Stupid n00b question I'm sure! :p

[weezer]

I have been enjoying my 90 gal chiclid tank for about 6 months now. Full of fish and they seem to be doing well.

When I went to the fish store today I noticed that the chiclids there were not moving their mouths near as much as mine! I mean my fish are ALWAYS sucking water! The fish store chiclids were pulling it in every so often.

I wonder if my water is low on oxygen and therefore the fish need to move more volume to get their oxyen requirements.

I do not have any bubbler or power heads, just a Rena that breaks the surface tension of the water ever so slightly.

Ya think I need more O2? While your thinking about that do African Chiclids like fast moving or slow moving waters?

Thanks!

 

[bman]

Yeah, I think you need some aeration in there. I do not know anything about chiclids, but I do know the more bubbles you can get in ANY tank, the more O2!

 

[Devilishturtles]

Do you have a power filter on your tank at all? Do you know the GPH of the powerhead?

 

[weezer]

Do you have a power filter on your tank at all? Do you know the GPH of the powerhead?

Yeah I have a rena external filter. The big one. Works fine and I clean it every 3-5 weeks.

I think I'll get a cheapo powehead tomorrow just to move the water and add some O2.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Sorry. When you said Rena, I just assumed you meant the Powerhead.

An extra one wouldn't hurt at all.

 

[Zagz]

For my cichlids I have a 4" bubble wall. They constantly swim in and out of the bubbles it makes. When I turn it off they go near the surface of the water until I turn it on again. I actually think they are addicted to it.

 

[tropicfishman]

defintly get a bubble tube, fish love em, there not that expensive, just be sure to get a tube, prolly at least 15 inches, a good air pump, some airline tubing, and a gang valve in case ya wanna add something else later on, if ya go to walmart you'll have about 20 dollars in it aoll, buy the aquaculture dual outlet air pump for 10 bucks, its awesom and comes with 2 check valves, it really makes some bubbles lol

 

[malkore]

I would also clean your Rena filstar more than once every 3-5 weeks. I try to clean mine weekly...cichlids are high waste producers.

Even if you can't clean the tank, rinse the filter sponges in some dechlor'd water.