What is wrong with my oscars?

[essy]

I posted in your dirty tank thread.

Your oscars aren't happy because they're crowded and in their own feces. Two oscars will get too big (and probably already too big) for a 50gal.

On top of this, you use river rocks as your bottom. The **** will get stuck in there and will pollute the tank. You don't vaccuum your tank, which causes the water to have a whole bunch of nitrate and ammonia levels. Go to the LFS and get your water tested, watch as your nitrate / ammonia levels are through the roof.

Get proper substrate, get a bigger tank, do more maintenance changes, clean your filters. Your fish are dying at the bottom because you're neglecting to properly house and clean them.

 

[ChannelCat]

I posted in your dirty tank thread.

Your oscars aren't happy because they're crowded and in their own feces. Two oscars will get too big (and probably already too big) for a 50gal.

On top of this, you use river rocks as your bottom. The **** will get stuck in there and will pollute the tank. You don't vaccuum your tank, which causes the water to have a whole bunch of nitrate and ammonia levels. Go to the LFS and get your water tested, watch as your nitrate / ammonia levels are through the roof.

Get proper substrate, get a bigger tank, do more maintenance changes, clean your filters. Your fish are dying at the bottom because you're neglecting to properly house and clean them.

I have to disagree with you on the crowding. They are not crowded. Maybe they will be in the near future, but they have plenty room to roam and play. They take up a whole 5-6 inches each in a tank that is 4 feet long and 2 feet deep. Maybe they need plants or something. Some sort of structure?

I just dont see how the substrate could make them angry either. I have never met a fish that liked one bottom better than another, but im sure other people have.

and swimming in their own poo, thats a valid reason, but they have really livened up since the water is clean now. Ill mark that down as a good reason and a lesson learned.

 

[justonemoretank]

Please read up on Oscars, as much as you have time for, and you'll realize they are extremely messy fish. Not just in the way that other fish are, with the poo and all, but the food, as I'm sure you've noticed, just FALLS out of their gills. Doesn't seem like a good way to keep alive, to me, but they obviously grow large, so it works for them. All that gets into the rocks, and if don't vacuum, it stays. Please test your water weekly, at least. With Oscars, it's really necessary. And yes, you'll need a larger tank. Are you saying they take up five to six inches together, or are five to six inches each? If the first, then they're not healthy Oscars, if the second, then they need a new tank. I cannot overstate how messy these fish are.