From One to Ten

This is my first blog post ever. It will chronicle the tale of a boy's fish tank and his father's struggle in diligence. Thus-far it has been a story of death but with new found knowledge in the art of Tropical Freshwater fish keeping, I feel the tide(pun) is turning.

Our 1 gallon Jamestown. Survival rate: 25%

In the beginning there was a one gallon fish tank. It was a Christmas (2011) gift from my wife, Liz and myself to our two year old son Patrick. He loved it. It began with four small fish, a plastic plant, a surprisingly effective filter and air stone (thing that makes bubbles), and some gravel. One fish died the first day followed by another death a week later, but the last two survivors persisted against the odds it seemed. Frustrated with our poor excuse for an aquatic eco-habitat, I decided to create a fish tank that Patrick could be proud of and one day maintain on his own.

So on Tuesday, February 28^th 2012 with next to zero experience in aquariums, I escorted my clan to our local PetSmart. With a haughty sense of confidence I purchased a 10 gallon tank and starter kit along with a variety of five freshwater tropical fish. All this was based on recommendations from a sales clerk who assured me he was attending school to study reptiles. I asked few questions which in hindsight was a mistake due to my previous tank’s 50 percent survival rate, and unwittingly left PetSmart with a bigger tank, with more fish and without a clue.

When we got home I sadly discovered another death had befallen a member of Patrick’s underwater community. Our first tank’s survival rate had now dropped to one out of four. After cursing Poseidon and his mockery, I gathered my wits and began to set up the new ten gallon tank. I filled it up, turned it on, neutralized the chlorine, and added the new fish along with the lone survivor of the previous generation. PRESTO! A real fish tank. They looked happy and colorful and at the end of the night Patrick and I ceremoniously said “goodnight” to the fish and went to bed.

The next morning I awoke with a residual energy of success and eagerly entered Patrick’s room so the two of us could say “good morning” to his new pals. But disaster had struck; some horrible plague had obviously befallen overnight. All of the fish were dead. Belly up. Departed. Morte. 

I immediately careened towards PetSmart, pushing my Ford Focus to its limits. My intention was to give the manager an education in selling bad product, but in turn I received one myself in PH balances, ammonia levels, nitrites, nitrates and ultimately “New Tank Syndrome”. I walked out with some establishing chemicals to create an ecological cycle and one test fish, a Tetra that my wife named T1000. He too seemed happy and full of life. But by the next morning he, like his kinfolk before him, had also perished.

Our ten gallon tank. Currently just a "good" bacteria colony.

TODAY I visited a highly recommended non-chain aquatic retail establishment hoping to get some old-school advice. Something Fishy Incorporated tested my water and determined that all of my chemical levels are right where they should be but added that I may not have enough “good” bacteria to process the fish waste and establish a self-sustaining tank cycle. He sold me an additive that introduces bacteria and jump-starts the cycle. This is where we are now. I have learned a lot in 48 hours and intend on learning much more. Hopefully Patrick’s fish tank will be an exercise for both of us in diligence; an undervalued quality I think.

TOMORROW I intend on returning to PetSmart for another water quality test and to purchase another "test" fish. I will update accordingly.

Stephen DiJulius 

Current Fish Count: 0