Enough aeration??

Please help I have a flowerhorn and midas and they're acting funny. Not sure if I have enough aeration. They stay at top of tank by the bubbles.

 

Can you provide a bit more info?

Tank size? Any other tankmates?

Water parameters (pH, temp, ammonia, nitrites, nitrates)?

 

One flowerhorn, one midas cichlid and one ornate bichir. Tank is 125gal. I'm still waiting on my water test kit from amazon to come in but I know the water is okay because I had it tested earlier today at a reputable lfs with a liquid test, not strips.

 

What's the temp of the tank?

And do you have the exact results of the tests?

 

The easiest way to tell is buy an air pump and run a airstone. I suggest not adding any valve so that the airstone will get the max thus you will get the most oxygen out of the air pump. In a week or so see if the fishes behavior change. Nice tank by the way!

 

Hello Ja...

If you're following a sound water change routine by changing out half or more of the water in the tank every week, you don't need a filter system with a gallon per hour rating (gph) of more than 4 times the volume of the tank. The reason is, the filter system is just moving water that's already clean. So, just do the math. For a 125 gallon tank, the filter or filters should have a gph of at least 500. More than this is over filtering the tank and isn't needed. This level of filtration will be enough to properly aerate the tank.

The large, regular water changes will take the place of some of the filtration.

Old

 

How long has your tank been up and running for?

 

What's the temp of the tank?

And do you have the exact results of the tests?

Temperature is consistent at 74-75 degrees F. And no unfortunately I do not have the exact numbers of the water test but I should hopefully be getting my kit in the mail soon

The easiest way to tell is buy an air pump and run a airstone. I suggest not adding any valve so that the airstone will get the max thus you will get the most oxygen out of the air pump. In a week or so see if the fishes behavior change. Nice tank by the way!

Okay I will most definitly do that, thanks! I do have a small air stone right now as well as 2 other regular tubes in there but they're all attached to the back wall of the tank so that's why I'm questioning whether that's okay for the size tank I have because there's all lot of space in there. And thank you!!

Hello Ja...

If you're following a sound water change routine by changing out half or more of the water in the tank every week, you don't need a filter system with a gallon per hour rating (gph) of more than 4 times the volume of the tank. The reason is, the filter system is just moving water that's already clean. So, just do the math. For a 125 gallon tank, the filter or filters should have a gph of at least 500. More than this is over filtering the tank and isn't needed. This level of filtration will be enough to properly aerate the tank.

The large, regular water changes will take the place of some of the filtration.

Old

Ah okay that makes sense. I was actually told not to do any water changes for the time being yet but if I really needed to then I was told to do no more than 10%. I'm not sure how long that would be in effect till? I have had the tank up and running for about 3 weeks now. These fish were just placed in here yesterday because I wanted to cycle the tank before adding any of these big guys.

How long has your tank been up and running for?

About 3 weeks now. I cycles with 4 small JDs (who are alive and well but moved to a different tank) and I just put the FH,midas and bichir in yesterday

 

Is there anyway you could get back to the lfs today for another test, before yours arrives in the mail? For a fish in cycle only changing so little of the water it may be your water parameters affecting the fish... Maybe you can have them write down the numbers for you and let us know?
Also, if the bio load is different from the fish you cycled with it will also cause a spike....
For high dollar fish like that I would make sure you don't need a large water change right now before losing them....

Could also be they are adjusting....since they just went in yesterday