Oscar doing poorly, lethargy and not eating/pooping

JSlead

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 17, 2020
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Check your buffering capacity, KH value. This value stops PH from going down
Yeah, I know. And unfortunately my KH is a little high- it’s 8. The distilled water I bought has almost none at all. I was considering putting in 15gal distilled every other day until it goes down (gonna get expensive). Reasonable?
 

JSlead

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 17, 2020
23
3
8
49
Update: after a terrible day (seriously wondered if today was THE DAY), suddenly Oscar is swimming around and eating pellets from my wife’s hand. (Oscar hates me because I’m always the one bugging her, capturing in the net, etc. I’m bad cop and wife is good cop). Not eating a ton, but hey anything is good.

I also just ordered a RevOsmosis unit. My water is pretty hard, high KH and high PH and about 10ppm nitrates. So I’ll mix in some RO and find the proper balance. I don’t think I’ll get it in time for Wednesday’s water change but maybe next weekend’s change. I’ll report
 
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Rocksor

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Nov 28, 2011
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Update: after a terrible day (seriously wondered if today was THE DAY), suddenly Oscar is swimming around and eating pellets from my wife’s hand. (Oscar hates me because I’m always the one bugging her, capturing in the net, etc. I’m bad cop and wife is good cop). Not eating a ton, but hey anything is good.

I also just ordered a RevOsmosis unit. My water is pretty hard, high KH and high PH and about 10ppm nitrates. So I’ll mix in some RO and find the proper balance. I don’t think I’ll get it in time for Wednesday’s water change but maybe next weekend’s change. I’ll report
Make sure the KH stays at least 4 degrees, otherwise due to biological processes it will cause your PH to dramatically drop. You'll have to find that right balance where PH is consistent until water change day.
 

JSlead

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 17, 2020
23
3
8
49
Thank you! Yes I am aware of the dangers of going TOO low. Once I get the RO unit later this week I’ll be able to experiment. And yes I know to change parameters SLOWLY.

After having a terrible day yesterday, Oscar seems quite a bit better today. Still not very energetic but at least she’s moving around and eating a little. Thanks.
 
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