MOVING MOBY DICK

MOVING MOBY DICK-In the Valley of the Jolly Pacu

A small Pacu bought at a local fish store grew and grew and grew and when it outgrew it's tank after 7 years, the owner began frantically trying to locate a new home for him. This oversized champ, a gregarious big fellow, tough to the core and smart, even recognized his owner similar to how a dog would react to its owner upon arrival home.

Yes friends and admirers, this mission became a reality this last Sunday afternoon when Randy De Troit and crew took on the task of relocation. Or to quote many Craiglist's advertisers 'rehome'. In this case it wasn't for a fee but pure and plain unadulterated love. The owner of 'Moby Dick', as what she named it,

was distraught over the many rejections to rehome him she received as time went on and circumstances grew dire. Here you see her pet it like one would a dog or cat. Push came to shove and sure enuf and up to the task, Randy De Troit came to Moby's rescue and became his guardian angel.

We will document with video and photos, this outgoing and friendly loyal companions' plight and eventual rehoming to 'greener pastures' and more specifically a wider and longer tank for him in which to frolic his merry tail around.

She was about to throw her hands up in the air and give up. She was preparing for the worst: her precious fish leaving his physical body and going to heaven. You see he was in a tank that was too small for him to even turn around. Many people can relate to this dilemma as a pet can grow out of control.

He would eventually just lay on his side for shear frustration. She had plans to bury him in the backyard. But alas, along came Randy De Troit, the fish savior and champion to the animal world at large.

We will try to enact that day and the events that took place for your interest and education. Just in case you need a big fish rescued and you don't know where to go or who to turn to; it's Randy De Troit, the proprietor of 'PET SAFE HOME' 'where animals come home to stay and live out their natural life without ever having to pay rent or a dime for water and power.

It was early afternoon this past Sunday when Randy De Troit loaded up his van with buckets, straps, dollies, and larger pail,

to save Moby's life. A cameraman rode along to document with photos and video. They arrived in the rain, a good sign for fisherman of the old school kind who traditionally do much better in the rain.

So arriving wet and in a downpour, with lights, camera and plenty of action they began their mission. Here was the crew for rescue and the anxious family awaiting and praying for a miracle, about to relinquish rights to their baby whale almost. Lights were set up in the small living-room where the transfer was to begin and a small but eager audience and sympathizers had gathered. Randy began by fill his trusty pail with water from the tank, then stabilizing himself, tried to barehand the large fish by leaning over the edge of the tank while standing on a chair.

But Moby proved to be too frantic and too slippery a customer.

So he moved to the plan 'B' which was to use a strap with some friction to capture and hold the fish in order to raise him high enough to clear the top of the tank, extract then lower him down into the red plastic bucket they brought for just this purpose. This procedure proved to be a success and Moby landed smack dab in the bucket splishing and a splashing, displacing water all the while. 'It was a hell of a day at sea sir'.

After securing him with a lid, the two women present offered to lift the bucket housing Moby outside and into the cargo bay of the SUV. He was safely secured as the crew rolled out of the driveway and onto the freeway 101 heading south. A careful drive ensued to insure no more water would spill and would calm the big fish down.

After reaching their destination: PET SAFE HOME, the fish was carried bucket and all near to the location of his new abode: a 190 gallon glass tank already filled, recycled, treated and bio-balled. His new habitat would insure him more room to move around more freely and to actually grow more in size.