Strong Smell........

**Redhotemper02** · 04-30-2008, 12:06 AM

Is it Normal For a Tank to have a VERY STRONG FISHY SMELL??

Also another question I have is....

Do "O"s do well with Sand? The Reason for asking is my Ruby likes to pick up the rocks in her mouth, but she's not to bright and she tries to swallow them. The other night I thought we were going to have to slap her on the table and do CPR LMAO I was Extremely SCARED!! And she does this ALL THE TIME!!

My Ruby's a trip she reminds me of Dorie from Finding Nemo, I watch her all the time and she gets half way thru the tank and just slams her brakes on like she forgot what it was she was doing. She has had this personality since we adopted her. I just love her, and dont wanna lose her to a rock!!

**Sasquatch** · 04-30-2008, 12:11 AM

No it's not normal to have a strong fishy smell coming from your aquarium.

A smell yes, but not stong and generally not fishy. More of an organic smell to it ... like plants.

What size tank do you have and what kind of filtration. Oscars are pretty messy fish, so if your filtration is not up to snuff, that might be the cause of the smell.

**cocoa_pleco** · 04-30-2008, 12:58 AM

strong smell is not normal, of course you get a small water vapor smell, but if you are getting a strong smell check your ammonia levels, something is probably rotting

**Redhotemper02** · 04-30-2008, 02:01 AM

Thanks for the reply guys. I have checked my levels.
My Ammonia is 0,
ph-7.2
nitrite-0
nitrate-0
Hardness- Is Hard!!
my alkalinity is HIGH

I have a 55 gallon and im running 2 (40) whispers on each side. I just changed my carbons 3 days ago!!

The smell has been going on for the past week or so.

**Lady Hobbs** · 04-30-2008, 02:12 AM

Not much filtration there for a 55 gallon tank and especially one with an oscar. You could use two AC110 easy.

If you have sand in the tank, you may have gas pockets forming. Sand can not be deep at all in a tank, barely enough to cover the bottom, and stirred up every couple of weeks to break any air pockets. More than 1 inch of sand is not needed.

**MandyL** · 04-30-2008, 02:13 AM

Your Nitrate is 0? How long has the tank been set up? When was your last water change and how much? I am assuming you don't have live plants with them.

**Redhotemper02** · 04-30-2008, 02:33 AM

I have 2 filters running one on each side. I dont have sand yet, I was asking about the sand because I know nothing about it. Thought maybe it would be better for my rock eating queen LMAO

I did my last water change 3 days ago. No i dont have any live plants in my tank. My tanks been up since October of last year.

**Sasquatch** · 04-30-2008, 12:06 PM

You've got an oscar in a 55 and you're nitrates are 0?

What are you using to test the water?

Are you using any chemical filtration that will bind the nitrates?

I'm asking, 'cause that just ain't normal!

**jillybean1852** · 04-30-2008, 01:12 PM

ok, so now Im REALLY confused. LOL We had all been discussing nitrates before and everyone said that 5-10 ppm was still a low dose and the nitrates had to be a "0" for the fish to be healthy. Bc long exposures to a low dose is still poisoning them. Her tank is at "0" nitrates and its not normal?

**xoolooxunny** · 04-30-2008, 01:15 PM

Most go by <40ppm, I go by <30ppm for nitrates. I keep mine between the 10-20 range for my plants, but these levels are not poisonous, just nitrates and ammonia at these levels are deadly. How often did you say you changed your water? A lot of times the tap itself will even be putting out 5ppm nitrates.