Re: My Oscar   6/13/06
I appreciate the quick reply. It really makes me feel better to know that, other than the too small tank, the fish is behaving normal. Thanks very much! (I removed the shells too)
            ~Jennifer
<Ahh, good and thank you for sharing. Bob Fenner>

Older Oscar Not Defending Himself
Hello, my name is Liv. I have had a 215 gal. Oscar tank for about 2 years. I have 2 lrg. filters w/ bio wheels, 1 300 canister filter, do 25% water changes weekly and keep the temp. @ 80. I had 7 Oscars, 2 bala sharks, and 2 lrg. Plecos but started having trouble with hole in the head. I tried medications and vitamins in their food but it only seemed to make it worse. They are fed pellets, blood worms, brine shrimp, krill, sliver sides, and algae wafers every 2-3 days. I now have sold all but 2 lrg. Oscars (15 inches), 1 med (9 inches.), 1 sm. (6 inches), 2 bala sharks, and 1 lrg. Pleco in the hopes that this would improve their condition but now I seem to have a different problem. I biggest fish in the tank (the red tiger) was always the dominant fish but now he being attacked by all the other fish (in particular the 8inch white tiger). I thought it may be a breeding thing so I moved a few things around and decreased the temp. to 76. This has helped some but has not fully corrected the problem. I can only turn the light on, on one side of the tank or they will start fighting again, they act lethargic, and only eat about 1/4 of what they normally did. What is going on? Any information would be helpful! Thanks Liv  
< The larger fish may be ill and not up to defending himself against the younger healthier smaller fish. Try treating with Metronidazole for the hole in the head. It would be less expensive in a smaller hospital tank.-Chuck>

And the Winner is...! Oscar beh. 03-21-06
Hi. I used to have 2 Oscars that would fight all the time, leaving them both wounded badly. Recently, one of them died, and the remaining one's scars still haven't healed. The pink of his skin is still showing. Should I be worried? Is there something I should do to keep him  (or her) from getting an infection? Lemme know what you think. : )
-Person
<Keep his water pristine with frequent water changes. You want zero ammonia and nitrite, nitrate below 20ppm. Use a gravel vac to remove as much organic matter as possible. Watch for signs of infection such as a cotton like growth or if the pink turns red and/or spreads. Otherwise he should be fine. Don>

Albino Oscar Not Growing  - 03/12/2006
My albino Oscar jumped out of the tank when I was feeding it. Since this he does not seem to be growing. It has a spot on it's side but that has healed. I have a tiger Oscar also that was bought at the same time. It is almost three times the size of the albino. The albino also buried it's head in the gravel about a week after I got it. I thought it was dead when I got him out of the gravel but he started swimming around just fine. The albino seems to be swimming fine and is also eating it just is not growing. Any suggestions?
< Typically albino fish are weaker and less aggressive than non albino fish. I think that the tiger is more aggressive and intimidating and pushing the albino around to the point that he will not aggressively eat. So he will not grow as fast until he is separated and allowed to feed without being hassled. If you place him in a second tank increase the water temp to 83, feed heavily and keep the water very clean you can increase the grow rate and maybe catch up with the tiger.-Chuck>

Oscar, new and with Africans   3/10/06
I've had my little Oscar for about 2 days now and ever sense I put him in the tank he has mostly just sat at the bottom leaning towards one side.
<Takes about a week to get situated>
Occasionally he will jump up and do a quick swim after you scare him with the magnate scrubber.  He won't eat anything.  In the tank there are to other cichlids one small yellow lab
<Not a good idea to mix Great Lakes African Cichlids with Neotropicals>
and a little blue fish with black stripes but they don't bother Oscar at all.  The tank is a 55 gallon. I think my fish may be sick. Are all Oscars this lazy or is mine just dying?
<Neither... is new and likely frightened. Bob Fenner>

Oscar Setting Up Shop   2/22/06
My Oscar has stopped eating as much the last few days and is picking up the gravel in its mouth and dropping it at the edge of the tank, making a bowl shape in the middle of the tank.  Is this normal, or is the beast ill.
< Your Oscar is now more concerned with setting up his territory than with feeding. He is not ill but just busy setting up the tank to his liking.-Chuck>

Oscar May Be Overeating   2/10/06
She is an albino. We call ours a she because it's too pretty to be a he. We have 2 older Oscars one around 12-14in and the other around 9-10 in) in our tank as well but they are paired and pretty much ignore the albino although she does hang really close to them except when they are flirting with each other, they can be a little aggressive then.  Any way, my albino is around 4-5 inches and eats like a pig, true to their supposed habits of eating anything that will fit into it's mouth (even if it just barely fits).  The problem is that she is getting really fat,  she is having bowel movements though so not sure whether she is sick from overeating or full of eggs if she is actually a female at all).  She has been staring at the back wall of the tank all day today except when it's feeding time. As is the opposite of what she usually does.  The other Oscars are very active but of course they aren't eating as bountiful as this one is.  Could it just be trying to get what it can before the food is gone and therefore overdoing it?   Cindy Thrasher
< Don't feed them for three days and see if their appetite returns after a little fast. If they go back to eating and acting normal then feed them once a day and only enough food so that all it is gone in two minutes. If their appearance hasn't changed then there may be an intestinal blockage they may turn into an infection. Do a 50% water change, vacuum the gravel and clean the filter. Treat the tank with Metronidazole as per the directions on the package.-Chuck>

Oscars Fighting   2/6/06
Hi, I have two Oscars.  I have had them about a month  now.  Everything is going fine but I did my normal water change and I have  noticed one of my Oscars
hiding.  It started doing so because there is  dominance going on but yesterday I noticed his scales turning white.  It  looks like they are being scraped
off.  My daughter said she has seen it  rubbing on the rocks. It does eat when I put food in the tank.  When the  other Oscar swims by he cowards down by
swimming sideways.  He hides a lot,  But now he just hangs at the bottom and leans against the sides of the  tank.  He has a split in his tail fin and his
other fins are the same  way.  I don't want to lose him.  Just not swimming around like he  did. Thanks, Barbara Wells
< When you only keep two cichlids together there will be a struggle for dominance. While the winner is out and about, the loser will be hiding and trying not to get beat up. There are a few things you can try and do. Move everything around to  new locations. Lower the water temp to the mid 70s. Add other fast moving schooling fish like giant danios or rainbows to distract the dominant fish. Keep the water clean to prevent infection from the injured fish. Add Bio-Coat from Marineland to help the fish grow back its scales.-Chuck>

Oscar Coloration  - 2/4/2006
My Oscar is 10 inches long and I've had her for a year now. I haven't had to many problems as of yet (ich with the pleco at first). However as of lately
I've noticed that my Tiger Oscar is becoming more "spotted" The fish was never "really" colorful...more of a dark brown with pale  stripes. But
now bright orange spots are coming out around her fins. Also some black spots on her head. Is this normal and can I expect my fish to continue
getting "brighter"? Thanks, Jassy
< Changes in diet and water conditions can affect a fishes coloration. If the spots are just superficial then it is probably a color pattern. If they develop into holes and sores then you have a problem and need to medicate.-Chuck>

Oscar Not Swimming Much   2/1/06
Dear Crew, I have searched your forums, but I haven’t seen the answer to my question. Hopefully you can help me. I have a tiger Oscar about three inches long that is living in a 55 gallon tank. The tank has a gravel bottom, a few hiding places and a regular fluorescent light that runs on a 12 hour timer. My chemistry was tested yesterday to show near zero ammonia and nitrates. It did show my pH a little under 7. The problem is my fish is not moving and spends almost all the daylight hours sitting at the bottom of the tank, sometimes almost on his side. Other times he will be near the top under the overflow from the filter. He has not taken food in three days. When the light shuts off, he becomes more active but still hasn’t taken any food that I can see. I keep the tank near 78 degrees. I have tried flakes and thawed shrimp which he usually enjoyed. I see not signs of external parasites or any fungus/bacteria. Do you think this might be something seasonal? Sincerely,
Shana
< Little Oscars are usually little pigs when it comes to eating and fish owners are more than happy to keep shoving food down their gullet because they are fun to watch eat. Sometimes they eat too much and get an intestinal blockage that becomes infected and causes the intestine to bloat. I would treat with Metronidazole as per the directions on the package.-Chuck>

New Oscar Can't Swim   2/1/06
I have been reading through your website and find it to be one of the most informative I have seen.  I hope you can help me with a problem I have with
a new Oscar.  I purchased one 3" tiger Oscar and one 3" red Oscar about 3 days ago and placed them in a 30 gallon quarantine tank.  The red Oscar is doing fine and is eating two small feedings a day.  The tiger Oscar however is our problem.  He has been laying on his side at the bottom of the tank since we got him (he looked fine in the store), and has recently lost his ability to swim.  He just does head over heals flips across the bottom of the tank and all his fins look fine.  No one at any of my local fish stores have been able to help.  I have tested the quarantine tank and all the levels look great.  I have also treated with salt as I thought it may have something to do with swim bladder and read that it may help.  Do you have any suggestions on what may be going on here? Thanks, Aaron
< The stress from the move or the change in diet has caused an internal bacterial infection. Treat with Metronidazole as per the directions on the package.-Chuck>

Oscars Getting Aggressive   1/30/06
Hi there, I have 3 Oscars, a tiger and a red both from the same stock at a decent independent LFS, and a third, beautiful red Oscar from a fantastic LFS. The 2 decent Oscars are about 3 inches, and the fantastic red is about 4, 4 and a half inches. I had a fourth albino, but he passed away during a bout of ick. They all got along great for the first 3 weeks or so, always swimming together, they were actually schooling. Now all of a sudden, they have begun to get aggressive. At first I thought this was mating behaviour, as the 2 decent fish were lip locking and tail slapping. After a while though, they started biting each others fins and sides, and they have many many many very large superficial bites, with many missing scales and torn up fins. I built a quick and cheap tank divider, thinking that perhaps this was due to my larger Oscar in some way. So I separated them, and now the fighting is lessened, but still exists. It's a 55 gallon long tank, with at least 7 very obvious hiding places. I run an Aquaclear 500 and 300 on this tank, cycling 800 gallons per hour. I also vacuum up their waste every couple of days and replenish the water. This equates to about a 5 gallon water change every 2 days, of course conditioned water at the same temperature as the tank. My ammonia, nitrites and nitrates are all at zero, with my nitrates just a little bit higher, maybe 5ppm and the ph is 7.6. Now, I don't have any other fish in there right now, but it is a matured tank, fully cycled, with fantastic water quality. They are just on the tail end of being cured of ich, I used the salt and heat method, for 12 days (2 days more than usually required, just to be on the extra safe side). I replaced the salt every time I did a water change.
What can I do to curb this aggression? I know the tank is small for 3 Oscars, it's just a growout tank for them for another 2 months or so. They are going to be moved to a 180 or 230 gallon tank, that will eventually house 2 green severums, a sun sucker cat, and possibly an iridescent shark or 2, or another kind of catfish.
< Lower the water temp slowly to 75 F. and rearrange the tank. As you Oscars grow they are starting to get territorial. Lowering the temp will slow their metabolism.>
In the meantime, would it help to add some juvenile iridescents as a sort of dither fish?
< No. These catfish get big and will eventually contribute to the problem. Try looking at some barbs.>
I'd really like to keep these fish together, but if I must I will consider giving away the 2 aggressive fish to separate good homes. I feed them New Life Spectrum Large Fish Formula, and when they were smaller I fed them New Life Spectrum Cichlid Formula. I feed twice a day, about 5-6 pellets each. I feed 1 pellet at a time to ensure nothing is wasted.
< Great food. Maybe a reason why your fish are doing so well. You are doing everything right, keep up the good work and invest in a good fish book that will help you with you long term compatibility problems.-Chuck>
Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Oscars Chasing Each Other
I have 3 Oscars in a 55 gallon tank,  One 6 inch, one 3 inch and one  21/2 inch.  I don't understand why, but the 2 1/2 inch keep chasing around the 3 inch.  Not biting but kinda opening its mouth and bumping it.  Any information about this is greatly appreciated.
< In all tanks there is a pecking order for food and territories. Your smaller Oscar is just more determined than the other. But he is smart enough to know not to provoke the biggest Oscar.-Chuck>

Oscars Fighting   1/14/06
I have two baby Oscars about 2 inches overall and they have been in a 30gal tank together for about a month now. The tank has a bio-wheel 200 on it and I test levels daily, But the albino tiger has a clean tear through each clear side fin and the tiger has a tear on the very back part of his dorsal both down to the body. The fins otherwise are normal no fraying in them fish act normal eat normal. Maybe are these tears from fighting or something? Thanks, Buddy in Alaska
< More than likely it is because your Oscars are fighting trying to establish a pecking order or territory.-Chuck>>

Oscars Gone Wild   12/28/05
I have two Tiger Oscars. Both are about 3 inches long and in a 30 gal aquarium. I have two other fish and some snails in the tank with them.
They have been swimming frantically across the tank slamming into the sides and everything else in the tank. When they are not doing that
they float almost as if they are dead. They have been doing this for two - three days. I called the local fish store and they said change
50% of my water, add salt and double the dechlorinated  drops which I did. The Oscars started swimming some but are still floating on their
sides on the top and also swimming into the sides of the tank. They also don't seem to be eating. This all started after I was having
problems with my filter, I changed the filter to a new one and done two water changes a couple of days apart. The local fish store told me I was over feeding my Oscars so I cut down on how much I was feeding them. That is when they started the hitting the tank and swimming as if dead. Any help would be appreciated.
< Check the ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. When replacing a filter with a new one you may have remove all the good bacteria needed to break down the toxic fish waste. So you may be experiencing higher waste levels like in a new tank. Add carbon to the filter to remove any unwanted organics in the water. Remove any uneaten food after 2 minutes.-Chuck>

Oscar Acting Strangely  12/21/05
Hello, I have a 4" Oscar in a 30 gallon, cycled tank.  I've had the Oscar for about a month and a half.  The tank tests seem good (below).
Ammonia: 0.15 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 10 ppm
pH: ~8.2
Temp: 78-80 degrees
My Oscar recently got over ich and cloudy eyes.  I treated the ich with Rid-Ich and the cloudy eye with Maracyn.  The ich and cloudy eyes seem to be gone, but my Oscar is acting strange.  As a precaution, I cleaned out the gravel REALLY well using a gravel syphon.  I also changed out the carbon in the filter (as I do every other week) and removed a lot of the decorations in the tank.  He continued acting strange so I tried a ~20% water change.  His condition still didn't improve and I noticed bubbles forming at the top of the tank.  I never really noticed this before, so I changed out ~50% of the water.  There are still bubbles forming, but not as much as before. Anyway, my Oscar is still very lethargic, breathing slowly and constantly swimming directly in the effluent from the filter.  He also doesn't seem to "see" as well as before, but I can't tell for sure, obviously.  He doesn't eat much and he doesn't react as quickly to movement in the room as he did before (he used to swim around the front of the tank like a little dog or something).  Oh, the tank is also very well aerated.  
Any suggestions? Thank you,-Chris
<The ammonia and nitrites should be zero. I think the medication may have affected the good bacteria used to break down the ammonia into nitrites. Do a 50% water change. Add some good carbon to the filter to remove any remaining medication. I would add Bio-Spira from Marineland to replenish the bacteria bed. Try a change in diet. Try live washed earthworms. That should get his attention. If his condition doesn't change then it could be an internal bacterial infection and will require treatment with Metronidazole.-Chuck.>

Big Oscar that won't eat  11/21/05
Hi I have a ten inch Oscar in a 60 gallon tank that just doesn't seem to be interested in food. I just set up this new tank, but I don't think that that is the problem, since he wasn't eating well before the move. My temp. is fine
<Fine?>
and water conditions optimal,
<What? Then I guess... all is "good">
I have tried a variety of foods now to peak his interest including, krill, his usual pellet food, and some other variety of Hikari cichlid food. I even tried some beef heart that a friend of mine had. Previous to this past week he was a voracious eater. He shows no signs of disease and acts quite normal except for the not eating part. I have heard of internal parasites, but what could be signs of that? 
<Maybe... or could have swallowed a "bug" from outside, but most likely is "just in a funk" over being moved. I would raise the water temperature to the low eighties F., and check your water quality for ammonia, nitrite, and keep offering different foods daily>
Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance for the help.
Jason
<Have you read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/oscarfdgfaqs.htm.  Bob Fenner> 

Splitting Up An Oscar Trio 11/6/05
Hello -It has been quite a long time since I have written you, but my three Oscars are now three years old. They go through cycles of peace, mild sparring, and all-out warfare. Usually, one (and it can be any of the three - they seem to be pretty equally matched) gets really whipped and I think it is going to die but then it recovers and all is well for awhile. A major battle seems to have ended and this time all three of them are utterly whipped, almost to the point of death. I 
think I have about had enough of this and am contemplating getting rid of two of them. How do you think one Oscar, who has had company, albeit belligerent company, all of its life would do all alone in a 90 gallon tank?
< The single cichlid would get along just fine and start to interact with you and his surroundings a lot more.>
Is there some kind of other cichlid that I might put with it without disastrous results?
< No not really. Big cichlids get very territorial.>
I am also thinking about moving all three of them out and moving in my very peaceful Severums from a 55 gallon tank that seemed fine when all these fish were little, but is now overcrowded.
< These are great fish but get big as well but usually not as aggressive.>
If I do send any or all of the Oscars away, I will have to take them on a drive of over an hour to reach the nearest pet store that takes fish in. The only think I can think of is to put each in a five gallon bucket and hope for the best. Any recommendations?
<Line each bucket with a black plastic trash can liner. Rinse each liner in the bucket well. Fill the bucket up to about three quarters full with aquarium water and place an Oscar in each bucket. Tie off the plastic liner just above the top of the bucket. This will keep the water and the Oscar in the tank while transporting them to the store.-Chuck> 

Bigger Oscar Has Become a Bully 10/22/05
The website seems much more organized since the last time I visited. Thank you! Much easier to find information without wading through pages of emails...
Now, I need some advice on a tiger Oscar. Let me start by saying that I've had two tigers since they were the size of half dollars, and they are the newest additions to the tank. They live in a 75 gallon tank, with a four-inch armored catfish and an 8" Pleco. The Oscars are both slightly over 6". I run two 60 gallon Whisper filters and do a 25% water change
every 7-10 days. They eat everything to Cichlid pellets to worms, crickets, and chicken.
< Chicken?>
<<Land mammal and poultry meats should never be offered as food to fish, with the exception of beef heart only in certain extreme cases.  -SCF>>
For the last couple of months, the two tigers have been lip locking and pushing one another around the tank. There are no sharp edges, and neither of them get beat up (minus a scale or two I find vacuuming). For the last week, the seemingly dominant tiger, has been bullying around the other roommates as well. Surprisingly, it has even been going after the Pleco, which has always been larger than itself. 
Now, when I clean the tank, it is charging and biting me, as well as the vacuum, plants, and even water drippings from the carbon filters as I pull them over the top of the tank.  Although I find this slightly amusing and no one is getting physically hurt, I am beginning to be concerned for the psychological well being of the other tank mates. Should I move that Oscar to a tank of its own?
< Your Oscar has now determined that this tank is his territory and that he is in charge. He will defend his territory against all intruders.>
Will it become lonely?
< No , he will start interacting with people walking by the tank or even in the same room.>
Can this behavior be from diet related issues? or perhaps the vacation that I went on when I didn't change the water for 13 days?
< This is actually pretty normal for every large New World cichlid.>
Also, I've been thinking about buying a separation screen for the catfish so that it can eat without the Oscars snatching up everything. How long should I give it to eat before removing the screen?
< Most fish I recommend leaving the food in for no more than two minutes. But with the Pleco I would make sure that he is eating for about 15 minutes each day. Vegetable fish food is high in fiber and not much protein, so they need to eat a lot of it to get enough nutrition.>
It will not eat pelleted food for catfishes or anything that floats. I'm concerned that I'm not providing a wide enough arrangement of food with chicken, earthworms, and blood worms. Any suggestions? Beef doesn't seem to work in any form: hamburger, steak, or heart. 
Thank you very much for your time, Chris
< Go with commercially prepared sinking pellets for algae eating fish and stay away from the grocery store. Try Spectrum, Hikari, OSI or Marineland pellets. You fish will learn to eat them after a few tries.-Chuck> 

Angry Oscar Needs His Space 10/22/05
Thank you for the timely response to my last email. Should I make a new tank for the aggressive Oscar?
<This would be best for all of your fish.-Chuck> 

Oscar on Sit Down Strike  9/19.5/05
I have a three inch Oscar in a 15G tank (I know, to small. I'm transferring the Oscar to a 33G tank soon) When I first bought him he begged for food, and was very active. Now, he sulks and does not move around unless there is live food in the tank. Is it because of the size of my tank? He does not eat as much and "sits" on the bottom of the tank and doesn't move. Help! Jasmin
< Do a 30% water change while vacuuming the gravel and clean the filter. Offer him some washed earthworms, add a couple tablespoons of rock salt and see if he acts any better. If not, he may have an internal bacterial infection and require treatment with Metronidazole and Nitrofuranace.-Chuck>

Large gulp? Oscar behavior
Hey there again, I was wondering, what are the Oscars doing when they open up there mouths really wide like a yawn? Just wondering if it is a normal thing? J
<Some folks have speculated that this is akin to human yawning... i.e. a lack of oxygen, others say that they may be making a threatening gesture (to you!), all this and maybe just opening their mouths as this is part of what they enjoy most (eating). Bob Fenner>

Oscars Dig Undergravel Filters  9/13/05
I want to first say that I am impressed by the wealth of information on your site and am very grateful for it.
< Thank you for your kind words.>
My question is regarding my Oscars which appear to be a mating pair of roughly 7" or so. They often will appear to be performing the normal mating rituals, fin slapping, quivering, and lip locking. Problem is that they don't seem to follow thru with it. They do all those things and then nothing happens, they just stop. I've done some searching in your archives and not found anything that appears to match this situation. Also they often dig at the gravel but don't attempt to clean the flat rock I provided. They dig to the point that the undergravel filter I added becomes exposed, which brings my next question. I've read that the more filtration the better, so I added the undergravel variety. I have recently been told that that was not a good idea, that it doesn't help, and that when the Oscars expose the crate they are allowing what I thought was supposed to be beneficial to come back up and pollute the water. Is this accurate?  Thanks in advance. Jada
< Your young pair of Oscars are going through the motions. As they get older and more experienced they will ultimately spawn. When the Oscars exposed the filter plates the water fins the path of least resistance and goes through the plates and not the gravel. No filtration is going to happen.-Chuck>

Tiger Oscar... behavior  9/12/05
i
<Capitalize, please>
was given a Tiger Oscar about a month ago. He was in a 10 gallon tank. The water was black and he was laying sideways. I put him in a fresh 10 gal. tank and he was doing very good. When Oscar would see me, he would wag his tail like a puppy. He started growing, and the tank looked too cramped.
<Is, was>
I have a 30 gal. tank and took my black moors out and cleaned the tank real good. i make sure that i put the same temperature water back in. Well, now that he is in the bigger tank, he won't eat. Are Tiger Oscars temperamental?
<Yes... they often sulk when moved... normal>
Now when he see's me, he turns his back on me. It's like Oscar is snubbing me. Is that possible?
<Good way to put this, yes>
                                 Thanks,
                                  Tilly
P.S. do I chop up the lettuce?
<Mmm, Oscars don't generally eat greens... but all foods need to be "mouth-sized" or smaller. Bob Fenner>

Oscars?  9/13/05
Hey there, I am wondering about my two new Oscars, they are 4 inches, just got them yesterday, they just sit in the corner and rest, I don't think they are hurting or sick, they are breathing slow and steady not labored,  I checked all water conditions, ph is neutral, no ammonia, no nitrate, no nitrites, water is soft, I just don't know what is the deal, are they scared?
<Likely so>
They won't come up to eat, I scooped all food out after the first try at feeding and haven't tried since, I did see them early this morning swimming around, but as soon as they saw me or heard me they quit.  Explain  what is going on  if you can and should I worry if they don't eat?
<Not to worry... they're "just settling in"... Give them time... a few days, to adjust>
They are in a 29 gallon tank, they do look small in it, don't worry I have a larger tank for them to go into later.  Thanks for your time.  Julie
<Real good... Please take a read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/oscars.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Re: Oscars? Behavior
Thanks so much for your quick response, they are coming around and now are trying to get some food although they aren't really eating they spit it out, testing it I guess, but it is progress, thanks again! J
<Welcome! Bob Fenner>

Sulking Oscars  9/3/05
I have two large red tiger Oscars about eleven inches in length.  They have a very healthy appetite for dried food, frozen food, and live food such as guppies, goldfish, and earth worms.  I've had them for about one year and two years.  One of them is just sulking around the tank.  All of the sudden, this monster that eats twenty-four hours a day hasn't eaten in three days.  It has no apparent sores or illnesses, it is just weird that it doesn't move or eat all of the sudden.  Please send me back some suggestions on what may be wrong with it or what I can do to fix it.  Thank you very much. Eric Messenger Thank you very much
P.S.  Maybe is the breeding cycle setting in or beginning, I know nothing about the breeding of Oscars.  Thanks
< Try a couple of things. Do a 30% water change and vacuum the gravel while you are at it. Clean the filters. This would normally get them fired up. If this doesn't work then it may be a more serious matter. With no external symptoms then we have to think that maybe he has an internal bacterial infection or a damaged pharyngeal jaws. Not much you can do about the jaws so treat with Metronidazole as per the directions on the package.-Chuck>

Sulking Oscar, Add-on to Last Email 12/08/05
Hello again,
I'm sorry There was one thing I forgot to mention/ask, he seems to swim around the tank a little bit when I'm not near it but when I am he drops to the bottom and stays there so I was wondering is all this lack of activity a response to stress from the move from the store to the Q-tank? Thanks again, Brian
<Most likely. I missed the first part of your message, but assuming you have clean water and a big tank I am positive that your Oscar will come around, especially when he associates you with food. Although they are known as big mean eat'um up fish, Oscars have been one of the most emotional fish I have kept. I had an Oscar mope around the tank for weeks after being moved. Best Regards, Gage> 

Oscars Act Like They Are Starving  8/31/05
First off.  Love the site.  Have learned a lot from it.  I have 2 Oscars (Pedro & Napoleon) in a 75 gallon.  Pedro is about 5 inches, while Napoleon is about 4.   My problem is that they like to leap out of the water when I feed them.  If I open up the lid and hold my hand over the water with food they will jump up to my hand (Pedro has been about 90% out of the water). And they splash water all over the place!  I even got nipped once. It didn't hurt....Do you think they'd bite hard enough to hurt me?
< They don't really have teeth but they will get larger and may develop some then.>
I like my fingers and want to keep them.  One time Pedro must have hit the side of the lid on his way back in, because I saw a section of his scales floating in the water.  Maybe he'll learn his lesson?  :)
Is there  anyway to stop them from jumping?   I try to open the tank lid really quick and throw the food in and close it fast!  But it's kind of difficult because I have a 2nd lid above it on my canopy.  By the time the
canopy lid is open, they are up top awaiting my feeding hands.
Suggestions, comments, or jokes would be greatly appreciated...Dave
< Lower the water temp and that will slow them down. Mid to upper 70s F will slow down their metabolism and they won't be starved all the time.-Chuck>

Upset Oscar 8/22/05
Hello everyone! Let me say to start that this is a top shelf website.
<I agree - got my start in aquariums from the fine folks at WWM!>
I have written to you a few times before and your help has always been appreciated. I have a question about Oscars.
<OK - shoot!>
I recently set up a 90 gallon tank which was cycling for about two weeks with no livestock.
<Good choice, IMO, doing fishless cycling.  I am assuming you noted a visible rise, then subsequent decline (to zero, hopefully) in ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels, respectively?  Two weeks seems a little short for a full cycle, but not unheard of.  Just so long as you were sure a complete cycle did happen before introducing the fish.>
Since then I have purchased two albino Oscars who are about an inch long. They have been doing great for about a week.
<What conditions are they being kept in? Water temp., pH, and other water parameters would be helpful here.>
Yesterday I decided to put some plastic plants in the tank. I probably had my hands in there playing around for 15-20 minutes. Ever since then one of the Oscars has been acting strange. He use to swim freely through the tank, playing with the other Oscar. Now he just sits in the corner of the tank with his fins down and hardly moves. He also will not eat. I have tried giving him flakes and small pellets. Every once in a while he will take a bite of food and then spit it out.
<Again, my first step would be to measure the water's parameters.  Ensure that everything is still good.  Have you done any water changes since getting the fish? If so, have you carefully matched the old and new water for pH, temp., etc.?  What is your normal water change routine?  Also, did you thoroughly rinse the plastic plants before adding them? I always use super-hot water, but no chemicals.  Finally, it's always a good idea to wear aquarium gloves while messing around in the tank, but if you don't, just be sure to wash off any perfumes, lotions, oils, etc. you may be wearing before putting your hands in the tank.  Fish can be quite sensitive.  If you are aware of something environmental you may have introduced into the tank, do several water changes and ensure you have fresh filter media in place.>
The other Oscar is doing fine. He is still his playful self and eats great. I have checked all the nitrites and nitrates and they seem fine.
<Subjective term...are you definition "fine" as "zero", since, in reality, any presence of nitrites or nitrates are poisonous to fish.>
The ph is 7.2 Is there anything I can do to get this Oscar back to normal? Any different types of food that will entice him to eat more readily? This has me a little worried because I know Oscars are usually not shy about eating. Did I do anything wrong by putting plastic plants in the tank?
<I like to use Kent's Garlic Xtract to entice my reticent fish to eat.  I'm told you can also use pure garlic oil extract, as found in the spice aisle of most grocery stores.  I don't think you did anything wrong by introducing plastic plants...how many did you put in? Does each fish have room for his own separate territory (in other words, did you introduce enough? I'm thinking perhaps if the one fish has "claimed" a plant or two as his own, and the other one has no where to hide, perhaps his answer is to hide in the corner.  Just keep your eye on water parameters to make sure nothing's awry.  Make sure there are adequate hiding areas for both fish.  
Another consideration is whether the one fish is bullying the other...I understand it is fairly difficult to sex Oscars, so perhaps you have a situation of an alpha male terrorizing a beta male? You didn't say anything about that, but do keep your eyes open for signs of this. I like the following source of information on Oscar fish as a good starting place: http://www.aquariacentral.com/articles/oscar1.shtml
Hopefully I've given you enough food for thought! Good luck and enjoy your new pets!>
Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time.
<You are welcome.  Jorie>

Oscar minus mate is bummed 8/17/05
Hi , am having a dilemma with Bubbles [my Oscar] she's two years old, and she's all alone in a 4ft tank .   I did have two but unfortunately Henry died 2 months ago . i got really worried about her as she went off her food and sulked for a couple of days .
<Happens>
With lots of attention she started eating again and returned to her normal self , but recently she's been sat at the bottom off the tank looking really fed up . I've given her things to play with ,new plants to drag about ........but not much excites her for long . Would another fish [company] help , if so which type ? PLEASE HELP am worried about her .
                              thank you
                                 Jane
<Another fish might just do the trick here... but not an Oscar... likely to fight... Perhaps a smaller species of cichlid, a good-sized catfish? These changes do take time to heal. Bob Fenner>

One Oscar with a Potential Problem 8/3/05
I have a 55 gallon with two 4" Oscars in it which I've enjoyed for a month now.  Don't worry...I'm getting a 125 gallon for them this Christmas.  These Oscars (Black Gold and Lava) have acted like best friends from the start swimming all over together and rubbing against each other.  Last night I noticed that Lava was hiding in the big castle.  I've seen it swim through the castle, but it never stays inside of it.  This morning was the same thing.  When I feed them I tap on the tank and they come rushing to me eager to eat.  Black Gold still did that.  Lava ignored me.  I lifted the castle a bit to get Lava out.  I noticed spots on Lava's gills that look like it may be shedding scales.  They're clear and one is loose.  Lava also swims vertical with its head to the top.  When Lava does decide to come out of hiding, Black Gold seems to chase it and sometimes kind of headbutt Lava in the side.  I sure don't know what to think of this...unless Black Gold is excited to see its best friend.  LOL  Lava only stays out for a minute and hides again.  Could there be a problem?  Thanx, Karen
< Looks like one of your Oscars is dominating the other for territory, food, etc.... This could be serious. BG (Big Gold), probably bit the side of Lava and loosened some scales. If might be a scrape from hitting an ornament or a rock from trying to get away from BG. If the water is kept clean then they should heal up. If it looks like the area is starting to fungus then it needs to be treated with Nitrofuranace. The strange swimming position is a sign of internal damage to the swim bladder from the ramming or an internal bacterial infection from the stress of being dominated by the other fish. Place Lava in a hospital tank and treat for bloat with Metronidazole. When lava is cured you need to re-arrange all of the ornaments and rocks when you put lava back in so they can establish new territories. While Oscars are very intelligent for fish they are not "friends". They simply acknowledge each other and will always be in competition with each other. BG is taking advantage of the fact that lava may be sick.-Chuck>

Hiding Oscar 8/1/05
Hello crew thank you for using your time for other peoples aquatic needs. Anyway I have a 350 gallon tank and has these fish.
!.Red devil
2.convicts both males
1.jack Dempsey
2.dojo loaches
1.large Pleco
the biggest fish is the red devil and sometimes bites the Plecos tail.
<And any, everyone else>
Anyway I recently bought a tiger Oscar and it's 2inches long but right after I got home from a party I found it hiding and not swimming around with the other fish. Is this common?
<Yes>
Cause most of the fish I buy stay out in the open and not hide. And this is not my first time having a n Oscar but it's so weird it stays behind a rock and not eat. Please help me.
thanks
Sean
<Help yourself... use the indices, search tool on WWM to read about "Oscar Behavior". Bob Fenner>

Beat Up Oscar
Hello, My name is Josef Moran and I have a question about my  Oscar.  He is a red Oscar and he is getting bullied by my other two Oscars.  They are albino .
When this happens he floats there like he is dead. And I  was wondering if you can tell me if there is any thing I can do to help my red  Oscar.
< The other two Oscars may be breeding. The pair will guard the eggs and fry from all other fish. they will even kill the other fish if they are too close. I think the best thing to do is remove the beat up Oscar before he is killed.-Chuck>

Oscar Going Black
Hello, I have an 8 inch albino Oscar, his name is Humberto, in a 100 gallon tank. Almost three weeks ago he started developing black along the edges of his fins. I assumed it was fin-rot and treated it as such, but alas it continued to spread. His anal and pectoral fins are now half black and his top fin is black along the back part of it. I've doubled the filtration (I'm currently using a 200 gallon filter) and increased the aeration. He is still as feisty as ever and it hasn't seemed to effect his health. He still acts exactly the same as he did before the black started developing, but I'm still extremely worried about my little (but getting larger) Humberto. I would sincerely appreciate any, ANY, information you might have about this.
< I would be concerned too. Check the nitrate levels. They should be under 25 ppm. Do a 30% water change , vacuum the gravel and clean the filters. Black usually indicates neurological damage. I would initially though that the problem was bacterial and treated just like you did. It may be a kind of protozoa so I would try Clout this time around. Check the food too. Color foods may add ingredients to their food to bring out pigments that some fish just don't have.-Chuck> 

Oscar Changing Colors - Follow-up
The nitrate levels were fine in my tank with Humberto. When I changed the tanks filter to a 200 gallon I replaced all of the filters and vacuumed the gravel as well. My lease is up at the end of this month so Humberto and I will be relocating. The stress might be a bit of a problem but at least there will be a complete water change. That should take care of anything that might have been caused by poor water conditions. Although the water conditions I try to keep at a fairly
optimum level. If Humberto's health takes a turn for the worse or should the black disappear, I will be sure to update you. Thanks for your insight.
< When moving to the new place make sure that your water conditioner will be able to handle any chloramines that may be in the water.-Chuck> 

Oscar Bumped His Head, Now Afraid of Dark? Rapid Light Changes
Hello, I'm quite concern about one of my Oscars. (I had them for about 3 months) About two weeks ago we moved my Oscars (2) from a 10 gallon tank to a 55 gallon. For the first week they seemed to be doing very well and loving there new home. One of my Oscars (my larger one) has had some missing fins since the first week we had him. Last week while at the pet store, I found some medication that was suppose to help with fin growth and repair. I started to apply the medication to the water last week Tuesday. 
Since last week Wednesday, my larger Oscar stopped eating and was very unsociable, hiding behind rocks and plants. My smaller Oscar is doing perfectly fine. I just figured the larger one was not feeling well and decided to leave him be for awhile. Over the weekend he still was being the same, so we did a 20% water change, but still no change in the larger Oscar. 
Then last night after eating supper, I was going to check on the Oscars, and could not find the larger one and then finally found him on the floor. We only have one tiny little opening on the tank and I'm quite amazed that he was able to fit through it. After we put him back in the tank, I'm notice that his scales around his eyes were all scraped up. He seemed to be very disoriented for awhile swimming vertically. After a few hours passed he seemed to be coming around. I tried to feed him again, and he still will not eat. 
Just before bed time, I went to turn the light off and he went crazy (swimming totally fast back and forth throughout the tank hitting all objects in his path). I was total freaked out over this and quickly turned the light back on. He instantly clammed down. We have a water testing kit and have been checking it daily. The water seems to be perfectly fine and so does my smaller Oscar. I just have no idea what's going on with my larger Oscar. Any help is must appreciated. Amy
<Your answer is actually the title I placed on your question. Fish don't like "lights on-lights off". I think they have difficultly with their eyes rapidly changing from bright light to darkness and visa-versa. The trick is to place a small Christmas tree bulb sized night light on the same wall as the fish tank try turning the room lamp on first before turning on the fish tank light, and then turn o