Oscars- Weird Behavior

[afireinside]

Ok, I just kinda found this weird. Whenever my oscars have to go "poo" they lay down in a little trench I made in the gravel. Then, when they are done, they are all swimming around again. Is this normal? Should I get rid of the trench?

 

[Tolak]

Neat trick, dig a latrine & they use it. Wish I could teach my fish that one.

I would keep doing it, especially with a messy fish like an oscar. Makes maintainance easier having most of the debris in one area.

 

[afireinside]

So, they are not sick? Good. Thank you!

 

[Kopix Nation]

Oscars are unpredictable and are very smart... Leave the trench alone.. It is not hurting anything!! So just keep it there...

claire

 

[demonmagus]

thats pretty good

 

[yvez9]

My Oscar is my favorite fish

full of personnality and i enjoy watcing him chasing ghost shrimp around the tank once in a while!

he is messy but by feeding the right foods, i find he is not too bad

i feed mine:
crickets, he usually doesn't leave anything behind as he swallows them whole
ghost shrimp, swallows them whole
hikari cichlid staple
they don't break up at all, he swallows them whole
omega cichlid pellets, they don't break up either
guppy, we had to try it at least once, he didn't leave anything behind either
omega shrimp pellets, they don't break up so he swallows them whole
omega and hikari algea pellets (we throw them in for the pleco but he ends up eating half of them), very clean food

now the messy foods:
wardley shrimp pellets, these break up almost as soon as they hit the water, he chews them and makes a mess
tetramin cichlid color enhancing food, they break up also



basically, the more expensive food is swallowed whole while the cheaper wal-mart brand foods break up and he ends up eating very little, and he makes a mess to top it off!