Rescued a Pacu

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Hasn't see any pacus for sale in my local areas for few years. I think two of my lfs has a huge display tank holds pacus...it was probably keep most buyers away from buying baby pacus after saw the adult pacus in the display tanks. Funny thing is that these pacus are for sale...and they are free but the pacus are still there for two years.
 
That's what I'd like to do if I ever open up a fish store. Have a big tank for Pacus and another big tank for Oscars.

I posted an adoption ad for the Blood Parrot on my local Craigslist -

5-6 inch Blood Parrot looking for a home, must have at least 55 gallons or larger tank size. Would prefer it go to a tank that has other Blood Parrots but will do fine on its own. Must show knowledge of caring for fish.

If you have all of this and understand how to care for one, then it is yours for free. It was a rescue blood parrot from horrible conditions and I will not have it live in another bad situation. The first photo is the tank when I first rescued the BP. The other is a current photo. The tank is not up for grabs.
Click to expand...

Within an hour, I got an e-mail. I've been talking with the potential new owner of the BP. Here's our e-mails -

Her: I would love to have your blood parrot. I have a nice 80 gallon swim through tank that I have set up. It is clean, cycled and ready for an inhabitant. I have sand in the bottom and filter has been running a month. I will send a picture if you want. Lmk. Thanks.

Me: What have you been using to keep the cycle going? Have you had experience keeping fish?

That's a very interesting tank. How wide are those swim-through tunnels? BPs can get up to 9 inches.

Her: It was cycled a couple weeks ago. They are 4 inches but can be blocked off to prevent harm or to have two separate (non compatible) species. I use a solution for cycling tanks called nite out 2 (microbe lift ) treatment. We use it in our saltwater tanks also. I have a 75 gallon that I can transfer him to when he gets bigger. My saltwater tanks are 75 gallon and 90 gallons. I have a 10 gallon set up for my betta and one for my kids goldfish... we like fish.

Me: Okay, that last email convinced me. He's yours. :)
Click to expand...

Here's the photo of the interesting swim-through tank before it was filled with water and sand and cycled, etc -

SwimThruTank.jpg



When I went closer to the tank for an examination of the BP, I discovered it had black spots covering him. At first I didn't know what it was, but then I realized that the BP is most likely RECOVERING from ammonia burn. It's possible the filter before the tank was rescued was so overloaded with ammonia that the bacteria couldn't process everything and the BP was being slowly burnt. Now that it's been in clean water for a while, it's finally starting to heal itself.

2012-05-23_10-58-48_570.jpg


2012-05-23_10-58-59_41.jpg


2012-05-23_10-59-12_560.jpg


2012-05-23_10-59-22_573.jpg



Also, it's a good thing this BP is being adopted, as it's been starting to go after the Pacu and the Pacu has nowhere to escape.
 
im very amazing and inspired by your story. :)
 
You should try the Pittsburg zoo and ppg aquarium they have a 89,000 gallon amazon tank with a school of varied species of pacu I take classes there and I am sure they would take it


Sent from my iPod touch using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
Brobstfish! I'll add them to my to-call list.

I MAY, very tentative MAY have a lead on a home for the Pacu... Is 450 Gallons enough?
 
ZeeZ said:
Brobstfish! I'll add them to my to-call list.

I MAY, very tentative MAY have a lead on a home for the Pacu... Is 450 Gallons enough?
Click to expand...
Yes for a few months but I don't think it would be enough to hold a full-grown pacu permamently.
 
The Shedd Aquarium's lines were busy the three separate times I called. I have called a total of 16 Zoos and Aquariums. None are accepting. When I called the Tulsa Zoo and Aquarium, they said that they had gotten three other Pacu calls today before me. The Tanked people were not answering their phone calls, but I've sent them e-mails. This is making me lean toward the lines of euthanasia if I cannot find a home for the Pacu.

I just don't know what to do next. This was done with nothing but good intentions, but as they say, good intentions can and do end badly. I don't want that to happen with this Pacu.

I will keep trying, but I'm beginning to see that this particular Pacu will have the fate of many other Pacus... a short life.
 
I've been thinking about getting one of those kiddie pools. You know, the $15 dollar ones. I wouldn't really need a heater now that it's warm during the day and stays fairly warm at night. I'd have to get a small pond filter for it. I found a calculator and it says 5 feet by 2 feet deep circular pool comes out at 300 gallons. It's not a permanent solution, but it's a heck lot better than what the Pacu is in right now. I have a tarp to cover the pool to help keep him calm and keep things out.

It would sort out his living situation for at least several months during the summer and give me more time to find him a home while he would have plenty of space and room to grow.
 
ZeeZ said:
I've been thinking about getting one of those kiddie pools. You know, the $15 dollar ones. I wouldn't really need a heater now that it's warm during the day and stays fairly warm at night. I'd have to get a small pond filter for it. I found a calculator and it says 5 feet by 2 feet deep circular pool comes out at 300 gallons. It's not a permanent solution, but it's a heck lot better than what the Pacu is in right now. I have a tarp to cover the pool to help keep him calm and keep things out.

It would sort out his living situation for at least several months during the summer and give me more time to find him a home while he would have plenty of space and room to grow.
Click to expand...
Best thing you would do something for this pacu is put him down. And don't rescue another pacu in future.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom