Oscar Changed Color

[Sorrell]

I have an elderly tiger Oscar who has recently turned completely black. He's acting normal otherwise, he eats well, attacks the glass, re-arranges his gravel, sleeps in every morning, etc. He's always done the normal color changes, when he'd get excited his orange would get very bright and the gray/balck would go very black. Now however he is just straight black. The intensity still changes, when he gets up in the morning he's duller, but no orange in a few weeks now.

He's the lone inhabitant in a 55 gallon, he eats bloodworms and brine shrimp, but his main diet is Hikari pellets. He is a jumper and always has scraps along his side from jumping against the hood of his tank. The only other history I can give you is he has had HIH as a younger fish before I got him and he has the pit scars to show for it.

Any ideas?

 

[Sp3nc3r]

well im not sure

but it is said that the minimum for an oscar is a 75 gallon tank

maybe he is stressed out, what other fish do you have with him

oscars need alot of place to swim freely

 

[Sorrell]

He's the lone inhabitant

He used to live in a 150 by himself and he was miserable, layed on his side 24 hours a day and didn't eat for (literally) months. Tell your Oscar in the 30 I say hello.

 

[Sp3nc3r]

wow, i was just saying, dont gotta go and be rude man

my oscar is very small, and in 2 weeks he will be in a 75gallon

thats just what i read, that oscars need 75 gallon min. it doesnt mean that everyone is going to follow that or listen to that because sme people might not afford it or think that it looks blank.

sorry man didn't mean to be rude or anything, just saying what i've read.

 

[KathyM]

He's the lone inhabitant

He used to live in a 150 by himself and he was miserable, layed on his side 24 hours a day and didn't eat for (literally) months. Tell your Oscar in the 30 I say hello.

Can I ask why is he in a small tank now? When did you move him? Could be related to the tank change from a big suitable tank to a below minimum size tank? What are the water parameters? Sorry to bombard you with questions *lol*.

 

[Sorrell]

He's in the smaller tank because it's the only tank he's been active and eating in. He's been in this tank for a year next month. The color change has been the last two weeks. Everything else about him is normal.

 

[KathyM]

And the water stats?

 

[LisaLQ]

He should be fine as the lone inhabitant of a 55g. That's the recommended minimum, so while 75g or more would be great, 55g to himself is fine

Sorry, no idea why he goes black though, when mine is stressed he goes paler not darker

 

[heather]

He should be fine as the lone inhabitant of a 55g. That's the recommended minimum, so while 75g or more would be great, 55g to himself is fine

Sorry, no idea why he goes black though, when mine is stressed he goes paler not darker

maybe hes really happy that might be why hes gone darker ,,