oscar laying down???

**Lady Hobbs** · 11-11-2012, 07:35 PM

Fish also pee 24/7. Parmeters can be perfect but it doesn't mean the water is.

**Goes to 11!** · 11-11-2012, 07:36 PM

And their respiration also LH.

Personally, I wouldn't run the tank at 80. My Oscar tanks are at 76F.

Just to pile on: I do 40 or 50% weekly WC[No less] on the 100 my Oscar is alone in and it has an AC 110, EHEIM 2217 & Pro II 2260 on it.

**Lady Hobbs** · 11-11-2012, 07:36 PM

Troutguide......Do you have a water changer.

http://www.petsolutions.com/C/Aquari...FcxcMgodwTkAUA

**troutguide9** · 11-11-2012, 07:47 PM

Not one this fancy I have a regular gravel siphon which i fill buckets with. If the parameters are fine doesn't that mean the water is fine as well? Lady Hobbs you do 50% weekly changes on all of your tanks? I have heard this a couple times since joining the forum and the concept is very foreign to me!! I've grown up being taught to change the tank as little and as slowly as possible. Doing a 50% change on a 125gal tank seems like it would ruin my natural filtration and good bacteria.

**Goes to 11!** · 11-11-2012, 07:55 PM

Originally Posted by troutguide9

Doing a 50% change on a 125gal tank seems like it would ruin my natural filtration and good bacteria.

How so? The bacteria do not live in the water column.

**Lady Hobbs** · 11-11-2012, 07:58 PM

Your cycle and bacteria is in the filters. You can change all the water you want as long as you replace it with the same temp and add your dechlorinator to the tank before adding the water. These water changes are a must have especially with a tank your size. It goes from a faucet to the tank removing water, turn a switch and fill it back up.

Smoke a cigarette while it does the work!

PS.....They work on the standard house faucets that have that little screen adaptor on them that you just remove.

**Rocksor** · 11-11-2012, 10:13 PM

80F won't hurt your oscar. My oscars have done fine with water constantly around 84F. They come from waters that run that high or higher during the summer.

As far as the large water changes, many fish get 100% water change everyday in the wild, so doing 50% won't hurt them. You can do 75% everyday if you wanted to, and it won't harm your fish unless you have tap water not suitable for unltra-sensitive fish you are keeping. Oscars are not in this category.

**butterbean** · 11-11-2012, 10:16 PM

Have you changed what you are feeding him? I loved my Oscar when I had them but they were picky eaters big time. Mine once went 2 weeks and would not eat anything (he was just fine except for that) as he got older he would eat 1 type worm and one brand fish food and that is it If I didn't give him that he didn't eat. Whenever I would try to outlast him on a diet change I was the one to give in he never did. LOL he also played dead from time to time.

**troutguide9** · 11-12-2012, 05:17 PM

well ms. lady hobbs i took your advice not 50% but did a 30 change on all my tanks and everything is still doing just fine =) you were right. I will be going to get one of those hoses from my LFS because buckets are a pain in the butt and that looks very convenient. Thanks for your help

**butterbean** · 11-12-2012, 08:37 PM

Is your Oscar still laying on it's side or did it pick up after the water change? Lady Hobbs is so right not only are regular fair size water changes good for your fish you will find they like them.