Tanked!
When we moved from Royal Oak, Michigan to
Charlotte, North Carolina, Lorraine suggested we get an aquarium.
"It's good Feng Shui," she told me.
I'd had a fish tank before, but stopped setting one up several
years earlier, and sold all of the equipment. But I liked the idea,
so twelve years ago, I bought a forty-gallon tank, the filter,
gravel, plants, artificial rocks, a small cave, and a stand to put it
all on. I set-up the aquarium, and over the next few months
populated it with some fish; a few neon tetras, a couple of red sword
tails, some orange mollies, black mollies, and an emerald green
catfish.
One of the good things about tropical fish is you don't get too
attached to them which is fine because they die on a regular basis.
The tropical fish experience is more of a "tank as pet", unlike
having a cat or a dog who you name, they come sit on your lap, and
you pat their heads.
Over the past eleven years I've probably had seventy or eighty
fish in my tank, usually seven to ten at a time. They come, stay for
a while, they die, then move on to a cold water grave; the toilet.
It's never a pleasant experience when you find one lying on the
bottom of the tank, usually partially eaten by the other fish, but
it's nowhere near as traumatic as when you wake up one morning to
discover that the cat or dog you've loved for fifteen years, even
though you've watched it decline for months, is lifeless, lying
just outside your bedroom.
Once a fish tank settles in, and the water becomes properly
conditioned and biologically balanced, the fish tend to live longer
than they do in the early stages of an aquarium, sometimes even for a
couple of years.
I bought an algae eater about eight years ago, and introduced him
to the tank. I call it a "him" but I have no idea what sex it
is. He was about an inch and a quarter long when I got him. He laid
low, on the bottom of the tank, usually hiding behind plants. He
would come out once in a while, his suction cup mouth stuck to the
glass, often looking like an upside down drop of water, or teardrop
earring. Occasionally he'd move to a new spot, hoping to find
additional nourishment. None of the other fish bothered with him,
and he never seemed to pay any attention to them.
About four years ago, after he'd survived longer than any fish
I'd had since setting up the tank, he'd grown to more than twice
his original size, and I decided to name him. Big Joe seemed an
appropriate moniker for this largest fish in my aquarium. Now three
years later, Big Joe is bigger than ever. He's about six inches
long, and I've grown attached to him, although he seems indifferent
towards me.
A few months ago, on a Saturday afternoon, I was walking towards
the tank to feed the fish, and I noticed something on the carpeting
in our living room. Upon closer inspection I saw that it was Big
Joe. Apparently he'd accidentally jumped out of the tank. I
figured he was gone, but picked him up and gently placed him back
into the tank. His lifeless body slowly sank to the bottom until it
hit the gravel. I was sure he was dead, but at that moment I
couldn't face netting and disposing of him. I figured I'd wait a
little while, just to be sure.
I don't remember what I actually did for the next twenty or
thirty minutes, but I know I thought about Joe, and it made me sad.
Eventually I went to the tank, with little hope for his survival,
bent down and took a close look. His gills were moving slowly. He
was alive, just barely, but enough so that I was encouraged.
Now, six months later, Big Joe seems for the most part, to be
fine. I have however noticed one change in his behavior. He spends
most of his time, when he's not hanging from the glass, sucking on
the aquarium heater. Maybe his time on the living room carpeting
gave him a chill?
Across the past eleven years I've learned a lot more about
tropical fish than I'd known when I was younger. I've
experimented with several different species. Presently I have two
black tetras, three neon tetras, two opaline Gouramis, one gold Angel
fish, and of course Big Joe. When I bought the two Gourami's and
the Angel fish, the pet shop attendant asked me if I'd ever had
Angels before.
"Oh yes, once I had a large tank with only black Angels in it."
I replied.
"So then you know that they are usually fine until they get a
little older, and bigger, then they become like teenagers, like
bullies. They're aggressive, and chase after the other fish."
"Yeah I know, but I'm hoping the Gouramis will sort of balance
things out."
I thought that, since they are usually pretty feisty too.
"Good luck. We have a two week guarantee on our fish. If any
of them don't survive, bring back the corpse and we'll replace it
free of charge."
"Yup, I know, thank you."
That was six months ago.
Over the past two or three months one of the Gourami's has
become the self-appointed king of the tank. It all started out
innocently enough. He, she, it would chase the other Gourami around
the tank. It kind of looked like they were playing a game of fish
tag. But then the aggressive one also started to chase the black
tetras and even took a few shots at the Angel fish. Lately however,
it's gotten more serious. At first the more aggressive Gourami
began to force the less aggressive one to stay on one side of the
tank. If the less aggressive one moved across the imaginary center,
for any reason at all, even just to eat, the more aggressive one
would chase it back. After a while I decided to name the more
aggressive Gourami Osama.
Osama is now literally twice the size of the smaller, un-named
Gourami, and he has tightened his control over the little guy,
forcing him to stay in an even more confined area, at the base of one
of the plants, under one specific leaf. Even when I feed them, if
the little guy comes out in an attempt to eat, Osama chases him back
to his four square inch piece of real estate. At first I felt like I
had to do something about this bullying. I decided Osama needed a
time out. So I netted him while I fed the other fish. I kept him in
the water, but in a net so he couldn't attack the little guy, or
any of the others. After the other fish had eaten, I set Osama free.
Of course the first thing he did, even before he ate himself, was
check and make sure the little guy was in his designated spot.
Last night I was home alone for a few hours. Lorraine is a
teacher and had parent conferences. I was sitting on the couch
reading when movement in the tank caused me to look up. Things
seemed relatively tranquil, and I began to think I should just let
nature run its course. I shouldn't interfere with what was going
on inside my tank. I thought, snakes eat mice, owls swoop down and
eat squirrels, and lions chase down and kill gazelles right?
Just as I was considering this, Big Joe glided over towards Osama
and began to chase him around the tank. I had never witnessed big
Joe harassing any of the other fish. Osama was swimming for his
life, but Joe kept after him. It was comical since Joe is almost
twice as long as Osama. I cheered Joe on.
"Go Big Guy, show him what it's like!"
Eventually Joe stopped chasing Osama, affixed himself to the
glass, and started sucking, hoping to find some fresh algae. Osama,
who looked a little winded and stunned, hovered, trying to catch his
breath I imagined.
I found myself thinking this was the beginning of a new world
order. I was hopeful that the always peaceful Big Joe had decided to
throw a warning shot across Osama's bow.
This morning when I went to feed them, the little guy, eyes filled
with hope, swam up from his little spot to get some dried shrimp
flakes. As he got to the top of the tank, Osama swooped over to him,
but this time he stopped short and started to eat, allowing the
little guy to eat as well. Little guy, as I guess I've just named
him, timidly took a few bites and retreated to his designated home at
the base of the plant.
I see this change in behavior as a positive sign. I really hope
that Little Guy now has a chance to grow and thrive. I also hope
Osama has learned that bullying is a bad thing. I hope so for the
sake of Little Guy, but also because Osama, though aggressive, is the
most beautiful fish in the aquarium. Besides, isn't a peaceful
existance what every being is looking for?
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