anyone keep fish - need help

[lele]

I am posting this for a friend who needs help. We had a snow storm which turned to ice and there are several power outages. She has a small, saltwater tank (5gallon) with 4 little neon type fish. Right now their temp is fine and she is going to move them in front of the fireplace but she is also concerned about their bubbler not working and wondering how long they can go without it?

any ideas/tips to calm her fears? I don't keep fish so don't know.

thanks!!

 

[JimNPHX]

If all she has is 4 small fish and the tank is 5 gallons, it should be ok for a day or two as long as the temp stays close to normal. What is more important is filtration and water movement. (As long as temp is good)

Depending on how long the power is out (1-2 days instead of hours) she could aways do a 25% - 40% water change. Which at that size will not be too difficult. Also, there are battery powered air pumps (bait stores) out there that she could get if she really is stressing out.

Again, this is based on being able to keep the temp in the normal range.

Hope this helps

Jim

 

[lele]

Hi Jim - thanks. I didn't know about the battery operated pumps and will tell her. She does tend to stress about this sort of thing, as do I so I can relate

Bait store, huh? We live in NH so I am not too sure if she can locate one. Ice fishing is the only fishing going on up here right now - any other type of store carry them?

Here is some more info - she just called and said a neighbor told her
that they can go 4 hours without the bubbler - is this true? She has a small
generator that can last a few hours and she wonders how long she would
need to have it on to get another four hours for them.

Also, I suggested just stirring the water with a stick or straw every
1/2 hour or so to make bubbles - would that help? It's just a guess

thanks again!

lele

 

[JimNPHX]

You/she could also call around to fish stores to see if they carry a battery powered pump. I know the store I always used did but they were a saltwater aquarium store not a general pet store.

If she could get the filter and pump on for 20 minutes every 2 hours she should be fine.
How is she keeping the temp up?

 

[Kent67]

Also, I suggested just stirring the water with a stick or straw every
1/2 hour or so to make bubbles - would that help?

It would totally help. The surface tension is what you need to get the fine oxygen molecules into the water. That's all the bubbler does actually, stir up the water at the surface.

 

[lele]

You/she could also call around to fish stores to see if they carry a battery powered pump. I know the store I always used did but they were a saltwater aquarium store not a general pet store.

If she could get the filter and pump on for 20 minutes every 2 hours she should be fine.
How is she keeping the temp up?

Great! She can turn the generator on for those periods. Good to know, thanks. As for the temps, she moved the tank to the living room putting it near the fireplace. She has a couple single beta she moved there, too.


Kent - I figured creating any bubbles would produce oxygen, thanks!

lele

 

[JimNPHX]

Hope the power gets back to normal soon.

Good luck to your friend!

p.s. Be careful when stirring the water up that she does not start stirring up the bottom. This will just mix up the waste causing more stress on the fish.

 

[lele]

good point, Jim

thanks for all your quick help, really appreciate - and so does Barb and her little fishies

 

[JimNPHX]

Your welcome . . . I really miss my setups.

I could sit in front of the tanks for hours!

 

[lele]

my brother keeps fish and I have done some tank staring I had a friend in NY that had all different size and shape SW tanks. he and his girlfriend used go south and bring back cool coral and other neat things (not sure if it was legal) and had the most beautiful setups! They seem so high maintenance, though. I'll stick to my low maintenance cham (lol!) and other herps.

Barb just called and she can't get her generator going but a guy down the road has a one so I think she is going to bring the fish there. Hopefully her power will be back on soon!


lele