can afford it b/c then you'll have three tanks insted of 2
 

BushFishRox

Jack Dempsey
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Jul 7, 2007
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yes welcome to MFK...

I say it would be best to go for the 300 right away then you can use your 75 as a sump. They can reach 3' so eventually you may want something bigger then a 300...
 

ifoundnemo

Feeder Fish
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Mar 12, 2008
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koop171;1787232; said:
Take it one set at a time if you can afford it b/c then you'll have three tanks insted of 2
I never thought of it that way.. great idea. Now I'll have to start planning on what to put in the 180 when the pacus move out.. hmm... hehe :D
 

ifoundnemo

Feeder Fish
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Mar 12, 2008
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BushFishRox;1787249; said:
...They can reach 3' so eventually you may want something bigger then a 300...
Oh boy, something I just thought of is worrying me. If water weighs roughly 8.34 pounds per gallon (according to all the calculation sites I've visited) then a 300 gallon tank will weigh over 2,500 pounds, plus the weight of the tank itself, fish, gravel, etc etc. How do I find out if the floor can support that weight? Besides trial and error.. frankly, I don't think I have enough towels for that. :WHOA: Where would I find that information?
 

r3d

Gambusia
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May 5, 2008
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your definetly gunna need a bigger tank soon pacus grow insanely big and fast:screwy:
 

ifoundnemo

Feeder Fish
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Mar 12, 2008
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Whoa, on another pacu thread someone said that a 5,000g pond is ideal.. for 2 pacus? Isn't that a tad overkill? Or are my calculations the ones that are wrong? I was thinking that at 30"x12" each (no other tankmates) the biggest tank I will end up with is a 500g.

Also, since they are called tankbusters for a reason.. would acrylic be a better choice? I know it would cost a heck of a lot more than glass, but would it save me a lot of trouble in the long run?
 

Dr Joe

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Mine grew 16" in the first 10 months. :D

Do a search for Paco mom and find her system, they did it right!

Dr Joe

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