If you are wondering if Oscar Fish can live in cold water, then you are in the right place. In this article, I will answer you about the best temp for Oscar fish and also share some other important information with you.
If you ask us, can they live in cold water the answer will be no, Oscar Fish cannot live long in cold water. The ideal temp range for Oscar Fish is between 74 and 81 degrees Fahrenheit.
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What is the best temp for Oscar Fish?
The best temp for Oscar Fish is 77 degrees F.
You should try to keep the aquarium temperature between 74-81 degrees F.
If you keep Oscar Fish in very warm water, it can cause oxygen deficiency, which can result in several harmful conditions like heart damage, nerve damage, etc.
And it can furthermore affect their immune system. If the water is too cold, it can also lead to particular diseases such as Ick and Hole in the head in Oscar fish.
Read Also: Can Oscar fish see in the dark? Do they sleep at night?
What is the lowest temp Oscar Fish can survive?
The lowest temp Oscar Fish can survive is 55 degrees Fahrenheit. But if you keep your Oscar Fish at this temp for a long time, then it will not survive. At this temp, it can die within months or even weeks.
Oscar Fish is cold-blooded, so it cannot regulate its internal temp and therefore requires warmer water. And if you keep them in cold water it can cause several problems like their growth will be restricted, their immune system will be affected which makes them prone to infections, it can cause fatty liver, etc.
Will Oscar Fish die if the water is too cold?
Yes, if you leave an Oscar Fish in cold water for a long time, it will eventually die. As mentioned earlier, Oscar Fish is cold-blooded, so it cannot regulate its internal temp.
When you leave them in cold water, their metabolism slows down and they stop growing. Keeping Oscar Fish in cold water also affects their immune system, making them susceptible to many infectious diseases.
Fat is very difficult for Oscar fish to digest. And at low temp, fat in the body is mobile. As a result, it can cause fatty liver and clogged arteries.
How to increase the temperature in the aquarium?
There is only one reliable way to increase the temp for Oscar fish in the aquarium. And that’s introducing a heater to your aquarium.
However, before you add a heater to your tank, you should first get a thermometer. You can get a stick-on thermometer so you can check the temp of your tank whenever you look into the aquarium.
Heaters available in the market nowadays are:
Hang on the back
Immersive
Usually, a hang-on back heater is cheaper than an immersion heater because immersion heaters must be waterproof.
A common type of heater is glass tubes.
However, there are also several other types of heaters such as titanium and stainless steel heaters. They are increasingly popular for their unbreakable design.
Some heaters come with hot and cold water settings. And with other heaters, you can precisely set the temperature.
You will need anywhere between three to four watts per gallon depending on the size of your aquarium to keep the aquarium warm for your oscar fish.
You should get two heaters for your tank so that if one of the heaters stops working, the other can heater will keep your aquarium warm.
How to keep the aquarium warm during a power outage
Oscar fish cannot tolerate low temp. This becomes a problem in the winter, especially during a power outage. Fortunately, there are several ways to keep the tank warm during a power outage.
- Keep the existing heat in the tank
The first thing you should do after a power outage is to keep the existing heat in the tank. You can do this by covering the tank with a blanket or newspaper.
- Keep the room warm
The second thing you should do after a power outage is to try to keep the room your aquarium is in as warm as possible. For this, you should not often open and close the doors and windows of the room.
- Partial water change
If you have something to boil water with, like a portable propane camping stove or wood or charcoal or a grill, you should boil the water slightly and add it to the tank.
Another way is to boil the water as much as possible and then put it in a plastic water bottle or plastic container. And then keep the container floating on the surface of your aquarium water.