| Throughout college
we developed an appreciation and a fascination
with many of nature's beauties. In a science class we studied
different types of wild life. We grew intrigued with fish and
water creatures. We gained a strong desire to have a tank to
watch and observe the peaceful grace of a motion-filled
panorama. Well, when we got married and finished school all in
the same summer we decided it was time to begin our hobby. We met a
lady who had a 10 gallon tank to give away. We set up the tank
and went off to the pet shop to find the perfect fish. We didn't
realize what we were getting into and we killed all but our frog and
snail. So, we learned that keeping fish was no easy task. We read
up and figured out what we needed to do. WeI went to the store
again in search of my perfect school. Among the fish we selected,
we choose a quarter-sized one that looked like a piranha.
We asked
the lady about the fish and she said, "Oh, they're great
pets." Naively we took two home. Within six months we had to
buy a 55 gallon tank and move the Pacu into it. They outgrew the
other tank incredibly fast. Currently, our Pacu are 10 months
old and 10 and 11 inches long. They are accompanied by two small
Oscars. We will be looking for a larger tank here very shortly.
As long as there is room in the
tank the two couples are very entertaining and serene. We love to
come home after a hard days work and lay on the couch and get lost in the small school. We feed them twice a day.
They eat as much as we will feed them. We get nervous of
overfeeding and harming them. They eat flakes, siclid sticks,
lettuce and other greens, and occasionally a feeder fish for the
Oscars will pass by and the Pacu will snatch it. They get very
playful after they have eaten. The two Pacu will commonly play a
game of chase. They will run each other in a circle around a
large rock in the tank. They look as though they want to bite the
other but never cause harm. They seem to require touch and some
kind of schooling activity. They are big enough that they know
they are boss when it comes to territory in the tank. The Oscars
will back down readily to avoid confrontation.
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Pacu
Serve as Great Conversation
Pieces
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It is not uncommon at all to have the fish (our large Pacu
especially) be the center of
attention for any gathering at our home. Parents, friends,
renters, random guests, and little kids will spend tons of time
watching and talking about the fish. They love to see the Oscars
feed. They love to watch the Pacu play and the snail mosey
along. Our 10 inch Mr. Plecostomus also gathers a crowd when he
is stuck to the side. We really enjoy the attention they get.
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Taking
Care of Our Pacu Fish
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Our tank requires one cleaning per week to maintain living
conditions. We tend to feed the pacu less siclid sticks because the
sticks dirty up the water. We change one third of the tank water
and
replace the old water with tap water that has been treated with
Start Right. We add a tablespoon of salt per five gallons.
Sometimes we add less salt to compensate for evaporation. With
every change of water we use our vacuum and clean out the
substrate (gravel). The tank seems very well-kept and the fish
seem healthy.
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Plans
for Our Pacu Fish
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Soon, we will need larger living quarters for our pacu and
oscars. Because
of the sizes of some of the fish (particularly of the pacu) , we may have to look to give
them up. We will be building a second home soon and we may
include in the plans an area for the recommended 250 gallon tank
to keep our pets.
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