oscars

[Zari]

I recently acquired a 55gallon tank that has 2 large albino tiger oscars in it for free, it wasn't in the best shape and I'm working on cleaning it up, the gravel is really dirty and I didn't get a chance to wash it off I had almost an hour drive home with them in a bucket already and wanted to get em in their tank asap and I cant vacuum much out at a time now because my drain is backing up(hopefully will be fixed soon) and repeatedly carrying 5 gallon buckets up stairs is a bit of a chore.

But aside from that they are being really picky about their eating habits. They refuse to eat off the surface and will only eat food as its sinking ((the sticks I have start sinking soon as they are pushed down by the filter some times within a few seconds of being put in)) and wont eat it off the bottom forcing me to over feed and scoop out all the stuff off the bottom.

Could they be doing this because the tank is a bit dirty? Or because they were used to a dirtier tank that is being cleaned up slowly? Any ideas suggestions etc. Would be helpful.

I know the tank is too small for them as soon as I can get around to my lfs and talk to them I may give them to them if they will take them, otherwise I'm not sure.

 

[SYCichlid]

Sounds like a good rescue on your part. Atleast you are aware that they need a bigger tank. As for them not eating they could just be sulking. Os tend to sulk for a couple of days when they get moved around.

 

[DeathDealer]

wow for free?

 

[Zari]

Sounds like a good rescue on your part. Atleast you are aware that they need a bigger tank. As for them not eating they could just be sulking. Os tend to sulk for a couple of days when they get moved around.

Well its been about a week maybe a little more.

 

[Zari]

OMFG! Ok I finally after over a week got around to cleaning it up real good.
I washed the extra gravel and took out all the stuff I put in right away when we moved them and their gravel was SO DAMN DIRTY it took me over 40mins to wash about 1inch of gravel in a 15gallon rubbermaid tub not to mention all the stuff that was knocked up in the old gravel by me scooping it out. I did over a 75% water change I emptied it to as low as I could while keeping both oscars submerged so that should help what I'm assuming were pretty bad water conditions(no test strips).

They also had 2 plastic drift wood decorations what I thought was one white and one brown....Turns out it was one white and a lil dirty, and the other one was white and COVERED I mean absolutely slathered in built up poo to the point I really thought it was a brown driftwood piece till I washed it. Anyways I'm surprised they were still alive with those conditions.

I feel sorry for them especially since I didn't have time to wash the gravel in the first place and save alot of this trouble and for having to live in that for 8 years I think it was

Now Thursday I'm going to do another large water change and suck out all the stuff that's settled on the now almost bare bottom, and put in the rinsed and clean gravel. I'm glad that I can at least give them much better conditions then they had.

Also on a side not can poor water conditions stunt growth? And by 8 years should albino tiger oscars be full grown at ~12-13"? These guys are only about 9-10" maybe a little smaller.

 

[artes]

Wow, those poor Os. I'm sure they're delighted you're helping them out. To answer your question, yeah, the water conditions and size of the tank probably stunted them.

If the pet store refuses to take them, my Dad did keep two Os alive in a 55 gallon for 12 years. I was a kid at the time, but I remember he had an undergravel filter, and two filters mounted on the top, and I'm assuming several water changes had to happen, but they were healthy and happy the whole time. So, while its not ideal, it is possible to keep them happy at least.

 

[muffywrx]

Sounds like a good rescue on your part. Atleast you are aware that they need a bigger tank. As for them not eating they could just be sulking. Os tend to sulk for a couple of days when they get moved around.

X2

just give them time. try not feeding fo a couple days. bet they'll eat off the surface then. adult oscars don't need to eat everyday anyway.

Just a side note. They are not albino but lutino Albinos are extremely rare and have no coloration. They are probably stunted a little, but if you move them to a bigger home they will be happy.

 

[BMac91]

Yeah, they have most likely stunted due to tank size and water conditions. You could keep them happy in that tank with a little added maintenance to it. If I were you I would be doing 1 very large water change a week or 2 medium water changes a week. If choose to do 1 water change, would prolly do 70% or 80% and if 2 small then 35 to 40%. With them already being full grown at 9-10in then they can still at least turn around in the 55Gal with it being only 12in deep. Lucky on their part that they stunted at around that size so they will be able to stay decently happy as long as you keep up on the water changes and gravel vacs. Be sure to keep a close watch on the water parameters as well. Oscars can very well sulk much longer then 1 week. My first oscar sulked for almost a month before it would eat more then 1 small pellet that sank. You could not feed them for a few days and then give it ago and see what happens, but once you have them eating I would feed a decent diet to them, and would feed once daily. Also, agreed that if you really like these guys and would like to see them happier that the "Minimum" tank size for 2 Os is 75Gal, but 90Gal is preferred for them. Basic rule of thumb for them is 55Gal for 1 O by itself and 25Gal for each additional O. If you have the resources, and like i said would like to keep them and see them happier I would buy a larger tank for them and find a use for the freebie 55Gal.

 

[Zari]

While I wish I could get at least a 75 for these guys I cant, I just don't have the money to get it for a while which is why I'm hoping the LFS will take them tho I not sure they will every time I go there they have like 5+ large oscars >.<. They can at least move fine in the 55 and I don't think ill be putting their other log decoration back in just to give them more room, I did put one in tho so I could hide the heater behind it >.>.
On a good note tho one did eat off the surface today, they seam much happier with the cleaner water. It's still dirty but ill be able to vac up a lot of the nasty stuff Thursday when I'm off. Also gotta do several other water changes Thursday. My days off are more work then my work >.< but the fishys are worth it =D

 

[muffywrx]

Yeah, they have most likely stunted due to tank size and water conditions. You could keep them happy in that tank with a little added maintenance to it. If I were you I would be doing 1 very large water change a week or 2 medium water changes a week. If choose to do 1 water change, would prolly do 70% or 80% and if 2 small then 35 to 40%. With them already being full grown at 9-10in then they can still at least turn around in the 55Gal with it being only 12in deep. Lucky on their part that they stunted at around that size so they will be able to stay decently happy as long as you keep up on the water changes and gravel vacs. Be sure to keep a close watch on the water parameters as well. Oscars can very well sulk much longer then 1 week. My first oscar sulked for almost a month before it would eat more then 1 small pellet that sank. You could not feed them for a few days and then give it ago and see what happens, but once you have them eating I would feed a decent diet to them, and would feed once daily. Also, agreed that if you really like these guys and would like to see them happier that the "Minimum" tank size for 2 Os is 75Gal, but 90Gal is preferred for them. Basic rule of thumb for them is 55Gal for 1 O by itself and 25Gal for each additional O. If you have the resources, and like i said would like to keep them and see them happier I would buy a larger tank for them and find a use for the freebie 55Gal.

25gal for each additional O is WAY pushing it, should have at least 90g for two bare minimum, 125 preferred. Though with these guys stunted you could get away with a 90 easily.