My Oscar constantly snaps at lid

[DawnMichele]

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.

I don't want to take over his thread. I would LOVE to see you do a thread on your Oscar's!!!!

 

[LBDave]

I don't want to take over his thread. I would LOVE to see you do a thread on your Oscar's!!!!

10-4. I'm getting a bigger tank. Maybe in the mean time I will do a thread or after the new tank. The pbass are also a trip.
Luther is getting big fast and starting to pick on Theo. Both eat a lot. Sorta on pins and needles until I get the new tank. A little drama going on right now but it happens when mixing cichlids. Got a Jurupari I call Mr. Big Stuff. He is picking on the smaller one so I got more plants for hiding. Probably gotta split them up.

 

[DawnMichele]

10-4. I'm getting a bigger tank. Maybe in the mean time I will do a thread or after the new tank. The pbass are also a trip.
Luther is getting big fast and starting to pick on Theo. Both eat a lot. Sorta on pins and needles until I get the new tank. A little drama going on right now but it happens when mixing cichlids. Got a Jurupari I call Mr. Big Stuff. He is picking on the smaller one so I got more plants for hiding. Probably gotta split them up.

Can't wait to see your tank's & fish!!! I LOVE my BIG Cichlid's!!!! There the BEST!!!

 

[Ulu]

So finally got a vid of Vader snapping at the lid . . . there is a 1.5 lbs book weight on the lid, but he still manages to knock the glass up an inch or two! . . .

All of my lids are now lexan or plexiglass and are more or less unbreakable. I got tired of breaking glass lids about 10 years ago.

 

[Jmahn]

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.

I dunno if he seen you there because looked like he was focusing on something looks beautiful though I'd try stimulation to rule out if he's just doing it to get attention try "toys" for him etc or could just be drops of water he's seeing even then could have seen you arrive and started associating doing it with your arrival

 

[Kvandy]

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.

He sure does make that 75 look little

 

[FINWIN]

That's my read. He literally stops doing it the moment I walk in the room then does is water-doggie dance. I sometimes put my hand in and he will swirl around it like a dog. I have to raid my son's toy chest to find some floating plastic balls from one of his toy-guns. It may cause more noise as you say. He is going to get put back in a 6 foot tank this summer and will probably obtain some ditherers like silver dollars for him to chase around or maybe a poly or two. He's in a room I don't hang out in a lot, which may be part of the problem too.

Yup sounds like your O wants more attention. When I pet mine he chases other fish away then comes back for more strokes.

 

[FINWIN]

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.

My O Brick has developed a liking for banging the glass lid also. He's not the only one...my big parrots Kong and Patch do it also. Somtimes it sounds like a concert, I can hear it from my office across the room.

I really wish they'd qui it, though.

 

[LBDave]

Let me out of this little tank!