My Oscar constantly snaps at lid
- Thread starter Poseidon2.0
- Start date
Have had many fish including oscars that did it often. Mainly cichlids and predatory characins. Predators are generally attracted to shiny fish, so it’s a feeding response. I just bought two 4” oscars as well recently. Hoping my 12” trachy doesn’t take a taste test.
I know I’m late but Some friendly advice, no offense meant, if you don’t take it maybe you’ll just have to learn on your own .
You gotta relax lol you can’t tell people what to do. You’ll learn it’ll only get on your nerves because they won’t listen. Your advice will come across best when you respectfully and constructively give it.
And you gotta do a lot more reading and understand info you give off of what you read needs to be stated that you read it. Another thing even with personal experience, if it isn’t with many specimens each for a few years, it needs to be taken with a grain of salt. You say a lot of things I for one don’t agree with. Such as saying a senegal is dumb compared to an Oscar. They can be just as and more curious and personable than oscars. It all depends on the specimen.
Also plenty can be kept in a 55 aside from a sen. Also you will be surprised how many oscars are grown for years in a 55 just fine, as an only fish or not. It’s actually how I got into fish. My grandmother had one for over ten years. Then it went to my uncles house for about 2 years then to my moms house for about another 3 until it passed. The fish was atleast 15. All in the same 55. My grandmother raised it with a large black goldfish. Which lived for about 8 years I think. And a pleco but idk how long she had it. To say what any fish will be happy in is ignorant. None of us are fish whisperers, we don’t know when they’re happiest, if you wanna play it like that I can argue they’ll only be happy in the wild. So choose your wording wiser when giving advice. With tank size you’re a little safe because everyone has their own idea of what a fish deserves. Many say minimum to comfortably keep a fish is length and width have to be as long or bigger than the fish is long, while TBTB for instance says the tank needs to be 2x wider and 4x longer than the fishes length at minimum. But this also means again you can’t tell someone what to keep a fish in. With your mentality you’d probably hate the jdm style tanks lol. But I must say the one time overstocked the tank was most interesting. But it made me uncomfortable. Again no offense meant.
Thanks Dave.
I am keeping 9 tanks going. and it is about all I can manage, without re-plumbing the house.
(I am planning some of that too.)
Back to Oscars: I have seen many big oscars for sale which grew huge but dull-eyed. I think that, just like children, they don't develop well without lots of interaction. Because his tank is so small, I spend lots of time keeping it. I spend time just talking to him and examining him.
He's actually rather tame, as I have moved him all around the house thru 6 tanks, during his growth and our remodeling. But he is a monster who could push the lid off and jump out, as he has nearly proved just today. I keep his lids weighted down with the planter and lamp, but I am thinking about clamps. I have had big fish jump out onto the floor.
Uluwatu's Sierra Gateway Fish Rescue will be gratefully accepting your (not quite legally tax deductible) donations.
(REMEMBER: If they cut my Social Security I may have to eat these fish!)
So the fish you save may cost me my dinner, but think of how good you'll feel!
I was just kidding about the donations folks. I'm not exactly what you'd call a charity case . . . Yet. 
At the risk of being a total hijacker, here is a picture of the fancy stand and shelf that I built for my oscar, in his pitiful $55 Petco sale tank. I designed it to hold a custom-made 90 display tank.
Unfortunately that tank will be a very custom size = $$$
The shipping quote alone was 10 times what I paid for the Petco tank!
At the risk of being a total hijacker, here is a picture of the fancy stand and shelf that I built for my oscar, in his pitiful $55 Petco sale tank. I designed it to hold a custom-made 90 display tank.
Unfortunately that tank will be a very custom size = $$$
The shipping quote alone was 10 times what I paid for the Petco tank!
So finally got a vid of Vader snapping at the lid. Had to sneak up on him cause he stops the moment he sees me! Note, there is a 1.5 lbs book weight on the lid, but he still manages to knock the glass up an inch or two! Will be upgrading that weight!! Incidentally, I keep mine in a 75 gal currently which is what I consider the minimum for an Oscar. Prefer a 5’ 120 for him which he had until recently and will have again in the summer. He loves whatever space I give him.
Man. Don't get me going on this....but to me the oscar is one of the most disrespected tropical fish. They sell cheap. Sell'em all over the place. And people don't know what they are getting into when they buy them. How many times have I gone to a fish store and the larger oscars don't move or react. Color is off. 99% of the time people bring these back to the LFS after they grow up a bit.Thanks Dave.
I am keeping 9 tanks going. and it is about all I can manage, without re-plumbing the house.
(I am planning some of that too.)
Back to Oscars: I have seen many big oscars for sale which grew huge but dull-eyed. I think that, just like children, they don't develop well without lots of interaction. Because his tank is so small, I spend lots of time keeping it. I spend time just talking to him and examining him.
He's actually rather tame, as I have moved him all around the house thru 6 tanks, during his growth and our remodeling. But he is a monster who could push the lid off and jump out, as he has nearly proved just today. I keep his lids weighted down with the planter and lamp, but I am thinking about clamps. I have had big fish jump out onto the floor.
Uluwatu's Sierra Gateway Fish Rescue will be gratefully accepting your (not quite legally tax deductible) donations.
(REMEMBER: If they cut my Social Security I may have to eat these fish!)
So the fish you save may cost me my dinner, but think of how good you'll feel!
If they were rare and expensive all the MFKers would be ooooh! ahhhh! Gotta get that fish!
This has got to be one of the best fish IMO. But they need you and need interaction. By far the most interesting fish to watch.
I have 4 oscars with 4 different personalities. They are definitely "my kids".
I agree with you 100%!!!! I LOVE my Oscar Big Boy!!!!
I am going to have to do a post on oscars some day. I just think all these MFKers with rays, dats, bichers etc would ignore.
- Little Dave (red) has sort of a hump head. Sometimes stays by himself but does swim with the group. Likes to stay near the filter intake to get leftovers. Has some digestive problems I think so I gotta give peas once a week. Holds his own.
- Teddy (red) - The runt. More rounded than the tigers and LDave. Used to get picked on but I beefed him up. He's thick. Now he flares his gills all the time to letem know he will not back down. Tends to get into all the other oscars business. Loves to swim with Tigers.
- One (tiger) - The first one I got. The peaceful king of the tank. Almost always dark black. Almost always swimming. Commands but does not pick on fish.
- Two (tiger) - Got him with the 2 reds. Always the second in command but now starting to spar a bit with One (gill flaring). Usually a bit lighter than One. Looks almost the same as One. He is the oscar I am most concerned about but so far no real fighting.
With all the gill flaring and what not these guys (or gals?) bump into each other on purpose. Lay there fins on each other. Swim upside down under each other. They check out the pleco. Take a swipe at the pbass. Get a little swipe back from a pbass etc. etc.
Much better than watching TV.
