Weird Oscar issue...

[crashinc25]

I have an Oscar @ 9". He is in a 100g with other inhabitants. There are NO aggression issues related to the Oscar. He/she is sweet, kind, and gentle tempered.
Recently, yesterday actually, I was watching him/her violently thrash around in the center of the tank. I thought it was some kind of seizure as the mouth was wide open and the top half of the body went almost pale. I jumped up and knocked on the glass. He/she stopped and just went back into it's relaxed mode. No more problems until about 10:30pm when I saw it faced toward the back of the tank (black back), mouth wide open and violently attempting to attack nothing? The only thing I can think is that it was trying to attack it's reflection. No other fish around.
Any thoughts?

 

[James B.]

Could be the reflection. At that size I would say it's staring to mature, the "seizure" was more then likely a mating dance letting all know it's ready, mine do this all the time they dig pits, dance, attack their refection, lip lock and defend their nests, just no eggs yet.

 

[crashinc25]

Could be the reflection. At that size I would say it's staring to mature, the "seizure" was more then likely a mating dance letting all know it's ready, mine do this all the time they dig pits, dance, attack their refection, lip lock and defend their nests, just no eggs yet.

Thanks. I've got pits as well, but it's just this one Oscar. The rest are SA/CA's, but nothing within 4" of it. Glad to know it's not losing it's mind. Of course doing the dance by itself might just be. I am correct in believing there is not way to ID M or F, right?

 

[James B.]

Even if they are alone they will still act on instinct and dance etc., could even be trying to impress his/her refection, one of mine is in love with it's self and dances in the corner where it can see it's self and chases every one but my albino away.
As far as I know the only true way to sex them is to watch them lay and fertilize eggs, I have heard you can vent them but I have no knowledge as to how to go about it and have heard even then Oscars are very hard to sex.

 

[crashinc25]

Even if they are alone they will still act on instinct and dance etc., could even be trying to impress his/her refection, one of mine is in love with it's self and dances in the corner where it can see it's self and chases every one but my albino away.
As far as I know the only true way to sex them is to watch them lay and fertilize eggs, I have heard you can vent them but I have no knowledge as to how to go about it and have heard even then Oscars are very hard to sex.

Thanks again.
I suppose I don't really care male or female as long as the temperament doesn't change too drastically.

 

[Natalie]

I agree, your Oscar's behavior sounds pretty familiar and is likely a mating or aggression display. My O is as mellow and kind as could be to his tankmates, but whoa when he catches his reflection in the glass he just snaps, splashing water everywhere and doing a jerky back-and-forth dance.

 

[Hawkfish3.0]

Yep, as everyone else said, this is typical of a sexually mature oscar. Every one that I've had has done the same thing. Nothing to worry about.

 

[ctenopoma]

My O does that when ever a stranger walks by I think it may be attacking the glass or it's reflection, or if you have a female O with him he's signaling he's ready to mate