Finally established a new tank (55 gallon) for these 7-8 year old veterans who made the move with us from Hyde to here. It's still potentially small as an Oscar and 4 Silver Dollars might require 75 gallons but it's as big as we can do for now. After the ashes-to-sea journey, we went to North Beach and at Stella's Bakery came upon a Peets customer, Richard. He was very kind to offer us a uniquely designed 75 gallon tank for free. Some logistical misfires and ultimately it turned out that the old tank had a leak. We waited but perhaps Richard was not able to fix so in late November, D and I determined that we would get the process going and not only establish a new tank but with a sturdy base that D would assemble, place the tank in a better less sun facing spot in our living room.
We like very much how it looks and feels, and cycled the water and have the conditioning of the water, good. However as much as the Dollars took to the tank, the Oscar (Dexter has dubbed the fish- Dime, Penny, Nickel, Quarter and Bill) took to flopping, lacking energy, listless although alert. This lasted for over two weeks. We added aeration, tried different foods, recommended meds from Bay Bridge Aquarium (cool, helpful place!), brine shrimp, cycled 25% of the water. It seemed as if the old boy was getting thin, starving perhaps. And I dont know if fish think and feel much but it seemed to me that the Dollars were propping up the Oscar, sitting with, and protecting. So I do believe they think and feel, if only instinctively. We were sad, thinking of where we would soon bury him. But then....
He swam a little bit more. He ate a fly I caught (sorry, fly but I know this is a food of preference) for him, passive attempts to swallow initially, and through the night swam more, ate more, becoming himself again- responding to us, curious, swimming. A Christmas miracle? Good advice followed from Bay Bridge? Diligence on our part? The will of Bill the Oscar? Time? I'm not sure but we'll gladly accept this. For now, we've established a good space for them to live; surely a step up from the 29 gallons (even more space that the old tank had so much fine sand) and great to sit near at night, providing peace as I read about our world in turmoil.
