Barbrella

The issue isn't always what we want, but what is best for the animals.

Do you know that arowanas grow to be 4 foot long, voracious predators that can leap 6 feet out of the water to catch prey?

Keeping one in such incredibly cramped condition is not humane.

Check out these arowanas in a 50,000 gallon tank and you'll realize you need to do the right thing.

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/fo...ad.php?t=74879

Iluvatar

So can I just sell the arowana and put the kois in a larger tank or pond?They get big too. Around three feet. Butthey havent grown much in my tank.

hockeyref88

Jonathon...........Everyone on here has tried to help you with advice about your fish........Right now what you have set up is NOT a good and healthy environment for your fish. The tank you have is WAY too small. The fish you have do NOT belong in that tank and do NOT belong together. Koi do NOT belong with preditory fish like Arowana's period. Now you can do what you want, but anything but separating them and putting them into much larger tanks would nothing but cruel. Koi really belong only in ponds. At this point its pure luck these fish are still alive so do them a favor and do the right thing and either get them into there own larger tanks or take them somewhere where they can be housed properly until you can care for them properly.

gremlin

How much room do you have on your porch? I would not use the 55 gal that had other animals in it. It is too difficult to guarantee that you could completely disinfect it (the sealant that holds it together could have urine soaked into it that could leach back into the water). As a TEMPORARY measure, you could house them in a large storage bin (the 50 gal tupperware or sterilite rectangle storage containers) on your porch. If you do this, bear in mind the containers are not designed to hold that amount of water weight. You would have to support the sides. a better idea would be to build some type of wooden framework and put a pond liner in it or get a prefab pond and set that up on your porch. The prefab ponds are great for goldfish and come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. If it has shelves, make sure you support them (I used block under the shelves in my first prefab). That would leave the 20 gallon as a temporary home for the arrowana. Moving the goldfish to a separate tank/pond would help with the bioload on the 20 gal. I don't know that much about the arrowana, but the goldfish should do ok outside. here is a couple pics of my pond. It gets morning sun and I have an external pressure filter that feeds the two waterfalls. I built up a wall around where I wanted the pond and put in a prefab pond. It is supported with dirt filled in all around and I planted dichondra (grass) and several types of thyme since I needed something that could handle the summer heat and full morning sun without baking.

Attached Images

	06-15-08_pond right view.JPG (102.5 KB, 4 views)
	06-15-08_pond left view.JPG (92.4 KB, 4 views)

hockeyref88

Nice pond Gremlin!!................those arn't gold fish in that 20 gal, there KOI.

Lucy

Really nice job, gremlin!
Doing an above ground pre-fab is an excellent suggestion.

Shawnie

that pond is awesome gremlin!!

but those fish jonathan has, have been in that 20 gallon for 4 years!!

koi & arowana together for that long, im surprised there is any koi left as well as the arowana still is living...

steveangela1

The arowana is the prime reason I think he should contact the monster fish rescue group, not only that I am sure the koi would be canidates too, they are fish that will grow to great lenths if given the oppourtunity.

One fish that I know of locally that people keep in their aquariums is the gar fish, I cannot wait to get out and get some video and pics of them so everyone can see them in the wild. Thes fish normally are 4-5 feet long just like the arowana. So when people put them in their fish tanks they can see how big these fish can grow in their natural enviroments (that size is on average I have seen them even bigger growing up on the lakes here in TN)

Iluvatar

I have a great idea to raise the level of water with bricks or stone to build a pond much faster.But I still have those fish. Wich I ment I still need to get them somewhere.

hockeyref88

You still need to find a home for the arowana and you need to do it soon. And the pond for the koi should be at least 500 gallons.

Lucy

Thanks to the caring experienced fish keepers who are trying to help get these fish into proper housing.

I don't mean to be rude, but am I the only one who finds that pic of the arowana sad?

hockeyref88

I don't find it rude at all Lucy................I'm trying not to say what I really think to this young man and I don't think he get's how wrong it is to have these fish in that aquarium. I find the picture extremely sad. I just don't think he understands its not about his feelings, its about whats right for these fish.

Shawnie

im assuming, hes too young to understand...hence the back n forths...but I always know what happens when I "assume"

hockeyref88

Yeah I know but I want those fish out of there.........Just knowing there in there buggs me...........I know its none of my business but I feel for those guy's. I keep seeing the post and saying to myself, OK I'm not going to respond to that anymore and then I do. I'm a nuthouse sometimes.

Shawnie

arent we all?

Barbrella

Yes, it's very sad and makes me feel ill, to be honest. I blame the petstores for this. How many 2" arowanas have they sold to people (even to kids) to put into 10 or 20 gal tanks?

It's time for the pet industy to find some ethics and take some responsibility for what they sell and condemn to fates like this.

Many people seem to see fish as less than living, breathing creatures who deserve proper care, and see nothing wrong with abuse or neglect.

steveangela1

I wish there was a way to get it through to him that he should turn over all the fish to the fishstore! but you can lead a horse to water.....

hockeyref88

I know. He just does not want to believe this is wrong.