I just recently bought a vacumn...

Question
I just recently bought a vacumn cleaner for my tank "python" it really works nice I have a couple of Oscars and I was wondering am I to use salt and a stress coat every time I do a water change? I also noticed that they changed colors when I was doing this is this a sign of being scared or mad only one does it more than the other
thanks

Answer
Hi Karie,
  Because oscars eat alot and are messy eaters, they make a lot of waste in the water. You should be changing about 25% of the water in that tank once a week, every week. Using the "vaccuum" is a great way to do that.  

  You shouldn't be adding salt or stress coat to the tank.  
Oscars come from the Amazon where there is no salt in the water at all.    

  If you are adding Stress Coat because your incoming water has Chlorine or Chloramine, I suggest you switch to something like Amquel which does a better job.

  The color change is likely a combination of the two things you suggest.  I have a large cichlid who gets really pissed at me whenever I put my hand in his tank to clean the front glass.  Cichlids can be VERY territorial.  I am fine as long as I am outside the tank, but once I am in HIS tank, he gets upset.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>