Fish Disaster! What goes through people's minds....

Jeez, went to local Trade Day today. My boyfriend told me that there was 2 fish tanks for sale buy a guy. A 10 gal and 20 gal. Both full-setups. He also told me that the 10 gal was half-full and had fish in it. Some had already died. The guy wanted $30 for all of it, and wouldn't take any less. So I got around and went down to investigate. What I found was disgusting. There was at least 8 fish in the half-full 10 gal. Assorted danios and tetras. One was already dead and decomposing, to the point where I think it might have been a tiger barb, maybe a skirted tetra. The fish were so hungry they were snacking on him. As the guy was talking to us, he said that they had brought both tanks down a week ago, didn't sell them, so they put them in their storage building they rent. They took them out yesterday into the open, and left the tanks out all night. No heater, no filter, no food. But of course, more algae than possible.

Needless to say, I handed him $30 and loaded them up. Didn't even bother negotiating. I knew that those were going to be the kind of people that was going to get all or nothing, didn't matter if the fish died or not. And if they didn't sell them, was they going to put them back in the building for another week?

Got the fish home, set up a quick 10 gal. quarantine. Clean, treated water. No gravel, plants, or anything. Let the fish adjust, and turned them loose. There ended up to be 10, not including the deceased fish. The poor things had been cramped in the bottom half of the tank for so long, that they still haven't figured out they can now reach the top. I treated the water with melafix, just to be on the safe side.

There are 3 skirted tetras, assorted.
3 of the large-striped tetras(don't know name)
2 long-finned danios
2 red-eyed tetras

They will be treated with melafix for the next week, and will be quarantined for an additional 2-3 wks. Then, what doesn't find homes in my tanks, will find new homes with people that will actually care for these fish. I just wish I had a bigger quarantine tank. I know they've still got to be cramped...

Has anyone else dealt with anything like this?

 

Once, some people just have no regard for pets.

 

Once, some people just have no regard for pets.

It's bad, too, because I'm sure somebody spent some money on those fish. Why not take care of your investment? I wish I would have saw them last week...

 

That's great you rescued them! Even if the tank is a little small, at least it's filled with clean water. I'm sure they are loving the change...and also being fed! I hope you are able to find homes for the ones you cannot keep.

 

I am keeping the 3 skirted tetras. I would love to put the long-finned danios in with my glofish, but 5 is already pushing it in the 10 gal. I am def. finding new homes for the red-eyed tetras.

 

You could wash out the 20 gal and relocate your QT set-up into that. It'll double the space for the new guys.

 

Good job rescuing those fish! That makes me so mad. 10G half full? Left in a storage unit? Poor things. I'm sure they're a lot happier now!

 

You could wash out the 20 gal and relocate your QT set-up into that. It'll double the space for the new guys.

I wish I could... No more room left anywhere. The 10 gal just barely fits. All of my tanks stay in one room, so not so much space.