How Long Can Oscars Survive In Cold Water?

[cuticom]

Long story short the area in which we live was hit by huge storms dumping half our yearly rainfall in the space of about 6 hours. It's been declared a natural disaster zone, we have no way of getting out and are in a blackout. We have a generator that runs the computers because of my Dads work but we cant hook the tanks up to it.

The first blackout started at 12 noon yesterday and went through till 8:30, when the power came back on.
Second blackout started at 2:30 am and is still going on.

Most of my fish are cold water and we've been taking a bucket out and pouring it back in to keep aeration, we've also been collecting rainwater and giving the fish in the coldwater tanks water changes. So far everyones doing well but I'm worried about my O, his tanks at about 18 degrees and I have no idea when the power will return, will he be ok? so far he's still active and moving around and we've put insulation around his tank in the hope it'll hold at least some heat in.

Any help will be greatly appreciated

 

[kribensis12]

That sucks! He should make it, the most harm you will see is him not moving around as much.

 

[cuticom]

Thanks for that
We've had blackouts before but generally it was localized and fixed pretty quickly. This blackout covers 200 000 homes, and we're way down on the priority list.

 

[cuticom]

Yay, and power has returned, the heaters are working full ball in all my tanks and all the fish are glued to them but everyone seems to have made it.

Can I feed Merlin now? or should I give him a bit longer to warm up, its just he hasn't been fed for two days and he's making starving orphan eyes at me LOL.

 

[kribensis12]

I would feed him, becasue oscars need alot of food( i am stressing the word alot) if he is hungry( no doubt he is) ten he will eat, iff not give him a day, or 2.