Question about Oscar!!

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
He's always been a bit of an aggressor but seems to be getting worse with age ha?! Don't think it's got anything to do with the background? I'm going to try cover the brace bars over the tank so he can't get cut by the plastic again! I like the idea of making a cave from slate and rocks, that might give him somewhere to hang-out?!

What do you reckon about adding 4-5 Silver Dollars as dither fish?? Would they be any good??
 
Steveo1987;4824955; said:
He's always been a bit of an aggressor but seems to be getting worse with age ha?! Don't think it's got anything to do with the background? I'm going to try cover the brace bars over the tank so he can't get cut by the plastic again! I like the idea of making a cave from slate and rocks, that might give him somewhere to hang-out?!

What do you reckon about adding 4-5 Silver Dollars as dither fish?? Would they be any good??
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It can't hurt to add them, might even help level his aggression out. Oscar's are weird with moods. Some don't like changes in their home and will pout and throw temper tantrums about it. If you can, get a piece of plexiglass or glass that you can put your lights on, that way it can't hit the lights anymore.
 
Yeah, going to look for a large piece of plexiglass next week end to stick underneath the lights! I've noticed they do have mood swings alright?! Mine wouldn't eat for about a week when I moved him to the 450 he's in at the minute?! He hates the fish-net also, he can tell what it is when I pull it out of the drawer and show him!! He heads for the corner!!!

When his injury has fully cleared up, I'm going to get myself a nice school of Silver Dollars, hopefully that might help a little also? Suppose they could eat the food he spits out from time to time?! Thanks for the advice man!!!
 
I've seen this behavior here, not with Oscars but with another dom. male cichlid, my take on it was breeding frustration, due to lack of females. Most recently was a 12" Malwai Eyebitter (ya I know it's not a new world) - started 2 years ago. About every 2-3 mo. he'd freak out and become super aggressive. This behavior got worse as time went by. I sold him last month - he had 18 other fish close to his size or larger living in 12" of water, also broke the glass top, 2 heaters, and a filter inlet tube.
At 1st turning off the light worked, it worked for about a year and a half. Pissed me off to no end having a large tank full of gorgeous fish in the dining room and the light always off. This to did change @ 4 years of age he never stopped. I put up with it for 6 mo. then removed him and sold him to a fellow MFKer - best of luck to him, he was made aware.
 
What temp do you keep his tank? a lower temp can decrease aggression. Also have you considered the blue moonlight lights.
 
Otherone;4827560; said:
I've seen this behavior here, not with Oscars but with another dom. male cichlid, my take on it was breeding frustration, due to lack of females. Most recently was a 12" Malwai Eyebitter (ya I know it's not a new world) - started 2 years ago. About every 2-3 mo. he'd freak out and become super aggressive. This behavior got worse as time went by. I sold him last month - he had 18 other fish close to his size or larger living in 12" of water, also broke the glass top, 2 heaters, and a filter inlet tube.
At 1st turning off the light worked, it worked for about a year and a half. Pissed me off to no end having a large tank full of gorgeous fish in the dining room and the light always off. This to did change @ 4 years of age he never stopped. I put up with it for 6 mo. then removed him and sold him to a fellow MFKer - best of luck to him, he was made aware.
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That's it man, has to be! Everything you've said is similar to what's happened with me?! I had to turn the light off to calm him down a little but now it doesn't even matter if it's on or not! Nice call, thanks for the input!!!

It's starting to drive me mad too! I have this big tank, that'd decorated well, cost a small fortune altogether and I can't have the light on or add any fish?! I was looking at him earlier and I was thinking Silver Dollars wont last pissing time in there!!!!
 
FoxFire110;4827580; said:
What temp do you keep his tank? a lower temp can decrease aggression. Also have you considered the blue moonlight lights.
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I keep the tank around 25*C . . . That's around normal ain't it?? I was thinking of going with blue lights, would they work better yeah? I haven't kept blue lights before!!
 
Oscars sure are moody. I would definitely add some sort of floating plant, but your probably better off with a fake one. Something like this is what I use - http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2754563

I doubt any dithers that aren't extremely fast will avoid being eaten. He may not kill or eat them when you first put them in, but rest assured that he will pick them off in the middle of the night at some point or another.
 
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