Sexing Oscars

[Cichlaholics Anonymous]

right now 33 gal, but I'm upgrading to 75-90 gallon

At that size I wouldn't add any other cichlids to the tank, although if it is around 90 you might be able to do more than one of your oscars, but water changes will have to be big and very often.

 

[Trevor_89328]

Most people finally find out the sex of their Oscars by observing them when the female start laying eggs. If you have got a pair that are the same age then the chances are, they will become sexually mature at around the same time. Once you have seen a female Oscar laying eggs, it is very easy to recognize. It is oval in shape, rather blunt and whitish Iin colour, a little bit like the end of an egg. If the other Oscar is a male and he is sexually mature, his sexual organ will protrude from underneath him. The easiest way to describe his "member" is it looks rather like a little spike or thorn. There is a distinctive difference between male and female sexual organs, you cannot confuse them.

 

[Lindsey25]

thanks, do I need to do anything to promote egg laying? Do they lay in something or just swim around and lay em as they go?

 

[pcfriedrich]

most SA/CA cichlids are substrate layers. they prefer a flas piece of rock (usually in a corner) to lay on. I'm sure Os are the same. If I'm wrong, someone correct me.

 

[James B.]

How big are your O's? most don't mature till at least the 8-9 inch mark so you may have a wait on your hands.
As far as helping them out, clean water, varied diet and a nice flat stone is all you need and they will do the rest.