LadyViper

Okay, twice this season we have had a power outage that lasts more than a few mins. Anywhere from a 13 hours to a couple days, and I know this is hard on the fish. Any tips to help them survive a lengthy power outage? I just lost one fish on the last outage, and I don't know how I could have saved it. I have goldfish/comets and I know they have higher output than other fish, so the water gets icky fast. I know I can lower the PH a little with no water movement, but how do I get oxygen back in the water with no power? Do they sell filters and aerators with a battery back up? We are out of storm season (I think), but I don't want to risk losing anymore fish. Any suggestions will be much appreciated.

Trish

Well, I know that is stressful for you to have your power going out like that. There are battery operated filters that you can buy. I found this article on a website. It's a cichlid site but the article is about power outages and how to take care of your aquarium.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/power_failure.php

kelkat

But won't plants put enough oxygen in the water? That is there job afterall. Or can you not get enough live plants in the small space to do what they need to do?

Either way, it would be worth the investment into the battery backup if you have the regular outings. Have you thought about a computer backup system? It might work, and it might be easier to find. They aren't cheap, though - anything from $400 to $1200. I'm still in sticker shock and I'm not the one buying.

Good luck!

LadyViper

No, plants add some oxygen but not enough to maintain life without any filtration. At least, that's what I have been told. Thanks for the article, that is very handy. The writer gives a tip on creating a makeshift filter using a battery operated air stone. I need to invest in 2 of these, any idea where to get them? I know my local guy doesn't sell them, do you think Petsmart would have them?

kelkat

Do fish breath oxygen? And if so, why can'y they breath out of water. Basic biology, I'm sure, but bare with me. I went to public school in Alabama.

Trish

LadyViper, PetsMart does sell them. I found this http://shop.petsmart.com/product-123...4441776899.htm and if you do a search on the website for "air stone" you should find some other products as well.

kelkat, yes fish do breath oxygen. And some fish can survive outside of water but not very long. Some can survive for a long time, like a betta, a fish that I have.
Water is made of hydrogen and oxygen, so there is oxygen in the water, but it is dissolved oxygen.
Also fish do not have lungs, they breathe through their gills. They suck in the water through their mouths, then when it passes through the gills, the oxygen goes through the bloodstream while the carbon dioxide and water exit out of the gill.

Fish will suffocate outside of water because their gills will collapse. And when that happens they won't be able to breathe.

Hope that made sense, hehe.

kelkat

So the issue of them breathing outside of water is more of a gravity issue than anything else. It's kindof the thickness of the water that keeps them breathing.

You made sense, I'm just trying to get my brain around it all. "Dissolved" oxygen? I'm going to have to process that one for awhile.

I did know that they breathed through gills. And I knew that there were some that could survive outside of water - I just didn't understand why (I guess they have stronger gills?) like a grass carp that has been know to jump out of lakes and eat the grass on the banks.

I get the basics, I just don't get the mechanics of it all. Thanks for the quicky science lesson, though

LadyViper

OMG Trish, thank you so much! I never expected them to be so inexpensive. Now I just gotta get to Petsmart, it's only an hour away no big deal. We just had another power outage Sunday night, but only 2 hours this time.

To Kelkat
When I was a child, we went to Wisconsin for family vacation. We caught a bunch of fish one evening, and it was about 10 pm when we finished for the evening. We went to the fish cleaning house dumped out all the catfish, and started cleaning them. Apparently, one jumped off the table and flopped under it and no one noticed. The next morning we were up early fishing again and this time were finished about 9 am. The catfish was then found under the table, breathing and dried out. My dad said if he could make it all night out of water, he didn't deserve to die and put him back in the lake. The fish gasped and bubbled a couple minutes and then his gills started working well and off he swam. I really believed he lived, he swam off like a bat out of hell once he regained his moisture. I know we were all shocked to see him swim off after being dried out all night. It was pretty cool to see him live through it.

Trish

Well, I know that for my fish, a Betta, the reason they can breathe out of water longer than others is because of their labyrinth, which is another respiratory organ they have besides the gills. I believe there are other Labyrinth fish as well.

About the dissolved water, to put it in a non-scientific way, it's when oxygen mixes with water.

I believe the reason their gills collapse out of water is because of pressure or air changes. Kinda like when humans go to deep underwater in the ocean, their lungs can collapse because of the pressure.

kelkat

The catfish living is extremely cool. Can you imagine the horror story he told his friends when he got back : "I was in a cool, dark place. I could hear my relatives screaming and crying and then I was alone. All of a sudden I was back." I bet he lived a good life from then on out .