Anyone want to play a game of "scientist" or "a game of 'help me or the eel dies!'"?

[colleenaf]

When I moved into my new apartment it was decorated by discarded bits of the roommate I was replacing. Old dirty fishtanks, dead potted plants, large bags of sand, a bedroom with a distinct the-socks-have-taken-over-run-for-your-life-funk, but perhaps the most interesting to me (other than the headless white tiger sculpture) was the man-made lake

Comments

[speedisthekey]

I am tempted to get the folks over at cryptozoology on the case. I have no earthly idea what Emilio is, or is supposed to be.

Incidentally, that headless white tiger statue should never leave your home. Aside from the inherent Dadaist appeal is that fact that I'm sure if you tried to get rid of it you would be forever CURSED. Seriously. It's slightly creepy.

[colleenaf]

I kinda feel like he's a fish that has never existed before and just mutated out of such a gruddy tank. If you want to ask the crypto folk I would be totally grateful!

That tiger is going anywhere. Particially because it weighs like 50 lbs and would probably kill me in my sleep. Occasionally we give it a balloon head, which brings it about 12 steps up the creepy scale!

[clevortrevor]

larry and balki are corydoras - bottom feeding catfish - they're really fun! Chris and I have two Skunk Corys name walter and perry.

You might be in trouble with the eel thing though - it looks like an Arowana to me - they sell them in petstores, but they totally shouldnt. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arowana

it's one of those fish that you end up calling the NY Aquarium about begging them to take it.

[clevortrevor]

ps - first thing you should do is find a good local fish store (LFS is what they're called on the net). They'll help you figure out how to take care of them all, and if any of the fish are in mortal danger from any of the others. My guess is that the arowana is picking off the guppies one by one, and the corys are just eating crap on the ground.

also, a word of caution - don't try to clean the tank up too much right away - it may be a crappy environment, but it's what they're used to, so don't make too many sudden changes!

pps - this is exciting!

[colleenaf]

I left three of the four walls covered and left about 1/4 of the front wall covered, the part by the log in the tank so the fish have a place to hide. I would like to claim I did that because I knew was I was doing, but honestly I got too scared to clean the bit where Emilio was on that first day!

The question is, do I have to get more guppies for Emilio to eat? That just feels so cruel! Can't I get tofu shaped guppies and covered them in some soy sauce or something?

[clevortrevor]

i think carnivorous fish are kind of like snakes - it's probably best to give them live stuff, but i think you can get away with feeding them frozen foods.

[massivedamage]

I use to be an aquarium junkie! But that was years ago.

Like clevortrevor said, those little fish are probably corydoras. They're cute little guys.

Mr Eel though, that is a very intersting fish you have in there. I've not seen any of those in petstores around here. The fins are pretty amazing yes. It almost looks like one of those prehistory weird fish with all the extra fins and ho-has about.

Hopefully there's a professional in the house. I imagine it's a native fish species, or perhaps some fish that's from some far reaches of the planet. Who knows, but one things for sure that guy's pretty darn cool.

Good luck with them all regardless!

[mister_wolf]

I imagine it's a native fish species, or perhaps some fish that's from some far reaches of the planet.

Maybe an asteriod crashed in the Hudson river? If I had to hazard a theory, that would be it.

[colleenaf]

Perhaps that tank has been in the living room before the old roommate, like 65 million years worth or so.

It's kinda funny that Larry, Balki, and Mytwodads (the three corydoras) all seem more evil than the fast swimming knifefish and ever-lurking eel to me. They seem more gossipy...always hanging around together and staring at me like I'm supposed to feed them something they actually LIKE to eat or something.

[massivedamage]

Haha, yes I know what you're talking about! They do the whole "Swim swim swim swim" routine and then sink down to the bottom and just sit there staring at you.

[mister_wolf]

I seem to recall implying in an e-mail that I might like to eat your eel (*schoolboy snicker*). I now deeply regret that statment; Emilio not onlu looks unapetizing, but like he might want to eat ME.

I also admire you humanity. If I had inherited a scummy fish tank like that, I would have run screaming and call in men in yellow rubber suits to take it away.

[colleenaf]

Luckily I have a super warm spot in my heart for fish. I've always been somewhat obsessed with them. My last fish were 59 cent goldfish that lived for almost four years, so I'd like to think I have a wet thumb. (wet thumb? Um...you know like a green thumb but for fish!)

Yeah as much as I love Emilio I'm not sticking my hand in that tank all that often. I love him but I also love my fingers. All of them.

[herb_lehman]

Holy crap! I wish I could offer any help with this...regardless of what they are, I'm kinda surprised they're even alive after all that neglect.

Sorry I missed you guys on Friday; the friend who had the show I wanted to weasel out of weaseled me into going.

[colleenaf]

You were missed on friday, but we can always have another "woo new job" night when I actually start the new job!

yeah I was super surprised to learn they were alive at all after all of that. It's pretty miraculous actually!