All,
I didn't want to hijack the Oscar/con thread which has moved on to 'what do I do with my sulking Oscar'
I think I know all the standard answers given my experience with my Oscar over the years but wanted to start a thread around resolving the same type of issue with my big Jag.
Background:
1. Bought it from Rapps a couple months ago. 5 year old 14/15 inch Jag. Was kept in a large community for years in his house then part of a failed breeding experiment. He moved to my place after being isolated in a 75 Gallon after the breeding experiment. Then shipped to me.
2. He had some mild pitting on his head. This cleared up within 3 weeks of arriving at my place.
3. His home: 125 gallon, filters: Eheim 2262 and Eheim 2217, tons of bio and mechanical, current doesn't seem too strong. Keeping Nitrate well under 20ppm (more like 10). Water changes - once a week (minimum) at 70-80%.
4. Tank mates (meant to be picked off by Jag): 11 Giant Danios which were put there to hold the cycle while I decided what to put in the tank. A week ago 4 small 1.5 inch geo braz (sp?). All still alive, no predation.
5. Décor (see screenshots).
Problem:
1. For the first few weeks he was only accepting Krill, I finally got him accepting pellets and he was coming close to eating from my hand.... then decided to diversify and to feed him a piece of frozen shrimp. For some reason I surprised him and he felt cornered or something in one side of the tank. So instead of hand feeding (or close) I just dropped it in the tank... when it fell it touched him and he freaked out... hit his head on the top while pin balling around the tank and went to the bottom and hides wherever he can (minimal décor so not many places). Since that time that's all he does when I'm around; he hides like I'm a predator looking to do him harm. The only time I've seen him recently is when I've come home andbut as soon as he sees me he loses his mind, smacks himself on the glass and décor while desperately getting to his hiding spot.
Solutioning:
1. Leave tank lights off - still hiding and still not eating.
2. Rearrange tank and remove hides to force him to accept his new home - Just hides in the next best place. - not eating
3. Put the hide on the side of the tank where the food goes (2 days now) - hiding / not eating.
4. Bought the geos to have fish act differently than danios... they will eventually be returned to LFS. I'm sure they still don't get differentiated by the Jag but he still just hides.
5. Put a towel over half the tank so he can't see me at all (1 day). I saw this on a youtube video (Chandler Wild Life) where he did that to help acclimate a new King Cobra... thought not seeing me at all for a few weeks might get him acclimated. he's still just hiding and not eating. Anyone ever try this kind of thing?
Maybe I just need to give him a ton of hides in his tank? That's pretty hard given he's so big. Anyone have similar experience or suggestions? I really hope he pulls through; the lack of eating is very concerning. But I haven't heard stories of people who have had freaked out fish from a feeding and not from just being newly introduced. He was doing so well for a few weeks and just spooking him has him traumatized... didn't expect such a skittishness from such a beast of a fish.
Anyway... I'm sure I've read the type of advise I can expect many times over and maybe this is just a case study thread but any advise or sharing of similar experience would be appreciated.
Will post pictures shortly.
I didn't want to hijack the Oscar/con thread which has moved on to 'what do I do with my sulking Oscar'
I think I know all the standard answers given my experience with my Oscar over the years but wanted to start a thread around resolving the same type of issue with my big Jag.
Background:
1. Bought it from Rapps a couple months ago. 5 year old 14/15 inch Jag. Was kept in a large community for years in his house then part of a failed breeding experiment. He moved to my place after being isolated in a 75 Gallon after the breeding experiment. Then shipped to me.
2. He had some mild pitting on his head. This cleared up within 3 weeks of arriving at my place.
3. His home: 125 gallon, filters: Eheim 2262 and Eheim 2217, tons of bio and mechanical, current doesn't seem too strong. Keeping Nitrate well under 20ppm (more like 10). Water changes - once a week (minimum) at 70-80%.
4. Tank mates (meant to be picked off by Jag): 11 Giant Danios which were put there to hold the cycle while I decided what to put in the tank. A week ago 4 small 1.5 inch geo braz (sp?). All still alive, no predation.
5. Décor (see screenshots).
Problem:
1. For the first few weeks he was only accepting Krill, I finally got him accepting pellets and he was coming close to eating from my hand.... then decided to diversify and to feed him a piece of frozen shrimp. For some reason I surprised him and he felt cornered or something in one side of the tank. So instead of hand feeding (or close) I just dropped it in the tank... when it fell it touched him and he freaked out... hit his head on the top while pin balling around the tank and went to the bottom and hides wherever he can (minimal décor so not many places). Since that time that's all he does when I'm around; he hides like I'm a predator looking to do him harm. The only time I've seen him recently is when I've come home andbut as soon as he sees me he loses his mind, smacks himself on the glass and décor while desperately getting to his hiding spot.
Solutioning:
1. Leave tank lights off - still hiding and still not eating.
2. Rearrange tank and remove hides to force him to accept his new home - Just hides in the next best place. - not eating
3. Put the hide on the side of the tank where the food goes (2 days now) - hiding / not eating.
4. Bought the geos to have fish act differently than danios... they will eventually be returned to LFS. I'm sure they still don't get differentiated by the Jag but he still just hides.
5. Put a towel over half the tank so he can't see me at all (1 day). I saw this on a youtube video (Chandler Wild Life) where he did that to help acclimate a new King Cobra... thought not seeing me at all for a few weeks might get him acclimated. he's still just hiding and not eating. Anyone ever try this kind of thing?
Maybe I just need to give him a ton of hides in his tank? That's pretty hard given he's so big. Anyone have similar experience or suggestions? I really hope he pulls through; the lack of eating is very concerning. But I haven't heard stories of people who have had freaked out fish from a feeding and not from just being newly introduced. He was doing so well for a few weeks and just spooking him has him traumatized... didn't expect such a skittishness from such a beast of a fish.
Anyway... I'm sure I've read the type of advise I can expect many times over and maybe this is just a case study thread but any advise or sharing of similar experience would be appreciated.
Will post pictures shortly.
