My adopted tiger oscar not eating :(

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Seachem prime water dechlorinator helps with binding ammonia into a less toxic state, this was mentioned in the earlier post by Rocksor.
 
A dechlorinator is important to use because most of us have chlorine or chloramine treated tap water, this water kills beneficial bacteria.
 
The 55 gallon will greatly reduce how fast the ammonia rises. I would use 100% new water with the same percentage of salt in the 13 gallon, so if you had it at 2 tablespoons per 5 gallons, due the same for the 55g. Bring the temperature of the 55g to the same value, and then raise it to 82F.

When your ammonia hits 0.5ppm or nitrites hit 0.5ppm, then you need to do a 50% water change. Test the ammonia once a day. Seachem Prime will only detoxify 1ppm of ammonia for 24-48 hours, turning it to ammonium. The test reads total ammonia, so it won't look like the ammonia has gone done. Only bacteria and water changes will bring the ammonia down.

I would get some bio-media from your brothers other tank to help seed your filter. It needs to be submerged in tank water during transportation. If your 55g tank has reached 3 tablespoons of salt per 5 gallons, then salt will help kill the ich that may reside in the media.

You can use the bottled bacteria if you want to, and see if it helps will the cycle.

Since you got the large tank, doing large water changes can be daunting. You can get a water changer that connects up to the sink, and will help with draining the water out, and refilling. I prefer to drain the water out to the garden.
 
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The 55 gallon will greatly reduce how fast the ammonia rises. I would use 100% new water with the same percentage of salt in the 13 gallon, so if you had it at 2 tablespoons per 5 gallons, due the same for the 55g. Bring the temperature of the 55g to the same value, and then raise it to 82F.

When your ammonia hits 0.5ppm or nitrites hit 0.5ppm, then you need to do a 50% water change. Test the ammonia once a day. Seachem Prime will only detoxify 1ppm of ammonia for 24-48 hours, turning it to ammonium. The test reads total ammonia, so it won't look like the ammonia has gone done. Only bacteria and water changes will bring the ammonia down.

I would get some bio-media from your brothers other tank to help seed your filter. It needs to be submerged in tank water during transportation. If your 55g tank has reached 3 tablespoons of salt per 5 gallons, then salt will help kill the ich that may reside in the media.

You can use the bottled bacteria if you want to, and see if it helps will the cycle.

Since you got the large tank, doing large water changes can be daunting. You can get a water changer that connects up to the sink, and will help with draining the water out, and refilling. I prefer to drain the water out to the garden.

that is like the second or third filter change since my fish had ick, so im hoping it wont exist in this filter
 
If they squeeze their bio-media gunk onto your filter media (be sure to keep media submerged), it will add some, but you still have to test ammonia and nitrites daily. Do not change any of the filter media during the cycle process. Old media can be placed into existing filters.

If for some reason they are out of Seachem Prime. Kordon Amquel will also work.

Do not worry about the ich, as long as you are maintaining the temp of the tank at ~82F and have 3 tablespoon of salt per 5 gallons.
 
so ill get my brothers filter, slap it in one of my filter ports, (hope if fits) 3 tablespoons of salt per 5 gallons up to 55, and raise the temp to 82 (will that be warm for him) He is currently at 74 degrees. Since he hasnt eaten yet can i force feed him a pellet? I also help my regular water heater will warm up the big tank, and how can i keep two tanks warm with one heater? I havnt dropped him in the big tank yet.
 
Do not force feed.

A 13g tank takes a while to go down in temperature if you room temp is above 68f.

Start off with 74f in the new tank. Put both heaters in the new tank, unplugged for 30 minutes. Then plug both in. Raise the temperature about 1 degree every hour or so.

If you already have water in the new tank, and no fish in the new tank. You can boil some water, using about 1/2 gallon or less of boiled water. Do this around 4-5 times or until you get to 74f-78f. Be sure to slowly pour the water into the middle of the tank away from the edges. You can also premix the boiled water with 2 gallons from the tank in a 5 gallon bucket if you wish to do it that way.
 
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