Question about Tiger oscar

[D12DetroitD12]

I recently got a Tiger Oscar from petsmart (he's about a inch n a half) and i got a Birchir (not sure if thats the right name) but he is probably about 3 inches. I had both of them in the same tank and it seems like the Oscar has gotten territorial and wont let the birchir get the blood worms i drop in. The Oscar also tends to bite at the birchir and seem to maybe ''bully'' him. So i moved the Oscar to another tank, he seems to be ''sad''. So my question is should i keep the Oscar in the tank by himself or move him back with the birchir?


Also in the tank with the birchir is 2 small catfish about a inch long i caught out of the river and a twig catfish from pet supply's plus. I mainly just want to make sure all the catfish and birchir get food and are happy.

 

[sick_lid]

He's probably "sad" because of the stress you put on him moving it into the other tank. Oscars can be sulky a lot. If he's picking on the bichir, seperate them. Oscars have big appetites, he probably just wants all the food and sees the bichir as a threat to his meal.

 

[Retuks]

bichirs are pernounced (female dog)er. the oscar isn't sad. they are like that by nature. most will sorta loaf around and kind of act like a lazy porch dog with a big appetite if they get along with your other fish or have no tank mates.

how big is your tank?

Edit: i missread the top. you moved the OSCAR. they always do that when you interfere with their day in any way IE catching them, scaring them, moving their decorations etc. it is very normal for cichlids to lay down to sleep and especially normal for oscars to lay down when you've done something to them.

in the wild oscars actually lay down to look like a rotting/dying fish in order to catch prey that wanders by to check it out (their natural coloring actually helps them look "rotten") naturally they don't chase prey as they are one of the slowest fish in the amazon. its a good prey tactic.

 

[D12DetroitD12]

Well i had to move him to 10 gal, i have a 55 gal if i plan on keeping him away from the Birchir but he's kinda small and i dont want my Red tail cat or shovel nose to eat him in the 55. The birchir is currently in 30 gal.

 

[D12DetroitD12]

Oh alright, thanks for the help retuks!

 

[Morcs]

Give your birchir seem decent hiding spots.
What substrate do you have? I have 3 pieces of driftwood in my tank with sand, and my delhezi makes little caves by burrowing under them.

My oscar eats until he cant fit anything else in his mouth, then he buggers off to the other end of the tank to eat his horde. Only then do I feed the other fish.

Also Birchirs are nocturnal (or at least most are) so drop some pellets after lights are out.

 

[Austin]

Pronounced "biker"

 

[D12DetroitD12]

yeah that's kinda like mine, i have black sand with a piece of mossy/algae covered drift wood for my twig catfish to eat off of and cat fish like to hide under it

 

[The1and only]

Well i had to move him to 10 gal, i have a 55 gal if i plan on keeping him away from the Birchir but he's kinda small and i dont want my Red tail cat or shovel nose to eat him in the 55. The birchir is currently in 30 gal.

I gotta ask. Do you have a RTC and a shovel nose in a 55 gallon? and you want to throw in an Oscar?

A RTC needs at least 1000 gallon tank, and a Oscar will need more than a 55 for life. Your gonna have some problems real quick if this is the case with your 55.

 

[D12DetroitD12]

I gotta ask. Do you have a RTC and a shovel nose in a 55 gallon? and you want to throw in an Oscar?

A RTC needs at least 1000 gallon tank, and a Oscar will need more than a 55 for life. Your gonna have some problems real quick if this is the case with your 55.

Oh yeah i know. 1000 gallon tank is going to cost a lot. If i had the money i would buy one, but i don't. so the 55 is going to have to work for now unless i decide to sell the RTC.