a possible project

Hello all!

Yesterday, my kids came back from an afternoon visit to The Saskatchewan Science Center. They were telling me about the fish tank there. They were telling me how it has 2 sturgeon in it, and my oldest daughter told me that when she asked one of the staff about the tank size the fish were in, she was answered "Well the fish only grow to the size of the tank!"

So today I made a phone call to pass on some thoughts on the error of that statement. I was put in contact with Jennifer Jacobs B. Sc. B. Ed., so I left her a voice mail.

When she returned my phone call I had a short conversation with her and offered to help them out with their tanks. I went for a visit at 4pm and spent about half an hour visiting with her and ended up saying I could help them get their aquatic displays in better shape. I also told her that I would post a thread about this and give her the link.

At present they are in what seems to be a 90-100g 4ft tank 18in wide. Filtration is 2 aquaclear 110 hob. The diet has been frozen bloodworms.

Here is a pic.




I offered to help redo the tank so it is more nature orintated in it's design, as well as offered to help them get a tank more suited to house these fish.

Please feel free to offer your thoughts and advice on how to make this transform from a 90-100g with blue gravel to a suitable display tank. I have a very nice chiller at home for the new tank if they decide to entertain my services.

I am not sure they got them from the dept of natural services here.

I did tell her that they were very under nourished and way to skinny in the body.

Also I did tell her that I was going to make this thread on the forums ac and mfk and that there would be many proficient fish keepers who would jump in to offer thier thoughts.

For the money they were looking at spending buying a half circle tank from the petland here, I can get them an insane tank.

This was one of my motivators in going to the science center, to investigate and see if I could assist with the care of these fish.

Jennifer just phoned me to tell me that the dept of natural resources was more than likely going to come pick up the fish to release them back into the river from whence they came from as they are indeed lake sturgeon.

Now before yall jump up and down and rant and rave about release of aquaria fish back into the wild, our province has for many many years had a grow and release program going on with sturgeon. For these fish I see no issue with release back into the river they came from. They have never been with other fish other than the two of them.

I really had to see these fish that grew to the size of their tank for myself. After speaking with Jennifer, the plan is to prepare a tank which can house some native wild fish that will fit the tank size they can accomodate. I have offered my services to them pro bono just to make sure that the animals within their care recieve a goodly amount of proper care, not just food and water.