Oscar questions.

[LBDave]

I can only go based off my small experience with my first Oscar. My intent was to give him the most fun and exciting environment possible. Was determined to do large w/cs. Got a 'lifetime' size tank to avoid the nonstop 'upgrade' cycle. Minimal stress with only 1 tankmate during his highest growing curve. Good pellets. He gets body tickles and head pats. And finally see whatever his maximum potential would be. So far, so good. Brick is like a big goofy kid that gets into things constantly: He pulls the heaters out of their suction cups, digs pits, shoves the corner filters sideways, pulls the filter pads from the overflows, does body rolls in the sand, hangs in the vines, and plays along the back wall next to the intakes and bubblers. He's scratched himself at times trying to squeeze into tight spots (if he can't fit he just rams through).

Maybe I made his world too interesting!

Let's face it. Brick is big due to the tickles and head pats.

 

[LBDave]

Let's face it. Brick is big due to the tickles and head pats.

Mine like to try and eat the thermometer sensor. Looks like a worm. No No! Bad oscar bad oscar!

 

[illbethejudge]

Agreed, give him some things to do, add in sand or gravel, toss in moss balls (he may shred them or just move them around, I've seen them do both), toss in some small pieces of driftwood for him to move, toss in an old sponge filter for him to tear apart or move around, I put my tank near a window so the oscar could look out at the passing cars and squirrels and birds. I fed my oscar everyday, I'd feed him a small handful of pellets one day, the next day I'd feed him something like silversides, shrimps, prawns, nightcrawlers, crickets, etc. Doing more water changes would be beneficial too.

Should i go back to sand?

 

[LBDave]

Should i go back to sand?

I would but it's just my opinion. Right now mine have a fairly fine gravel. No really sand. I am moving them to a tank with sand.
When I do water changes a couple get sort of pissed and stuff a lot of this gravel in their mouths. They also push rocks around. Oscars are notorious tank rearrangers. So far mine have been pretty good about this. When they get bigger?
I really think they need stuff to do and messing with stuff in the tank is an activity they sometimes enjoy. They also like to mess with the eartheaters sometimes. I swear they are always into something. I have 4 and they all have different personalities. Much better than TV.

 

[Ulu]

When I had sand he spit sand and when I had gravel he spit gravel. Right now the bottom is bare. Well except for Oscar poop and uneaten food. I understand because moving doesn't agree with me either.

I really wonder how much he understands about what's going on because he watched me set up his temporary tank and move all his things into it. Then he saw me drain his tank and move it. A few days later he had to watch me move the new one and fill it and move all of his things from the temporary tank to his new one.

In each case of course, Felix's move followed the move of his things.

So did he know this was coming? I mean before I started to scoop him out in a bucket? LOL

 

[LBDave]

When I had sand he spit sand and when I had gravel he spit gravel. Right now the bottom is bare. Well except for Oscar poop and uneaten food. I understand because moving doesn't agree with me either.

I really wonder how much he understands about what's going on because he watched me set up his temporary tank and move all his things into it. Then he saw me drain his tank and move it. A few days later he had to watch me move the new one and fill it and move all of his things from the temporary tank to his new one.

In each case of course, Felix's move followed the move of his things.

So did he know this was coming? I mean before I started to scoop him out in a bucket? LOL

I think Felix knows what you have for breakfast. That is one smart fish!

 

[TheReefer]

Should i go back to sand?

You can, or go to gravel which won't get in your filter. Either one will work fine as the oscar can move it around. Or do something else like add in small decor the oscar can move around or an old sponge filter or something like that

 

[duanes]

In a tank that small, with that many fish already, I'd be doing 80% water changes every other day.

 

[LBDave]

In a tank that small, with that many fish already, I'd be doing 80% water changes every other day.

Yeah! That's what I'm talking about! Bingo. Clean that culvert pipe!

 

[FINWIN]

When I had sand he spit sand and when I had gravel he spit gravel. Right now the bottom is bare. Well except for Oscar poop and uneaten food. I understand because moving doesn't agree with me either.

I really wonder how much he understands about what's going on because he watched me set up his temporary tank and move all his things into it. Then he saw me drain his tank and move it. A few days later he had to watch me move the new one and fill it and move all of his things from the temporary tank to his new one.

In each case of course, Felix's move followed the move of his things.

So did he know this was coming? I mean before I started to scoop him out in a bucket? LOL

One never knows the mystery of O's...A few weeks back I was sick and shut the fish room for two days. The tanks were under blue moon light. On the third day I went to check and discovered My Oscar had thrown a royal tantrum and basically turned the 225 into a salad bowl. Loose filters, loose heaters, knocked over corner filter with the intake blasting the bottom. One of the boulders was shoved against the glass. The he flared and charged at me as if to say "where have you been?!"

After a few mealworms and one chin rub later we were friends again. Hopeless!