Help With Oscars (Calling On Oscar Experts!)

[Dieses Madchen]

Most people know, I love my big cichlids. I do what I can to keep healthy homes for my bigger fish, and I know that a larger tank is in the future within the next 6 months.

I have two Oscars, probably slightly stunted from spending their first 6 months in a 47g tank. I rescued them, and move them into the largest tank I could afford at the moment....a lovely 120g tank. They live with 3 Featherfin Squeakers and two small (4 inch) severums and a common plec. Rght now, at 9-10 months old, my red Oscar is at 7-8 inches and my Tiger is roughly 6 inches. Tank params: 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 30 nitrate.

So anyways this morning, both oscars were fine. Greeted me at the tank when I fed them and everything was normal. When I got home this afternoon, my red oscar was shredded. Missing scales, ripped fins...and the tiger had him backed into a corner. What would cause this to happen??? They have been tankmates since babies. Is this pairing behavior? (I dont know the sexes) or normal oscar aggression?

 

[Always Learning]

The joys of big cichlids... this is always something that can happen and often out of the blue. Without seeing it, anything could have happened, or it might just be a sign that one wants to be the main man and the other wasn't going to let it be. How are they now? They're reaching that age where they're coming into adulthood and they let you know whether they're going to live together or not...

 

[Dieses Madchen]

Right now, Firedball (the bigger oscar) is sulking on the bottom of the tank and Kirby (the smaller oscar) is picking on the catfish. I have a spare 75g so that may be what happens tomorrow.....i cant lose either of them. it would devastate me

 

[onidrase]

Is the 120g the 4x2x2? I honestly think it's somewhat lucky that they lived this long together without killing each other as it is (especially in the 47 gallon tank)

the length of the tank is still kind short for two oscars to claim territory, regardless, and also IME aggression between two of the same species is always much worse than aggression between two different ones. It may be possible that they're finally recovering from being kept in the 47g with the oscars and JD's, probably getting fed better, and with that, could be more enabled to throw their weight around.

I'm no expert on oscars, but when I was trying to pair glory, she had the male convict battered and broken, cowering behind the filter 24/7. He never got the balls to stick up for himself, he's lucky to be alive.

It may be pairing, or it may be just bullying, it's kind of hard to say. Definitely keep an eye on both of them, regardless.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

They have only been in the 120g for a couple of months. I am getting a bigger tank most definitely, although that may not happen now. My plan now is to move Kirby into a 75g on his own. With him stalking the catfish, I worry that he may be one of those oscars that wont co-exist with others. Good thing is, I have an edquate spare and can move him if need be. I have been looking for a 6 footer within my budget so I can give them the home they deserve. The 4x2x2 was a temp fix to get them out of the 47g

 

[Wills]

Yeah it sounds like the change has happened, they may manage to coexist with each other but if you can split I would.

Wills

 

[Dieses Madchen]

Yeah I can spilt them. I have a spare 75g. Will that be adequate temperarily? I'm going to leave fireball in the 120g as he is the one that is friendly. Kirby is stalking my catfish now too.

 

[star4]

sadly that is typical, my large oscar went nuts on me over night nearly shredding half the tank and trying to eat my pictus, some with live with other fish some wont, even bringing them up together does not always help. To be honest I am not suprised that its the tiger thats been the problem.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

Me too as he is the smaller one. Napolean complex maybe?

 

[star4]

Do you know if they are the same sex? two males will fight, two females might co-exist ok, if your lucky, male & female is usually asking for trouble when breeding starts.

My other tiger oscar that was a brat when smaller is very happy living with other fish, the one that was lovely when he was smaller is now the monster!

 

[Dieses Madchen]

I don't know what sex they are unfortunately. The evil one has been moved so situation is resolved. The injured one is no longer laying on the bottom of the tank thank goodness.

 

[mattlee]

good job you had a back up tank. its good to hear the bullied fish is acting more normal now

keeping cichlids together from juvis is one of the best ways of getting them to tolerate each other but its not a guarentee. as the fish grow and mature they need teritories and 2 oscars in a 4x2x2 even at the size yours are isnt really that much space for them. i would say that this is what happened and with little room for escape the weaker oscar has had to take a beating.

i hope the oscar makes a full recovery, keep us posted

 

[Dieses Madchen]

Thank you Mattlee. The injured one is doing really well. Fins are healing nicely and he is back to his old self. He still had some tankmates and he seems to enjoy those. I feel bad for Kirby (the mean one) as he is acting really lonely. Funny think was, my husband put up and barrier while we got the tank setup and confined the evil oscar into a corner, and now everytime my husband goes near the tank, evil oscar lays on the bottom! Are oscars really that smart that they remember???