Oscars- trying to pick fights or just asserting dominance?

Unaided

Feeder Fish
Dec 2, 2021
4
2
3
24
Hi this is my first post on this website and I’m posting because I want to keep my fish safe.

I have 4 oscars (2 6inch and 2 3inch), 2 severums, and 2 common plecos in a 125 gallon. The 2 6inch oscars grew up together in the 55 until my black tiger started picking on the albino pretty bad to the point where I didn’t feel he was safe. I move the albino to the 125 where the other 2 oscars were growing. The white one picked on the smaller ones but then slowed down when he became the dominant one. Well recently I bought a red devil because he was at a petsmart for almost 2 months in a 10 gallon and it just felt wrong leaving him there and thought he would be comparable with oscars (i did more research and know that’s wrong) so I moved the black tiger out of the 55 and into the 125 but put up dividers and moved the red devil to the 55. The black tiger has since broken out of the dividers but he and the albino are now the same size and he seems a lot calmer. He chases the albino and the smaller fish but only every once and a while and only nips at the fins but even that looks soft for an Oscar and doesn’t leave damage and doesn’t flare his fins or anything that typically fighting oscars would do. Is this just him asserting dominance? Sorry this post is so long.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CrazyPhishMan

krichardson

Bronze Tier VIP
MFK Member
Jun 19, 2006
27,561
14,449
480
Datnoid Island
That’s what I thought. Just wanted to be sure to keep my guys safe
The bullying could get worse over time,what are your plans for the Red Devil?
 
  • Like
Reactions: tlindsey

Unaided

Feeder Fish
Dec 2, 2021
4
2
3
24
The bullying could get worse over time,what are your plans for the Red Devil?
Ok, I’ll keep that in mind. He seems way calmer now that he’s in the larger tank. And I plan to keep the red devil in the 55. Maybe upgrade him to a slightly larger 75 by next October. He’s only about 2-2.5 inches right now
 

krichardson

Bronze Tier VIP
MFK Member
Jun 19, 2006
27,561
14,449
480
Datnoid Island
Ok, I’ll keep that in mind. He seems way calmer now that he’s in the larger tank. And I plan to keep the red devil in the 55. Maybe upgrade him to a slightly larger 75 by next October. He’s only about 2-2.5 inches right now
Sounds good.That RD could cause all kinds of problems down the road after it grows some size,if you were to house it with the Oscars
 
  • Like
Reactions: tlindsey

tlindsey

Silver Tier VIP
MFK Member
Aug 6, 2011
23,258
24,116
1,660
Ohio
The 125 is not large enough for 4 Oscars and 2 with other Cichlids is going to cause issues as they grow. Space is very crucial for keeping Cichlids.
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store