Topic: tropical fish in a household with 7 cats

[fuzzybutt]

i have been wanting to get back into aquariums nothing huge or elaborate, maybe a 15-20 gallon fresh water one. the problem is the 7 cats i have. has anyone here ever seen a cat proof aquarium lid?

[mlinder]

Just get a south american cichlid. Mean enough to bite off the cats paws should they put them in the water.

[TwoTired]

Have you looked yet?

Most have covers available, and there are many styles.
Acrylic tank have acrylic tops, as well.  They have a narrowed hole routed out of them to capture the flourescent light fixture.  Hard to imagine a cat moving this out of the way to access the water, unless you help them, of course.

Cheers,

[fuzzybutt]

i havent looked yet, thought someone here might have experience with something. i have some pretty smart and hard headed cats.

[Soos]

hahaha....


My kids have a angelfish(had 3 at one time) and the youngest cat I had would knock at the lid enough, and finally figured out how to get the top up by digging at the lid near the filter.

He ate 2 of the fish.
(or terrorized them to death)
Finally fixed the problem by putting a 10lb weight up there...

Cats if given enough oppourtunity(you do sleep 8 or so hours a day) will get at what they want eventually.
I think I'm lucky,when mine got the lid off, the light didn't fall into the water with the cat.


l8r

[tramp]

thats not a bad idea
just strap the lids down when not in use
i have a 90 gallon tank i've haven't used in a couple of years
maybe i'll fill it up again

[Jonesy]

i havent looked yet, thought someone here might have experience with something. i have some pretty smart and hard headed cats.

Hmmm...

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Hey Fuzzy,

Just get a south american cichlid. Mean enough to bite off the cats paws should they put them in the water.

I have a 120 gallon tank with 3 small/medium Oscars (S Amer cichlid) that can grow to 1 foot. My cat was "interested" until I took him over, lifted up the lid and inserted one paw knowing what would probably happen. Scared the #$%* outta him when the Oscar grabbed his paw. Just for #$%*s and grins (aren't cats great!) I carry him over to the tank occasionally and when we get close he just about claws the #$%* outta me trying to get away. He WILL NOT bother any of the 4 tanks now    I got him over his sushi habit real quick.

[Jonesy]

Or, just get some pirhanas.. the cat will only have to get his paws near the water!

[mlinder]

Hey Fuzzy,

Just get a south american cichlid. Mean enough to bite off the cats paws should they put them in the water.

I have a 120 gallon tank with 3 small/medium Oscars (S Amer cichlid) that can grow to 1 foot. My cat was "interested" until I took him over, lifted up the lid and inserted one paw knowing what would probably happen. Scared the #$%* outta him when the Oscar grabbed his paw. Just for #$%*s and grins (aren't cats great!) I carry him over to the tank occasionally and when we get close he just about claws the #$%* outta me trying to get away. He WILL NOT bother any of the 4 tanks now    I got him over his sushi habit real quick.

Yep. I had an 80 gallon with an Oscar that I had for, i dunno, 7 years. He was well over a foot long, liked to be 'pet', and would bite you if you had your arm in the tank and weren't watching him. He also squirted water on people that came over that he didn't know. Name was Hideo, awesome fish, lots of personality, and I think it would take, at a minimum, a bobcat, to eat him. Maybe a cougar. Or a bear.

[Jonesy]

A local machine shop I do a lot of business with had one of those in the reception area. The tank was a bit small for it and sometimes it would thrash around when going after feeder fish.

One Monday, the owner arrived to find a large chunk of glass broken out of the side of the aquarium, water all over and the fish lying dead on the floor. Apparently, he got a bit too fiesty over the weekend..