HELP!!!!!!!!!!!

[Polaris_Rider]

Hi i have a 55 gallon tank with 2 oscars and 1 pleco king and the other day i upgraded my tank filter to a rena xp3 filter and ever since my oscars haven't been the same all they do now is just stay right under the surface at the top of the tank all day and night and open and close their mouths and they won't eat either they never did this before and i do not want them to die please help i'll put a picture so you know what i'm talking about.

 

[Menagerie]

Sounds like an oxygen problem--how much surface agitation do you have? Your water's surface looks like glass. You need to have ripples at the water's surface.
What are you water parameters?

 

[Menagerie]

Double check the filter--is there a significant flow coming out of the filter?

 

[Bearfan]

I agree...sounds like an oxygen problem. Did you have a Bio Wheel type filter previously?

 

[aridiar]

Try adding an air pump and putting a bubble curtain or disk in your tank, or going back to your old filter

 

[madasafish]

Menagerie is almost certainly right. Gasping at the surface is usually a sign of oxygen-depleted water. However, I also want to know whether you moved over your filter media when you changed filters. If not, your nitrogen cycle may be re-estabilshing itself.

But, as I said, Menagerie is prob right. You're going to want to get an air pump or water pump soon to increase gas-exchange at the water surface.

 

[BrianNY]

That's a great looking Oscar Polaris_Rider. I wouldn't want to see you lose him either. Just to be safe, and until you get some airation in that tank, adjust the outflow of your filstar towards the surface or lower the water level. You want lots of surface agitation with large fish . They require more oxygen due to their size.

 

[Polaris_Rider]

ok thanks alot

 

[TankGirl]

I have an XP3 on my 55 and if you have the flow adjustment all the way on it should be really blasting through there. I am really puzzled as to why there would be any sort of water flow issue. Be sure the filter is functioning properly and water really should be flying out of that outflow, whether you have the powerhead or the spray bar attachment.

Check your media baskets and be sure there is not too much media in there, or some other reason that flow would be restricted.

 

[grimlock3000]

Water flow and surface aggitation are not directly related. If you submerse the spray bat deep into the water, or point it down into the tank, there will not be much surface aggitation at all. Going from the picture, the water surface is almost perfectly smooth so there is definitely an issue.

P_R, you can do a few things to get better surface aggitation...

Turn the spray bay so it points slight up at the surface
Lower the water level in the tank and set the spray bar horizontal
Get a bubble wand/stone + air pump
Use a powerhead with air, or point the outlet up at the surface a bit

You want to be sure you have a lot of movement on the surface of the water for good oxygen exchange.