CWO4GUNNER
12-30-2009, 6:51 PM
At feeding time today I turn on all the tank lights in my 5 aquariums so that my fish know its time, not that my fish are in the dark as they receive allot of window and reflected light.
After the lights I open all the hoods, canopies and glass covers then proceed to drop in the appropriate foods depending on the species and diet at the time.
I have only been keeping Oscars for a few months after 35 years when I had reds. These being Albino reds I really love the contrasting white and red colors. One is now a full 5.5” and the other about 4” and both are very enthusiastic about feeding time because they are not over fed at all but get a couple good size mouthfuls once a day.
I had noticed that while the smaller of the two Oscars is careful and deliberate at getting his food, the larger has always seem to snatch at the food, taking out of others mouths what is not eaten and occasionally braking the surface, once even taking the food out of my fingers a few inches above the tank.
Today the large Oscar and I have an very bad unexpected moment. As I sprinkled cichlid flake on the surface. As I walked away from the tank (lids open) I heard a slash and looking back I could see the large Oscar cart wheeling in the air at least 2 feet above and 1 foot away from the tank. I tried desperately to do the football save to the ground but I was too late he was on the ground hoping like fish do and my two Bombay cats were quickly on the scene to watch me as I desperately tried to get him off the carpet.
A commanding hiss from me dispatched my cats to the other room who are trained to know that means to back off. The poor Oscar was in and out of my hands as just as I though I had him he flopped under the cheap store bought aquarium cabinet which has a bottom shelf that one can barley fit arms.
No choice now as time out of the tank under the dust-bunny filled bottom of the cabinet as I groped to grab the fish without sight, finally pinning him to the carpet and dragging him out looking like some hideous ferry creature with lint, spider webbing and cat-nip crumbs for hair. Somewhere inside was a still wiggling fish.
As I stood up I wondered what to do! Wash him off in the sink? No I thought, the temperature and water chemistry difference would put him into further shock! So I took a deep breath and placed him back into his tank like some dirt-clod was released. Emerging from the cloud he swam to the bottom and hid.
After about 5 minutes he emerged pretty clean as if not too much had happened and a couple scratches here and there, then continued to eat in a much more careful manner as if he realized that it was not my fault LOL. If he shows any negative behavior in the next few hours I make some matching water in the portable QT tank with some salt and T-tree oil.
After the lights I open all the hoods, canopies and glass covers then proceed to drop in the appropriate foods depending on the species and diet at the time.
I have only been keeping Oscars for a few months after 35 years when I had reds. These being Albino reds I really love the contrasting white and red colors. One is now a full 5.5” and the other about 4” and both are very enthusiastic about feeding time because they are not over fed at all but get a couple good size mouthfuls once a day.
I had noticed that while the smaller of the two Oscars is careful and deliberate at getting his food, the larger has always seem to snatch at the food, taking out of others mouths what is not eaten and occasionally braking the surface, once even taking the food out of my fingers a few inches above the tank.
Today the large Oscar and I have an very bad unexpected moment. As I sprinkled cichlid flake on the surface. As I walked away from the tank (lids open) I heard a slash and looking back I could see the large Oscar cart wheeling in the air at least 2 feet above and 1 foot away from the tank. I tried desperately to do the football save to the ground but I was too late he was on the ground hoping like fish do and my two Bombay cats were quickly on the scene to watch me as I desperately tried to get him off the carpet.
A commanding hiss from me dispatched my cats to the other room who are trained to know that means to back off. The poor Oscar was in and out of my hands as just as I though I had him he flopped under the cheap store bought aquarium cabinet which has a bottom shelf that one can barley fit arms.
No choice now as time out of the tank under the dust-bunny filled bottom of the cabinet as I groped to grab the fish without sight, finally pinning him to the carpet and dragging him out looking like some hideous ferry creature with lint, spider webbing and cat-nip crumbs for hair. Somewhere inside was a still wiggling fish.
As I stood up I wondered what to do! Wash him off in the sink? No I thought, the temperature and water chemistry difference would put him into further shock! So I took a deep breath and placed him back into his tank like some dirt-clod was released. Emerging from the cloud he swam to the bottom and hid.
After about 5 minutes he emerged pretty clean as if not too much had happened and a couple scratches here and there, then continued to eat in a much more careful manner as if he realized that it was not my fault LOL. If he shows any negative behavior in the next few hours I make some matching water in the portable QT tank with some salt and T-tree oil.