In my email at work today

[KeithL]

"Hello All-
I know this is a bizarre subject for an email, but here is the situation.... my 18 year old son bought a 20 gallon aquarium and all the filters, etc. and two "Oscar Fish" this summer, that he named Cheech and Chong. They are adorable fish, one dark and one lightish pink, about 4-6" long each, very calm and docile animals.... BUT now he has grown tired of caring for them, and feels he cant afford to keep buying filters and food, and was going to just put them out in a bucket to die last night!!! I know I know, they are JUST FISH, but I just couldn’t let him do it!!! I begged him to wait until I sent a mass email out at work and on my home list, and try to see if someone would "adopt" these fish... He paid over $175 for the tank and all equipment and the fish, and I told him I will try and see if someone would pay $75 OBO for these guys...."

This is so wrong on so many points I don't know where to start. I am afraid If I don't do anything the fish will be set out to freeze. If I do buy the outfit the tank was way to small from the beginning, and I would need to get a large tank and equipment which I don't have the money for right now. If someone who isn't a fish hobbiest gets this setup the fish will not be in the right conditions, so they may be better off in the long run to be put out to die.

Sigh...

[blackwolfXKAV]

maybe check in w/ an LFS

that sucks man...

[jm1212]

wow... welcome to AC, where fish arent "just fish" if you know what i mean...
a 20 gallon tank is much to small for an oscar much lees two. unless you can afford to get at least a 125 gallon tank to fit them both in, look for a local fish store to give them away to. get the tank from him now and save the fish.

[KeithL]

I will be stopping by one tonight and will see if he will take the fish. He has some larger fish and may just have customers for them. Personally I think the tank is worth more without the Oscars who need a new home either way. I have little fish, so unless I want all of them to become feeders my large tank needs to stay Oscarless.

Thanks for your comment.

[dorkfish]

and two "Oscar Fish" this summer, that he named Cheech and Chong.

Hehe... I had two aquatic frogs named that... years ago...

Ya, Jm just summarized what I would say regarding this situation.

[FreakIndeed]

Here's some info you could give the person:

Here's a link to the Craig's Lists for Wisconsin:

http://geo.craigslist.org/iso/us/wi

Craigs List is like an online Tradin' TImes.

Stick an ad up there and let everyone know you have a couple Oscars that you will give away to a good home. In your ad, please let people know they can grow up to 14" and need a really big tank. That way the same thing that happened to your son won't happen to someone else.

There is absolutely NO reason to kill the fish. Someone around you will take them... I'm sure of it!

[KeithL]

Just so it is clearly understood I don't have the fish. Someone who works in the same building has them. I hope to find out in the morning that she found someone who wants them, and knows what they are getting in to. If not I did find a fish store that will take them, so I will offer to get them to that store.

I don't know what the tank looks like, or what kind of filter, heater etc. they have so I don't know if I am willing to take that or not. My big concern is for the fish at this point.

[Cory Lover]

Hi,

I'm not trying to sound mean or anything, but your son should have not got fish if he is gonna get board of them. When you buy a fish you have a commitment to take care of it, and not put it outside to freeze. Also a 20 gallon is too small for Oscars, it should be a 100 gallon tank atleast.

A pet store will probably let you give them back.

Cory Lover

[kveeti]

Cory Lover - Read the post again. It wasn't his son, it was somebody's at work.

[KeithL]

Please READ my post. It is not not not my son. My son is a fine fish owner. I am trying to save these fish from someone who works in my building and sent me the email I quoted.

Read people before responding.

[Cory Lover]

"Hello All-
I know this is a bizarre subject for an email, but here is the situation.... my 18 year old son bought a 20 gallon aquarium and all the filters, etc. and two "Oscar Fish" this summer, that he named Cheech and Chong.

But you say my 18 year old son bought a 20 gallon and two oscars and he named them Cheech and Chong?

Maybe I'm not reading things right???

Cory Lover

[icecubez189]

he's saying that at work today, he received this email. you can see the quotations.

[KeithL]

That is in quotes. It seemed to me that coupled with the heading in my email at work today it would be apparent to all who can read what was going on. Apparently I was wrong.

The part between quotation marks ("") is the body of an email sent to all those on email in my building. It is a request for help from the sender who has no clue about fish, and my guess is little knowledge about her son who is so willing to set the fish out in the snow and cold to die. I am attempting to find a home for these fish, fish I can't take in without buying a large tank just for them. I have found a pet shop willing to take them and will try to get that done in the morning.

Is it clear now?

[aardvark1]

Hint:

See the " at the beginning and end of the first paragraph; it's an email that is being quoted!

Kids these days....

:):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

[bkw1982]

he just posted the email he got from a co worker, hope they find a the oscars a new home

[KeithL]

I am concerned that someone clueless will buy the tank and fish, and the two fish will slowly die from their own waste in a to small tank.

[johnlarson66]

If you can take the fish off her hands (or her sons hands) and take them to a LFS.

The fish will be better off with you, even if in a too small of tank, than with someone that is too lazy to take care of them and most likely will kill them.

Maybe you can keep the tank for yourself.

Also, hats off to the Mom who sent out an email to save the fish.

Keep us posted.

[Cory Lover]

Hi,

Thanks for clearing that up. I guess in my opinion it's very confusing how you said it.

Cory Lover

[Aussie_hippie_2]

Let's try to read posts from now on. That's one of my biggest pet peeves of this board, it seems people only read what they want to.

[Cory Lover]

I read the whole post.

Cory Lover

[icecubez189]

actually, i wouldn't blame him. i had to read the post again because i was somewhat confused as well. i think the introduction should've came first and then the posting of the email that was received instead of picking off from where the title left off.

[KeithL]

Good news. The store that sold the fish to the child originally is taking them back. It should happen today. Unbelieveably, it wasn't one of the big box stores, it was a LFS. What were they thinking? I hope they are more responsible when they re-sell them.

[Rallysman]

I hope they are more responsible when they re-sell them.
Dont get your hopes up.

If you have the room, a good cheap home for oscars is cattle stock tubs:D

[Yoemen]

The LFS was thinking it was going to make money. No offense but the holier then thou attitude some have in regards to LFS' over Big box stores on this website is hillarious.

I have seen LFS' that make Wal-Mart look like fish heaven and box stores that were spotless and nearly perfect in their info.

Glad to hear the fishies aren't gonna get frozen.

[DeRo316]

I will try and see if someone would pay $75 OBO for these guys..

bwahahaha, better be expecting the OBO to be $20 or so for both. As said before I would tell them to try the LFS(store credit) or craigslist. If your newspaper has free classifieds I would post them there as well.