Surprise fish on my doorstep!!!

[fraggle]

I got home this evening to find a styrofoam box with a bag with 5 fish in it.

I have absolutely no idea where they came from or how long they'd been there!!! (well I went out just before lunch, so since then)

There was just a note in it that said "I know you like fish, so Thank You"

I have no idea who sent them!!!! Got me stumped!!!!

On the back of the note it said "3 striped convict fish, 1 black convict, 1 sparkling convict"


The poor guys were nearly dead, it was flaming 37C here today. I really didn't know what to do with them, but I couldn't let them die!!!!! I didn't have another tank to put them in (I've got a few fish in quarantine with some wierd fungus happening) so very reluctantly I put them in the 3' where I've relocated the community tank to since I got the frontosas.

They were a little washed out and pale looking at first and sat at the bottom of the tank for a couple of hours. Now they look fine, they are darting around looking at everything.

I'd post some pics but the batteries are dead and hubby is bringing some more home with him, so I'll take some pics then.

I don't know what the difference in a striped convict to a black convict is, except that 3 are black and white striped pretty much and 1 is dark grey and black and I've never even heard of a sparkling convict!!!!!!!

I'll post some pics when I get some batteries for the camera!!!

[Poofaye C.]

Weird.....all convicts huh fraggle? You got a secret pen pal from prison we don't know about????

[Deleted User]

I hate it when that happens. I used to get people leaving boxes of fish on my doorstep quite regularly till I moved out of the area. I hope you find out who sent you them. Just watch those convicts very nice as they are they have quite a temprememnt.

Look forward to your pics. I just googled Sparkling convict Nothing specific so will have to see what it is when you post pics. :ssmile:

[Fishalicious]

Wow..glad I am not the only also this happens to...seems once word get's round you are a fish nut everyone dumps their unwanted's on you ... :11:

I hope they are a kind you would love to keep yourself... if I find anymore guppies or platies on my doorstep I will cry :help: LOL

[Sharon]

Oh dear! People leaving fish on the doorstep??? That can be a definite problem!!! :ssuprised:

[fraggle]

Well here are some pics! (very bad ones mind you! LOL, do you think I could get the camera to focus on the fish instead of the gravel or ornaments!)

The sparkling convicts stripes didn't show up very well in the pic, the photo makes it look quite different, they look a lot darker than that.

Now I know absolutely nothing about convicts, other than girl convicts have red/orange scales on their belly and that they breed like rabbits.

I dont' know how they'll go in the tank (maybe it's an excuse to get another one:hmm3grin2orange: ) we'll see how they go. As I said they are only about 1.5 inches, one of the striped cons is a little bigger and the sparkly one is probably just under 2.

The first pic is the black convict, the second one is one of the striped ones and the 3rd one is the sparkling convict.

[Lady Hobbs]

Nice fish but really......Darned nice of someone to dump their problems in your lap without knowing you even had a place to put them. Looks like someone gave up on convicts and you inherited.

[toddnbecka]

So you have some convicts and one unknown, but it's definitely not even a convict hybrid. The only difference between black and striped convicts is dominance. The black one shows a more distinct pattern to assert his superior social standing among the group. Fortunately (or not...) convicts are tough critters; give them halfway decent water and feed 'em occaisonally and you'll be up to your eyeballs in fry rather soon.

[Lady Hobbs]

Let's hope today you don't find 4 or 5 Oscars waiting outside for you. LOL

[toddnbecka]

Let's hope today you don't find 4 or 5 Oscars waiting outside for you. LOL
Why not? Just spread the word you're having a big fish fry for the neighborhood, and you won't be seeing any more dropoffs...:hmm3grin2orange:

[fraggle]

You know funny thing is that I live in a rural area, about 30km from the next town, we have a pub and a kindergarten, that's it. The actual town population would only be about 50, area would be about 300 or so.
I dont' even know anyone out here that keeps fish!!!!!!! (and little town you soon learn these things)

Hmmmm, so the "sparkling convict" isn't a convixt hey? Wonder what it'll turn out to be?

The "black convict" being the dominant one, that's funny, he's the littlest!!!

Have an oscar BBQ, well that wouldn't really be that wierd would it, they are eaten where they come from aren't they? (mind you I couldn't do it to mine, LOL, or my Tandanus and they are meant to be one of the best eating fish)

How old would they be if they are only an inch or so big?

Is there anything specific I need to do for them? When do they start showing the red bits on their bellies? None of them have those, so maybe I have all boys! LOL

[abaigael04]

yikes! glad I've never found fish at my door! I'd have nowhere to put 'em!

[William]

The third looks a lot like a young Jack dempsey.

[fraggle]

A Jack Dempsey? Get off the grass!!! What in the blue blazes do I do with it? Could it be something else?
All I've read about JD's is they are big and NASTY!

This guy is hardly 2 inches (I know they all have to start out little) he doesn't seem aggresive, he just swins around with the other cons (they are cons aren't they:shappy: ) He hasn't had a go at anything, or do they get meaner with age?

[Lady Hobbs]

ROTF........I have to agree with William. Looks like a JD to me too. I had to go back and look after reading Williams post.

[country_boy454]

I agree it does look like a young JD.

[toddnbecka]

Adult male JD's are nasty fish, but until they reach sexual maturity they're pretty easygoing. Same way w/most cichlids, which is one reason some folks in the retail business will tell you that you can keep incompatible fish in tanks too small. They have no experience with adults, and base their reasoning on the size and behavior of the juvies that come and go through the store tanks.

[fraggle]

Easy going when young huh? But nasty if male and big.

Oh dear. How quick do they grow? How quick do they get Nasty? How do you tell if it's male or female, LOL? Or a girls just as bad?

I'm getting an 8'x2'x2 tank for my oscar and co, (should be July) would he go OK with them or should I find him a new home now?
(I've become quite fond of them all actually, they dance at the front of the tank! They are like "mini" oscars! LOL. Got heaps of personality)

[toddnbecka]

A tank that large should be big enough to house them all w/out fatal conflicts over territory even if the JD does turn out to be a male. Sexing is the same as for the convicts and Oscars; males have longer, pointier dorsal and anal fins. They're also the territorial ones, females are generally less violent. Growth rate is depedent on variables like temp, tank size, available food, etc. However, it's unlikely the JD will be a real threat to the others any time soon. I'd expect July to be soon enough to move them into a larger tank.

[fraggle]

Thanks toddnbecka.thumbs2:

[korith]

Someone at the fish club I go to mentioned something like this happening to him. People would leave their tanks or just a bag of fish at his doorstep. His first thought was to put a no fish dumping sign on his doorstep :hmm3grin2orange: But in the end he ended up putting a tank on his porch with some plants in it, with a fish go here sign.

I guess it's better than the alternative most people would use which is to get rid of their "pet" fish, by flushing them or releasing them into a local pond/stream. At least this way those of us who get the unwanted fish, can rehome them properly.

You know what else is annoying people who noticed you have a fish tank and then buy you fish not really knowing if they are compatible with your tanks or not. My friend's mom bought him 5 serpae tetra for him and had the bag floating in his tank when he got home. He has a salt water tank!!!

[toddnbecka]

My friend's mom bought him 5 serpae tetra for him and had the bag floating in his tank when he got home. He has a salt water tank!!!
Mmm, little red feeder fish... :hmm3grin2orange:

A word of caution though, I have occaisonally seen fully grown Oscars at the lfs that had been torn up by other cichlids. I have no idea what size tank they had been kept in, or with what other fish, but bigger doesn't necessarily mean tougher. In other words, if the JD would go ballistic for some (likely unknown) reason, the Oscar/s will likely lose the fight. It's most unlikely that the damage occured in an 8' tank. It's unfortunately generally more common for people to keep fish in less suitable accomodations.

[mac]

HMM, I would like that. But with fish tanks being dropped of, along with donations for the power.:hmm3grin2orange:

Never had that happen to me yet. But you never know.
Interestingly there are quite a few fish keepers in our Valley. One just up the road.

Good luck with your new aqasitions.

mac

[fraggle]

Someone at the fish club I go to mentioned something like this happening to him. People would leave their tanks or just a bag of fish at his doorstep. His first thought was to put a no fish dumping sign on his doorstep :hmm3grin2orange: But in the end he ended up putting a tank on his porch with some plants in it, with a fish go here sign.

I guess it's better than the alternative most people would use which is to get rid of their "pet" fish, by flushing them or releasing them into a local pond/stream. At least this way those of us who get the unwanted fish, can rehome them properly.

You know what else is annoying people who noticed you have a fish tank and then buy you fish not really knowing if they are compatible with your tanks or not. My friend's mom bought him 5 serpae tetra for him and had the bag floating in his tank when he got home. He has a salt water tank!!!


That sounds like a good idea! LOL, mind you this is the first time it's happened to me.

People buying me fish is how I've got most of mine! I had the pair of silver dollars and a bristlenose and a betta, then hubby bought me my oscar and the black skirts and the serpae for Christmas, then my IL's bought my gibby and the loaches and the tandanus too. Went from 2 55G tanks with barely any fish to being fully stocked in a flash!!!!

Now these additions!


Mac I know what you mean about the tanks! That would be awesome!! Maybe leave a sign out that for evey fish dropped of I need at least 2'x2' of tank, and it has to be provided with the fish!:hmm3grin2orange:

[wolf_eyes]

Maybe leave a sign out that for evey fish dropped of I need at least 2'x2' of tank, and it has to be provided with the fish!:hmm3grin2orange:
now THERE'S an idea

[fraggle]

Mmm, little red feeder fish... :hmm3grin2orange:

A word of caution though, I have occaisonally seen fully grown Oscars at the lfs that had been torn up by other cichlids. I have no idea what size tank they had been kept in, or with what other fish, but bigger doesn't necessarily mean tougher. In other words, if the JD would go ballistic for some (likely unknown) reason, the Oscar/s will likely lose the fight. It's most unlikely that the damage occured in an 8' tank. It's unfortunately generally more common for people to keep fish in less suitable accomodations.


Hmmm, I'm starting to be scared of JD's!!!! :ssuprised: Are they that bad are they? I don't want anything to happen to Okka!!! He's the boss of the tank ATM, wouldn't like to see him scared:scry: or picked on. Maybe I'll find it a new home.

[William]

It varies from individual to individual. Some are dolls other monsters.

[klaalla]

i am definitely glad this hasn't happened to me yet. although it has happened with red ear sliders.