READER EXPERIENCE - Rising from the ashes - a Fish Garage NZ story

Rising from the Ashes

A Fish-Garage NZ story

Above: Olive rockfish Acanthoclinus fuscus Photo: Ian Skipworth

I’m Maxine, FNZAS president and secretary for Upper Hutt Aquarium Society, and in December 2016 the worst thing that could happen to any fish keeper happened to me. I had a large collection of fish tanks and all sorts kept in my detached garage; well, that was until tragedy struck and my dryer caught fire. I still remember waking up at 5am thinking, what is that crackling sound? Then in my dazed state thinking; hmm weird glow outside and smell… you probably could hear my brain ticking over if you were in the same room. I jumped up and ran to the French doors to look outside only to see smoke billowing out of my garage. Well, I was not asleep or dazed anymore, and I sprung into action, on the phone to the Fire Brigade, while opening up the door, hose in hand and at the ready – yes I know! Why did I go in? I will never know… but I did. I saw the flames licking out of the dryer to the end of the barbeque, but what made me move was the flames were licking at the gas cylinder which was a mere half meter away from the dryer. Let’s just say I was my family joke that Christmas – Maxine Smash! Was the joke as I pulled the barbie

through the (already burnt and falling to bits) front wall, missing the door completely. Maxine Smash! By the time the Fire Brigade got there I had mostly put the fire out. Don’t you worry, I got told off by the Fire Chief and I’m not saying it was a little telling off, he growled at me like a parent growls at you. I will never run into a fire again. I’m glad I was a part of the Upper Hutt Aquarium Society at the time, as I put out a call to help. The garage was toast (literally speaking) but my makeshift fish room was relatively okay, thanks to the flames going up the wall and over the top of everything. Tanks were mostly full of water but cables and airlines had melted with the heat and the power had to be isolated and turned off. There was a thick covering of soot and smoke over everything. Not a single fish perished but I had to rehome everything. Club members from all across Wellington came and checked on me, helped me

catch fish and then took them home to be looked after. This part was the worst, not a single fish was left in my care. But, in order to grow we have to sometimes start again… The rebuild started in 2017 and a new, shiny garage was built in its place. Then came the master plan - the fish-garage rebuild! I had help, I would not have been able to rebuild without it. Members helped me put up walls and family and friends helped me put in pink batts after the grueling hard task of lining each individual wall section with builders’ paper (I’m not joking we really should have put it in during the garage rebuild). Plaster and paint went in after the sparky worked his magic. Oh, but those club members didn’t get off light handed. We planned a working bee and installed tank stands and tanks built by a local

tank builder. I had killifish tanks, a betta barracks and so many grow out tanks. I remember how many people it took to lift that 1000l tank into place. I’m pretty sure it almost did not make it to its stand. I think it will stay where it is forever. Today the fish-garage has expanded even more as my partner moved from Auckland and brought his fish room down to add to mine. We are always thinking of how we can expand and make things better (why I didn’t plan auto water changes in my rebuild, I will never know). We have multiple species of killifish, lines of fancy guppies, and too many Betta to count. We have no room for any more monster fish rescues as the 1000l filled up quickly with its newest edition - a 25 plus cm Cigar Shark. We welcome visitors of all fish keeping levels. We talk with people

about having this many tanks, how the hobby has helped us, and how important the club is. After all, they helped me at my lowest fish keeping point.

Thanks Team I’m forever grateful!

Maxine Lynch