Tales from the Tank #13

Games on Facebook are Educational

I know, you're asking "what on earth is educational about games on facebook?".

When I first started a facebook page, I got involved with a little game called "ZOO". You build your zoo by completeing different levels from the number of bee's in an exhibit to how many animals you adopt, and how many "zoo friends" sick animals you help and or heal.

So how does this intertwine with Tales from the Tank?  This past week, we found the black Dalmatian Mollie swimming vertically in the 40 gallon tank.  He little side fins were moving opposite each other and his poor little top fin was down and his back tail was sort of curled up.  He just wasn't able to propel himself around the tank. We decided he must be sick.  He doesn't look like he has "ick"....so the detective work begins.

That night we began to "investigate" what could be wrong.  Ya gotta love the Internet. Tropical fish can suffer from all sorts of disease - just like people. From tail rot and fin rot to anchor worm and yes...constipation. You can also take your fish to the vet and yes...if they die, it is recommended you freeze them if you intend to have an autopsy done to determine the cause of death.  BK do you think dad could make a pine box small enough?

The disease Terry liked the best was "swim bladder disease".  Apparently with swim bladder disease your fish swim erratically, lose their equilibrium and are unable to maintain buoyancy.  This isn't what's wrong, because it affects mainly goldfish. Dang it. I really was hoping for some type of rare and exciting disease.  With my luck it's probably constipation.

So like any good parent or caretaker, the only thing we could think of was to quarantine him (just in case it was ick), so out from the basement came the extra 10 gallon tank the last seller "gave" to us because he was so happy to get rid of all his fish stuff. Are we suckers or what? 

We put about 3 gallons of water in it, Terry rigged up an air hose (for oxygen) and we put the needed chemicals in it - even some "cure all" drops, that were a bit dried up - but stain your fingers like green food coloring anyway.  The only thing we don't have is an extra heater.  I told Terry, "I'm not spending $15 dollars to buy a heater to try and save a $3 dollar fish." So we agreed....we would just quarantine him and if he lived that was good. If not....oh well. 

Then we had to get the fish out of the big tank.  Ever tried to catch a 2 inch fish in 40 gallons of water with rocks and plants and a frigging bridge in the way?  Well it ain't easy mister!  But as always...working as a team we tricked the little sucker into the net and hauled him out and dropped him in the 10 gallon tank.

The I took water samples to the pet store - go figure - the water is just fine.  All the Ph, nitrate, nitrite, ammonia blah blah blah is just fine.  So what could be wrong with the fish?  The pet shop owner said just put a little salt in the water and he should come out of it - but make sure you keep the temperature warm.  (OMG I am not buying a heater). 

So as I relayed this information to Terry over the phone, he said...we'll just plug in the little ceramic heater and set it outside the tank - it should keep the water warm enough (not to mention it made the the living room a sauna).  Then one of our friends came over to drop off girl scout cookies and Terry proudly showed him our little "HOSPITAL".  Frankly he thinks we've completely lost our minds. 

So... just like the Zoo on Facebook if your animals get sick from ick or constipation,  you can take them to a "HOSPITAL" or create one if you don't have one.   All you need is a little ingenuity, and extra 10 gallon fish tank.   If you need an extra 10 gallon tank, call me we have two.