Hi all my name is Philip, I am a college student from Washington state and also a fish guy. I'm putting a freshwater pond in my bedroom to hold two red bellied pacu that I bought before knowing their amazing fast growth rate. Since I am studying to be a veterinarian my mother will allow the pond. I want to have a specialization in aquatic/marine medicine. I have a lot of questions that is why I have registered for this site. I intend to help other people too though and will keep coming back to the site.
College Student/Fish Guy
- Thread starter philfreenode
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Neat, welcome to the group.
koiguy1969
GIGGETY-GIGGETY!!
HEY PHIL.... welcome and enjoy
A pond in your bedroom for Pacu?
How big is your bedroom?
How big is your bedroom?
Thanks for the warm welcome I'm enjoying reading around.
The room is about 12x12 so the pond will take up about a fourth of it.
I'm enjoying reading around.The room is about 12x12 so the pond will take up about a fourth of it.
IDK how big Red Bellied Pacu get, but we ate these guys last summer and they were pretty doggone huge:
What are those? Are those black pacu? Those look like beautiful fish, nice catch. I have read they get too large for any aquarium or even reasonable ponds.
The Red Bellied ones get between 2 and 3 feet long, I knew this when I got them only a couple weeks ago at about 3 inches long and thought I'd have a few months to order acrylic sheets for a laaaaaaaaarge aquarium. Not so. They are now 6 and 7 inches long and I have tuition to be responsible for this quarter so no big thick acrylic sheets, thus the pond plan. I have the liner and a 1100 gph at 7 foot head pump to drive a diy tote bin filter. These things grow like literally an inch a week! They are in a 48 inch tank now but the pond will be above ground 8 feet longx4 feet widex36 inch deep (filled to 30 inches) and I'll upgrade it if they ever seem to lack space. Hoping to finish the pond next weekend, I don't know when I'll pick up my wood. My mother is allowing it in the house due to my career and school choice. The pond will be up for 2 to 3 years down there before I need to move to go to vet school, by then they might need larger digs anway. I don't really expect them to reach 3 feet, that's kind of a wild size with plentiful food. Then again i am going to keep their water very clean. At the moment I have to do 50% water change + vacuum every 2 days to keep their tank clean. If they get too large I will building another pond again or find them somewhere humane to live.
The water changes I plan on will be 300 gallons weekly. No heating required cause the room is sitting at 75. Oh and my bedroom is in a basement, the floor is a concrete slab so weight is going to be okay. Ive found the DIY section of this site really helpful especially the filter stickies. I never thought of using some of those types of media. I have a lot of leftover ceramic rings, gravel substrate, and stuff from all my aquariums that I can use as media but i'm definitely interested in the strapping noodles.
The Red Bellied ones get between 2 and 3 feet long, I knew this when I got them only a couple weeks ago at about 3 inches long and thought I'd have a few months to order acrylic sheets for a laaaaaaaaarge aquarium. Not so. They are now 6 and 7 inches long and I have tuition to be responsible for this quarter so no big thick acrylic sheets, thus the pond plan. I have the liner and a 1100 gph at 7 foot head pump to drive a diy tote bin filter. These things grow like literally an inch a week! They are in a 48 inch tank now but the pond will be above ground 8 feet longx4 feet widex36 inch deep (filled to 30 inches) and I'll upgrade it if they ever seem to lack space. Hoping to finish the pond next weekend, I don't know when I'll pick up my wood. My mother is allowing it in the house due to my career and school choice. The pond will be up for 2 to 3 years down there before I need to move to go to vet school, by then they might need larger digs anway. I don't really expect them to reach 3 feet, that's kind of a wild size with plentiful food. Then again i am going to keep their water very clean. At the moment I have to do 50% water change + vacuum every 2 days to keep their tank clean. If they get too large I will building another pond again or find them somewhere humane to live.
The water changes I plan on will be 300 gallons weekly. No heating required cause the room is sitting at 75. Oh and my bedroom is in a basement, the floor is a concrete slab so weight is going to be okay. Ive found the DIY section of this site really helpful especially the filter stickies. I never thought of using some of those types of media. I have a lot of leftover ceramic rings, gravel substrate, and stuff from all my aquariums that I can use as media but i'm definitely interested in the strapping noodles.
Yep we were in rural Eastern Bolivia and those were most likely Black Pacu. Caught in nets spread at the joining of Rio San Martin and the (Bolivian) Rio Blanco.
You might want to check out www.monsterfishkeepers.com forum too for some more ideas/suggestions about keeping fish as big as these indoors.
Good thing your room is in a basement, but I imagine you'll have to do something to control humidity if it's a room you're also trying to live in...
You might want to check out www.monsterfishkeepers.com forum too for some more ideas/suggestions about keeping fish as big as these indoors.
Good thing your room is in a basement, but I imagine you'll have to do something to control humidity if it's a room you're also trying to live in...