Saving Private Arrowanna

And it came to pass that a call rang out in the night for another fish rescue. Yes it is and was just that. We loaded for fish, with nets and buckets and headed to a far away land. We arrived at the spot just in time for the two large fish had outgrown their tanks as they were in the same one and badly needed a rehoming and rescue mission. John and Randy headed out for territories unbeknownst to them until they arrived and prepared for the worst. But alas, things were much better than they seemed. A successful safe rescue mission was totally possible and became real as we stepped foot in the door and walked towards the tank. We always load up with more gear than we think we are going to need only to be safe rather than sorry. Sometimes the rescuees have equipment and are more than willing to lend a helping hand if not give complete and unadulterated moral support

As the rescue of fish stories goes, the two fish were an Arrowanna and the other a Manganese. They had grown too large for their tank and both were getting aggressive as fish do when they are too big and feel closed in. Kinda like we get clostrophobia. They feel trapped and cornered and feel like they are being pushed into a corner or any part of the tank. Here are some shots of the fish themselves in the original tank they were residing in when we encountered them. Here is the video and more to come. Stay tuned.


All photos below were taken of the tank the fish were in originally, in the video you will see where they landed safely. Below these photos are the ones taken in the new location, PET SAFE HOME.

But then as we began to move the fish towards the van to take back downstream, I noticed I had locked my keys in the car, BAD NEWS. So the proprietor of the fish came up with AAA in a life saving move in a FISH TALE. So we waited for the AAA driver to emerge onto our already stressful scene here in the boonies. So here is the guy driving up, no video, he was shy but we did take photos and here they are, you can see the progression. Follow close.

SO he pulls up after about 20 minutes and was a little grumpy at best, but hey it's a major holiday and maybe the guy just didn't want to be at work, maybe the beach. Oh well. So he gets his slim jim for those of you who don't know look it up. I can't explain every little detail to you, that gets boring.

So he frees up my soul and we jump in the car, but not after loading our careful cargo on the side behind the driver seat. That way it won't rock and will hold fast while we drive.

So off to the Valley of the Jolly Green and they call it, going with traffic flow, having missed most of the big stuff going out west from the valley. It was Memorial Day for God sakes. Give it a break. Ok so we're on the road again, sailing down the freeway, and there's nothing free about the freeway. We absolutely pay for it. And get back to the ranch and settle in for the long transfer to the 160 gallon tank.

Here is where the rescue photos start showing a happy ending.

Beardies Pose for the Camera

My beardie rescue came as a package this time. From a lady in Santa Clarita. A woman and her son were donating the pair of Bearded Dragons, as they could no longer take care of them, time permitting. So I drove up to the location and found they came in a large terrarium that was already set up and they were comfortably living in there. Here you can see they have adapted to their surroundings although the only thing that changed is the location of their habitat. As far as they know they only see somebody new feeding them. So they are kissing the hand that feeds them.

They have been joined by a much smaller version of beardie that I adopted over 7 months ago but this little feller was blind in one eye. That is why I am assuming he was donated to the shelter. He eats ok but sometimes has trouble seeing the food unless it’s placed right up to his face. You can see he hardly can compete with his other two larger and more aggressive brethren.

SO I usually feed him separate. He actually bit into a super worm after I added him to his newfound friends. But he bit it off and the larger one ate the piece that fell out of his mouth. So it was a win-win situation.

So here is the current video of them and you can also see ‘Savannah Devours His Cousin’ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2htnLwOPDxs and follow this line of video to see the most current updates on animal behavior on PETSAFEHOME.

Leading Up to Moby Dicks Rescue

A Plea for Sanctuary:

From John Russell of  http://www.ecostation.org to Lisa  the owner of the Big Fish

for our fishy friend MOBY DICK

Dear Tory:

My name is Lisa. My family and myself were directed to you as a 'last resort' in our attempt to save our vegetarian pet Pacu Pirahna from an untimley demise. My son purchsed this 5-inch fishy a few years ago w/o doing his research. 'MOBY DICK' has now grown to be a two and a half foot behemoth. We are desperately attempting to find a new home for Moby, who is confined to an inadequate 85 gallon glass tank.
We cannot afford a larger tank and a modest upgrade would still not solve the problem. As I now know he is a breed that continues to grow to its environment. Sadly, he is barely able to move to turn around without great effort.

We have done what we can do to make him comfortable, but it is a battle we are quickly losing. I have researched online for a possible new home for Moby-contracted all -to no avail. We live here in the San Fernando Valley, and have even considered releasing him in a local lake. The thought of out pet having just one more 'happey swim' before perishing is enticing. BUT-we are aware it is not only illegal, but ecologically and morally wrong. I have enjoyed your website, and seen that you have taken in all sorts of orphaned animals. We would be willing to make a monthly donation, knowing that your loving organization is largely volunteer.

One last thing.... Moby is a fish with a huge personality. Who knew? And to think I was taught to believe fish were neurologically unfeeling, with a pea-sized brain. Boy! is that a misconception. He is extremely social. He has a fishy love affair going on with my grown daughter (he picks favorites). He enjoys being loved and petted. He moves up close to my daughter and begs for physical attention.

He wiggles and giggles (Okay, maybe giggles is an exaggeration'). He most definitely responds to his name, and differently to each of us. We hand-feed him special treats. He's gentle and never bites. We have always had a variety of pets. He is no less interactive and loving in his own way.

We love him and hope you might find a way to help us. Thank you for the generous work you do and your kind consideration.

Sincerly
Lisa

Tony's Responsed:

Hi Lisa. We are working on a solution. Unfortunately we don't have an easy one. I have spoken to our aquarist and he has a client in mind that many be able to take him on. If not, he is going to see if it is feasible to switch around some of our current fish to make the space. I will touch base with you in a few days as soon as I hear more. We will do our best to help Moby out!

Tony Russell
STAR Eco Station
310-842-8060
Tory@starinc.org
www.ecostation.org

This email conversation transpired in May of 2012. So the race was on for some space. Next Sue contacted Randy De Troit and the rest is history.

MOVING MOBY DICK

MOVING MOBY DICK-In the Valley of the Jolly Pacu

A small Pacu bought at a local fish store grew and grew and grew and when it outgrew it's tank after 7 years, the owner began frantically trying to locate a new home for him. This oversized champ, a gregarious big fellow, tough to the core and smart, even recognized his owner similar to how a dog would react to its owner upon arrival home.

Yes friends and admirers, this mission became a reality this last Sunday afternoon when Randy De Troit and crew took on the task of relocation. Or to quote many Craiglist's advertisers 'rehome'. In this case it wasn't for a fee but pure and plain unadulterated love. The owner of 'Moby Dick', as what she named it,

was distraught over the many rejections to rehome him she received as time went on and circumstances grew dire. Here you see her pet it like one would a dog or cat. Push came to shove and sure enuf and up to the task, Randy De Troit came to Moby's rescue and became his guardian angel.

We will document with video and photos, this outgoing and friendly loyal companions' plight and eventual rehoming to 'greener pastures' and more specifically a wider and longer tank for him in which to frolic his merry tail around.

She was about to throw her hands up in the air and give up. She was preparing for the worst: her precious fish leaving his physical body and going to heaven. You see he was in a tank that was too small for him to even turn around. Many people can relate to this dilemma as a pet can grow out of control.

He would eventually just lay on his side for shear frustration. She had plans to bury him in the backyard. But alas, along came Randy De Troit, the fish savior and champion to the animal world at large.

We will try to enact that day and the events that took place for your interest and education. Just in case you need a big fish rescued and you don't know where to go or who to turn to; it's Randy De Troit, the proprietor of 'PET SAFE HOME' 'where animals come home to stay and live out their natural life without ever having to pay rent or a dime for water and power.

It was early afternoon this past Sunday when Randy De Troit loaded up his van with buckets, straps, dollies, and larger pail,

to save Moby's life. A cameraman rode along to document with photos and video. They arrived in the rain, a good sign for fisherman of the old school kind who traditionally do much better in the rain.

So arriving wet and in a downpour, with lights, camera and plenty of action they began their mission. Here was the crew for rescue and the anxious family awaiting and praying for a miracle, about to relinquish rights to their baby whale almost. Lights were set up in the small living-room where the transfer was to begin and a small but eager audience and sympathizers had gathered. Randy began by fill his trusty pail with water from the tank, then stabilizing himself, tried to barehand the large fish by leaning over the edge of the tank while standing on a chair.

But Moby proved to be too frantic and too slippery a customer.

So he moved to the plan 'B' which was to use a strap with some friction to capture and hold the fish in order to raise him high enough to clear the top of the tank, extract then lower him down into the red plastic bucket they brought for just this purpose. This procedure proved to be a success and Moby landed smack dab in the bucket splishing and a splashing, displacing water all the while. 'It was a hell of a day at sea sir'.

After securing him with a lid, the two women present offered to lift the bucket housing Moby outside and into the cargo bay of the SUV. He was safely secured as the crew rolled out of the driveway and onto the freeway 101 heading south. A careful drive ensued to insure no more water would spill and would calm the big fish down.

After reaching their destination: PET SAFE HOME, the fish was carried bucket and all near to the location of his new abode: a 190 gallon glass tank already filled, recycled, treated and bio-balled. His new habitat would insure him more room to move around more freely and to actually grow more in size.

Cichlids Get Two New Tankmates

Hey now, set up the 125 gallon tank I received from a guy who had a snake in it. But it holds water just fine.
So here is the before and after. I don't usually take the cabinets unless I have room for it. So I just modify and/or construct my own to fit the space.

 Here as you can see I used a Trader Joe's recycled cabinet and it works just fine. Especially after adding 3 large cinder blocks between it and the wood directly under the tank. You can easily see how the board is necessary to be able to sustain such a great weight. Then it also allows me to place my tools and food close for easy access.

I also painted the whole kitchen bright yellow as you can see and the fish get a tank with a view of the backyard. I get almost no algae buildup that I can see.
I do not like bending over to view my fish. Some like it hot, some cold. I like it so I can stand and view the fish. I can always sit and view so then I am looking up depending on the chair. You might want to think about tank placement before you place it; moving issues later can be more problematic. I am staining and sealing two more cabinets before I even bring them into the house. Here's one reinforced with black enamel first:

Got an under gravel filter powered by an Aqua Clear 70 Power Head Pump shown here. And the pipe through which it pumps water.

I also employ the Emperor 400 which I really find efficient to the max for the power it draws. Easy to clean and always keep a spare impeller in addition to the regular media it comes with and replacement types.With and without the top of course.

I love these Oscars as I do all my fish and just rescued a red tailed catfish

 from a guy that was downsizing and moving. So this huge catfish had to be relocated or rehomed as a Craigslist afficiondo will know in a wink. They are all about their rehoming attitudes there just look. Some more honest with it than others. So I drove over there and got busy with moving a large catfish that most people can't or won't accommodate. Just like kids I guess: Feed them and take good care of them and they grow. Then you can't get rid of them.


So here you see the Oscars taking notice of their two new friends. I have a Pacu that was biting other fish in another tank. But he got checked in once I placed him with the Oscar pack.

Then comes big daddy cat and here are shots of him (see top). He was quite the model and poser for these and seems to love the camera, who knew?

So then I was feeding them whole shrimp for the sake of the catfish that was swallowing them whole and lo and behold the smallest Oscar of the bunch the almost albino one takes a hold of a whole shrimp. So now I call him 'PIG'. They are all my buds though and they surely recognize me whenever I come to the glass.