Oscar Question

[missdixie256]

I previously posted somewhere about an odd protrusion. I got an answer that this was a breeding tube. Is this normal? Is it dangerous? I have not seen poop yet so...? Constipation an issue? He does not look 'lumpy' or bloated... Just around that area...

The fish is still not eating I think he is just not comfortable in his new surroundings. My tank is having an ammonia spike at the moment... I think we are having an ammonia spike (Well I know it is)...

My readings are as follows:
55G Tank
1 12 Inch Oscar
A-6.0
NA 10ppm
NI 0PPM
PH 7.0
Temp- 76

I am aware that the ammonia is extremely high... I found it last night and immediately did a 20G water change and followed it with another one this afternoon and will do another later on in the day... I think I will pick up a fresh test kit while I am out and about this afternoon JUST incase the one I have isnt that great

My tank has the filter and filter pads from my 29g angel/community tank as well as 2 of the filter pads out of the oscars former tank just kind of floating around... This fish just moved in with me Saturday night late... Tomorrow or Wednesday I will be adding a Fluval 304 to the mix.

 

[SinisterKisses]

So, this is a new setup that you've recently moved your oscar into, is that right? If so, how long has he/she been in there for?

 

[Purple]

Can't help you with the "anatomical anomaly" info - but that ammonia spike is interesting.

Apart from the fact that your old tank filter should have held it down a lot more than it has - I'll risk pointing out the obvious while we're here - floating a filter pad will seed it - but it won't "perform" - no through flow - no results.

I'm sure you probably know this stuff anyway - but for the benefit of others reading this thread ......... the two main bacteria types required to process ammonia and nitrite are not spore forming. They dry - they die.

Equally, no food supply to the bacteria results in a die off - more than 24 hours without through flow of fish waste and the population takes quite a knock. Recovers quickly - but you could be down to 10% of the filters original performance real quick.

Same deal for a stagnant filter - no flow equals no oxygen - die off rate increases.

What do you think happened to yours to end up with such a high ammonia reading ? (Genuine question - just curious......)

*edit to add.....

Yeah - oscars are emotional beasts - sensitive to environment change - not surprised it's off its scoff a bit. Try leaving the tank lights off for a few days so it gets a chance to settle in.

 

[missdixie256]

Sinister,
She as I am told, Has been here since Saturday... Very curious creature... Swimming around, Better color and charging herself in the sides of the tank... I think she is feeling better today... Saturday night and Sunday Morning all she was doin was hanging around the bottom... She is much more active and moving around..

Purple,
I am wondering if it hasnt been because of the 'die off' of stuff... I am just not sure... I am dumbfounded. And I have the 'floating' pads by the intake of the filter... Actually standing up on either side of it that way they get some flow... I guess I could remove them now? Maybe the chem of my water here at home has changed? I guess I will test that tomorrow but wehave always had good water here... And neither of the filters went stagnant tho... I took them directly from my mothers tank and mine (Less than 20 feet), and the two floating ones straight from my aunts and kept them wet the whole time... Since she LOVES to over feed... I wonder if putting one of her 'super' dirty filters into my tank would introduce so much 'extra' food in my tank that it caused the spike? I try to help her keep the tank clean but... Sometimes I just dont get around to it...

Edit:

I took the whole filter box from one of the tanks Not just the filters... All of it... lol.... And replaced it with one of the original filtere and a new one

 

[SinisterKisses]

Okay, well them my question to you is, was the tank fully cycled before you put her in there on Sunday?

As for not eating, don't worry about it yet. Cichlids can take a while to adjust to new surroundings, and not eating for the first week or even longer is normal.

 

[missdixie256]

No the tank was not cycled... I thought switching the filters and half of my gravel from my other tanks would do the trick... Apparently I was wrong... Sigh...

I am fully prepared to do many water changes Good thing eh?

Edit:

I de-chlor'd the tank and added in Stress Coat before I added any filters to the tank...

Today after work I added in some floating HornsWort and something they call Cabomba which may or may not make-it... Since it is floating I am thinking it will do better.

 

[missdixie256]

OK I thought I would do an update

My AM has dropped about 2 points... And I am hoping for atleast that many more tonight when I do my 2 massive water changed... I picked some stuff up called PRIME... Supposed to turn AM into a more managable thing? AND Picked up a new test kit just incase my kit was a bad one

Any other suggestions?

 

[missdixie256]

NEW TEST RESULTS

AM 1.0
(Oddly enough... My TAP water has 1.0ppmAM in it.. Connection?)
NI 10ppm
NA 0ppm
PH 6.6 (Down from 7.0?)

Any suggestions? Changed 15G today... Since my TAP has such a high amt of ammonia what do you guys suggest??? I bought some PRIME and STABILITY today... I just dont know... Now I am confused!