Oscar Sheila Posted July 16, 2003 Report Share Posted July 16, 2003 For the past 3 or 4 months I have been cleaning a tank for a guy that can no longer do it himself. The tank is in a shop front, and it has had its fair share of problems before I got my claws into it. eg it had a major algae bloom last year. The tank is 23" x 38" x 29", and 111g. Filtered by a Fluval 404, and an overflow. The tank has previously had approximately 3 6" Oscars, a couple of Juraparis, a couple of decent sized angelfish in it as well as 2 Plecos (1 would be 16" I'd say). Anyway, one day he asked me if I could clean it for him (he knew I kept fish because I had expressed my concern with the algae bloom). I accepted, looking forward to moulding the tank to my will. By this time the number of fish had been reduced to a 13" Oscar, 2 6" Juraparis, the huge pleco and another half its size. (I assume the rest died) The guy who owned them said he gravel cleaned it, but when I did it the evidence would suggest otherwise. The gravel was so packed full of poo that when I cleaned a chunk of gravel it sucked the gravel up in a big clump. I had to tap it on the glass to break it up, and when I did this the water that I siphoned off was black. I'm not kidding it was so black I couldn't see through it. So since then it has been doing fine, and people have been noticing that it looks much cleaner. I have been working on the guy to reduce the numbers of fish he has even further, but whenever I tell him that if it was my tank I would not add any more fish, and that I would actually reduce the numbers, he changes the subject and completely disreguards what I say. GRRRRRRR. :evil: When he talks about adding more fish, his only consideration is how they will get on together. Not what the potential Bio-load is going to be, or whether there is going to be enough room for them all. The last time he talked about getting more fish he wanted to get a couple more Oscars to keep the other one company. So. The reason why I an so pi**ed off? He is baby sitting so fish for a friend. (At least thats the story, and it better just be that he is baby sitting, or he is going to have to find someone else to clean his tank). Guess what hes baby sitting. A pacu, another pleco and 5 convicts. So a rundown: 111g tank - One 23" Pacu - One 16" Pleco and Two 9" Plecos - One 13" Tiger Oscar - Two 7" G. Juraparis - Five Convicts (ranging from 1" - 2") So. I'm feeling a tinge of , , , and Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 Oh dear, I understand your anger and frustration. There is no telling some people is there? I don't have any other suggestions for you either. Poor fish! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oscar Sheila Posted July 17, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 I talked to him this afternoon, and he is only babysitting. But hes only baby sitting the Pacu, the convicts and the Pleco are staying. :evil: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nooboon Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 The issue is, if there is a problem with the tank now he is likely to blame you. Maybe it is time he looked after his own tank again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oscar Sheila Posted July 17, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 The issue is, if there is a problem with the tank now he is likely to blame you. Huh? :-? There is no problem with it. The only problem is his unwillingness to learn and his passion for overstocking the tank. Maybe it is time he looked after his own tank again. He can't, he's sick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nooboon Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 Maybe you could suggest a bigger tank then, to compensate for all of these new fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oscar Sheila Posted July 17, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 Maybe you could suggest a bigger tank then, to compensate for all of these new fish. I don't think thats an option. Spacewise, and money wise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Posted July 18, 2003 Report Share Posted July 18, 2003 Can you show him a book with fish tank information in it, from memory wardley produce ?fin facts which is a free book that you can get from your lfs. I think it has a brief rundown of how many fish you should have in a tank, it may be worth a look. This guy might not listen to you, but if you give him books to read and allow him to find out that he shouldn't overpopulate his tank (rather than you telling him) he may be more inclined to change his ways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oscar Sheila Posted July 18, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2003 but if you give him books to read and allow him to find out that he shouldn't overpopulate his tank (rather than you telling him) he may be more inclined to change his ways. So if I give him the books he'll read them? You can't guarantee that. I politely suggested making it a community tank, and he said it was up to me. So that sounds promising. I will try and encourage him to have just 1 Pleco and 2 Oscars, becasue he likes Oscars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Posted July 18, 2003 Report Share Posted July 18, 2003 It doesn't neccesarily mean he will read them. You are right in saying that. However he has a better chance of reading info like this if he has it available to him, and that's where you come in. Also by giving him books and encouraging his learning (even if he doesn't read them) you are more likely to be asked questions. It's all about being tactful and taking your time. Also don't tell him what he can't have, instead try suggesting different options/combinations. If he likes to buy fish maybe you should encourage a community tank. maybe then he would feel like he has enough fish, and you also get the chance to plant it. Remember though that some people will always be stuck in their ways, it's incredibly frustrating but that's life. Also he may have reasons why he doesn't want to listen to your advice, sorry this is the psychiatric nurse coming out in me, past traumas with fish, maybe his illness is affecting him to the degree that he is unable to rationalise other things. Just a few thoughts. Take them as you please. Good Luck matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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