My first fish rescue

[uncwnells]

Call it Pete Sampras

 

[PNWFisherman]

I name all my animals felix, even my goat.

 

[zpetrichko]

those look like 2 completely different tanks. the pics with the oscar has nothing on the bottom of the tank, whereas the last one has all sorts of decorations.

 

[MonsterMinis]

Looking good.

 

[BIGguppy]

those look like 2 completely different tanks. the pics with the oscar has nothing on the bottom of the tank, whereas the last one has all sorts of decorations.

i noticed that as well? but it's a nice tank if that's what it look like now

 

[coeus]

looks like the first 2 pics were from the bottom of the tank looking up at him and the last one is a full tank shot

 

[StipesAndFins]

good for you. I hope he gets better.

its people like them who make me mad.

 

[Wulfonce]

those look like 2 completely different tanks. the pics with the oscar has nothing on the bottom of the tank, whereas the last one has all sorts of decorations.

The updated pics of the oscar were taken at an upward angle near the top of the tank cause my camera was picking up to much light off the sand.

When I introduced the Oscar I took out many of the decorations feeling the oscar wouldn't have enough room (my original pic). The tank was previously set up for small 2" bluegills and minnows, thus the tank was packed with many fake plants (the night time pic).

In the updated pics, its the same tank but with no plants. Just rocks, driftwood and that big clay pot. I'll take a full tank shot this weekend incase im not making any sense.

 

[Wulfonce]

i noticed that as well? but it's a nice tank if that's what it look like now

With a little love and some elbow grease it'll look like that again. The algae is the biggest problem though. It sets in way to fast. The light source is (3) 40w tubes. I'm only using one tube and it still seems to grow algae at a rapid rate. I'll try blocking out some of the light this weekend and see if that helps.

 

[revkkoolaid]

That's what I used to think. Until I did lots of research and read one article after another and found out that HITH is almost always caused by high nitrates in Oscar tanks. They're one of the fish (along with Discus) that are sensitive to nitrates and living long term in nitrates over 20 ppm or so will result in HITH in those fish already predisposed to it. Everyone can argue all they want about carbon only causing it. But try keeping nitrates at 10 ppm or less and you'll believe me.

I'm in no way discouraging water changes. . .as I believe in and practice them to an insane level. . .I'm just stating facts for the sake of conversation as I found this information very interesting when I discovered it.

Believe it or not most freshwater fish. . .esp. amazonian fishes are slathered in nitrates their whole lives in the wild. Many giant public aquaria exhibits, even marine, operate as high as 60-80 ppm sometimes with minimal problems. Reef organisms are stressed by them. . .as they live in a nutrient desert. But the runoff of forests is ripe with nitrates. . . .ripe I tell you!

I used to swallow the nitrate koolaid to. Then I went to school. So much is published online and even in fish mags and books that is not really based on facts. Just hearsay and things "they" read elsewhere. Talk to an ichthyologist about nitrates sometime. It will blow your mind.. . . as well as fry it.

Alot of what we all know is dreadfully wrong and it breaks my brain. Many of these conversations I've had with marine/aquatic biologists and ichthyologists consisted largely of me going "But-what-about. . ." over and over again.

Personally I think the problems caused that are blamed on nitrates are typically derived from other poor husbandry that accompanies the bad husbandry practices that have led to the high nitrates. And sometimes. . .sh*t happens.

As far as my two cents on HITH. . .if one digs truly deep on the subject. . .I mean beyond a couple hrs on the internet (not flaming anyone . . .that was me for a long time) it's "causes" are actually very poorly understood.
I think the possible causes will soon include the mob, fidel castro, and aliens. . . . along with carbon dust