Converting Cichlid tank to Oscar

[Cichlid_Man]

Quick question:
I am converting my Malawi cichlid tank to an oscar tank.
Can the Oscar tolerate the cihlid lake salts, or should I do a complete water change?
Thanks!

[dev]

I don't know what you mean by salts, but Oscars should be kept with near zero KH, while they can handle up to 20 GH. Oscars just like Malawies will do fine without any salt (sodium chloride) but some people think they should both have 1 tsp per 5 gallons.

I'm pretty sure they wouldn't like the malawi pH of >8.0 so I would at least do a large water change to bring the pH down.

[Cichlid_Man]

I don't know what you mean by salts, but Oscars should be kept with near zero KH, while they can handle up to 20 GH. Oscars just like Malawies will do fine without any salt (sodium chloride) but some people think they should both have 1 tsp per 5 gallons.

I'm pretty sure they wouldn't like the malawi pH of >8.0 so I would at least do a large water change to bring the pH down.

Cichlid Lake Salts are not sodium or marine salt. They are minerals and "salts" to replicate the Malawi waters and the cichlids do real well with them.
As far as KH, PH, etc. , I guess I need to do a large water change.
Thanks

[Fishguy2727]

Oscars have a very wide range as far as water parameters go. They are naturalized in many southern regions. Someone from there on another forum said that he goes fishing in waters of 8.0+ and that oscars are breeding there. Stability is important. I would let the tank sit at whatever your tap settles out at naturally.

What size tank was that again?

[Lady Hobbs]

Hi Joe. Hope you're feeling better. I see you're giving up on the malawi's.

Your tank is a 75 right? What are you going to keep with your Oscar friend?
(I would replace the water.) Just make sure there are no stones in the tank big enough for him to throw away. My son's Oscar throw a stone breaking his 100 gallon.

[Cichlid_Man]

Yes, The Malawis are nuts.
I cannot even go in the room with them and they smash into the glass getting hurt.

I will do a water change and see what happens.
I am going to put the Oscar right in there with the Malawis.

It is a 75 gallon tank

[Fishguy2727]

I thought you were getting rid of the Malawis (or did I miss a thread about that)? I would not mix them. If the oscar is big enough to not be beaten up, he will quickly get large enough to do damage to the Malawi cichlids (all mbuna?). This is in addition to any other problems that mixing them may entail (the whole deal with water parameters and body language). I woudl redo it completely. You may be able to get some decent store credit from a LFS or sell them on craigslist.com.

[Lady Hobbs]

Good idea, Fishguy. Might as well just get rid of problem fish rather than trying to work around them.

[Cichlid_Man]

I guess you folks are right...
No sense in causing more trouble in the tank.
If I had someone close enough to me to take the Malawis off my hands I would give them away.

I guess I am stuck.
The LFS doesn't want them because they are too big at this point.

[Fishguy2727]

Most LFS are happy to be given fish that can bring in $20-35+ a pop (depending on size). If they just flat out don't have room that's one thing. How big are they?
Are they all mbuna?
Have you tried craigslist.com?

[dev]

Cichlid Lake Salts are not sodium or marine salt. They are minerals and "salts" to replicate the Malawi waters and the cichlids do real well with them.
As far as KH, PH, etc. , I guess I need to do a large water change.
Thanks

Actually mineral salts (mostly magnesium and calcium) are reflected through GH, carbonate salts are reflected through KH and sodium chloride is reflected only through salainty and tds.

There's nothing in malawi, tanganyika or victora other than these three groups. Sodium is present in concentrations up to about .8 %. You didn't specify what kind of salt your were asking about, hence the reservations in my post.

[Cichlid_Man]

Fishguy...
I never heard of craigslist.com...
I will check it..
Mine are all Mbuna. All 5inches or better

Dev:

I said Cichlid lake salt. That's the product name
It is the trace elements needed to replicate Malawi, etc.
I don't use sodium

[dev]

I said Cichlid lake salt. That's the product name

Ah, ok. My mistake then. I have never heard of that product, and have no idea what it contains. (though I except it is a mixture of magnesium and calcium sulfates, and perhaps some potassium, sodium, iodide and other trace elements you find in fertilizers. All safe for oscar cichlids).

[Cichlid_Man]

No problem Dev.
No mistake on your part.
I took for granted everybody heard of that product :-)

It does contain what you mention so I guess I can get my Oscar...

[RobbieG]

Fishguy...
I never heard of craigslist.com...
I will check it..


Its really craigslist.org

You can wind up in a bad place if you type it in wrong