Fish Tales
Last weekend Nathan started cleaning the turtle and fish tank. It was a bit murkish in there and would be a big job. When I stopped him, he had gotten the Pleco and the turtle out of the tank and started taking out the water. We had talked about getting a bigger tank for them for some time; both the turtle and the fish had outgrown three tanks already. We had a bit of saving, and I said, “Let’s just let the turtle and fish hand out in their buckets for a moment and we’ll run to the pet store and get the big tank (125 gallons) we’ve had our eye on. He thought that was a fine idea, so we headed to Petsmart. We waited around until we could catch the sales kid’s eye, and we told him we wanted the 125 Gal tank, which is 6 feet long and comes with a cabinet. We also got gravel and a nice tank filtration system, and a decorative piece that looks like mangrove roots.
We got the tank out to the car and discovered we could only fit it if we put down the passenger side and all the back seats, but the cabinet was not going to fit in too. So they slid that huge, heavy glass tank into our car, and I scrambled in the back beside it. Nathan piled the six big bags of gravel and the tank filter system in, and we drove home (about a 20-minute drive). When we got home, there were no strong sales kids to help us get the tank out of the car, so Nathan got it out by himself (he didn’t want to risk my back). I did help with some holding, guidance, leverage, and moral support. We just put it in the living room for the time being. The cats were VERY interested.
While Nathan went back to the pet store to get the base (looks like a credenza) and some feeder fish (he got ten), I cleaned out the corner of the Mannex, which is where we ended up putting it (upstairs). Once Nathan got home, there was the base to bring in, Then the old tank to take down (T-Mayn (that’s the turtle’s name) and Pleco (the fish is a Plecostomus) were very patient), the base to take up, then the tank, both of which are 6 feet long. Whew! Nathan was quite sore the next day. We got the turtle and fish installed, the turtle’s little sunbathing box (we call it the condo), and finally, the little fish.
The next day we went back to the pet store, and We got the things we had forgotten, and I also splurged on three beautiful fancy goldfish (fantails). Stupid to put fancies in with a river turtle? Well, yes. But they seem to have found detente, and only two of them had chomps taken out of their tails. We still have six feeder fish left, which amazes me, they’re just little tiny things, but I think they’re already growing bold. We put in some air stones to give them more oxygen in the water, and everyone perked right up when we installed these. It’s very pretty, too, to see those bubbles.
We’ve enjoyed the tank so much. It’s very relaxing; I can watch it for hours. The cats enjoy watching it, too. T-Mayn has learned how to drag the tubes attached to the water stones around, and she enjoys rearranging them. A good weekend’s work.
