How to save your fish during a black out in a temperate climate

Well I hate to be annoying and tell you what you already know, but it is much easier to be prepared ahead of time. If you didn’t think of it, hopefully these tips will help.

Stop feeding

The first rule with fish. If you have a problem of any kind, stop feeding your fish until the problem is resolved. This may seem cruel but its not. Fish are cold blooded and do not need to eat everyday. They can go without food for even a month.

Humans are warm blooded and most of the energy from food is used to maintain body temperature. You know how much we are affected if our temperature goes up or down even one degree. Not so with fish.

When the temperature drops a warm water fish’s metabolism will slow down. If there is food in their stomach and their metabolism is slower they will have difficulty digesting the food and this can cause bacterial infection. This is also good to know if you are on vacation. It is better to not feed your fish then to have a friend over feed and ruin the water quality while you are away.

Aeration

The first and biggest problem you will have during a black out is your air pump or bubbler shutting off. Your fish will suffocate when the dissolved oxygen (DO) levels decrease. You will see your fish at the top of your tank gasping and you need to take action right away. You will only have a few minutes.

There are battery powered air pumps on the market. We prefer battery back up to battery powered. Our favourite is the AirPod. http://www.amazon.com/AirPod%C2%AE-Battery-Back-Up-Gallon-Tanks/dp/...

The AirPod is a battery back up unit. It goes on automatically when the power goes out. Also it will last 72 hours with 4 D batteries. You don’t have to worry if you are away and the power goes off.

If you do not have a battery pump remove some fish so that they are not so densely populated and put them in another tank. Do this with a big net and as quickly as possible as the fish will use up more DO when they are scared and running away. Be sure the water is very close to the same temperature so they are not temperature shocked.

An Oxygen tank is handy if you have one, as you can attach an air hose and air stone to it and it acts as a bubbler. That is what shippers use when transporting live fish.

You can take your hand and break the surface by splashing water. That is how a bubbler works. The bubbles popping at the surface allow oxygen to enter the water. You will have to splash the surface water often and will only be worth it if you are buying time while someone is running to the store to buy a battery powered pump.

Of course for a commercial unit you will need a back up generator. Experts suggest two back up generators or a back up to the back up. Back up generators must be maintained to make sure that they work when you need them. You should keep a log to make sure that this is done properly.

Heat

The good news is that water holds heat. It takes a while to warm up and a while to cool down. The best way to prevent heat loss is to make sure the top of your tank is covered. There should be a space between the water and the cover so that the DO is not affected. You can monitor if there is adequate space and your fish are getting enough air by making sure they are not at the top. If you do not have lid for your tank, you can use plastic wrap or aluminum foil in a pinch.

If you are in a very cold area and you will lose heat quickly and for a long period you can use a blanket, mylar emergency blanket and heat packs.

http://www.amazon.ca/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=mylar+blankets&tag...

http://www.amazon.com/40-Heat-Packs-Pocket-Size/dp/B0000BXIMV

Dry the lid and place the heat packs on the underside of the lid of the aquarium. Fasten the packs with duct tape, placing the tape around the edges only. Heat packs need air to work. Wrap a blanket around the outside and top of the tank and fasten with duct tape. Then wrap the mylar around the sides and top of the tank and then again fasten with duct tape. Do not cover the tank until you have the aeration under control. You will need to see the fish to be able to monitor them. Also keep the battery air pump on top of the blankets so that you can hear that it is running and if you need to change the batteries.

Fish will not need light. It is most important to keep the tank warm.

Good luck everyone!

- See more at: http://www.noafisheries.ca/how-to-take-care-of-your-fish-during-a-b...