Wild ‘Columbia’ Oscars
- Thread starter DMD123
- Start date
I really had never considered Oscars aggressive since I had raised a load of other cichlids over the years that are more aggressive species. But in talking with someone who raised wild oscars, he warned me to expect it.
I thought the tetras would be enough of dithers to spread the hurt but the oscars nipped at them at first and now just swim around with them, lol. So time to decide to either rehome one now and raise the other solo or maybe get a few tiger Oscars from Petsmart to add as dithers...
This does have me wondering if these will be “typical” oscars as adults who can get along in a community or Im just postponing the inevitable which will be to rehome because the oscar will be too aggressive with the Pearsei. Time will tell.
Decided to try something... found a red oscar at Petsmart. It is bigger than both the Columbia Oscars. Just added it in and it caught on to eating bloodworms from Oscar #2. It showed no aggressiveness toward the smaller fish. Oscar #1 is in a time out net and I will release it when the new red settles in a bit more.
Did a test of releasing the bad Oscar (wild Columbia #1) back into the tank and there was an odd tension between it and the new tank raised red but no fighting. But then it started nipping at Oscar #2. So back into time out it went and will likely rehome. So I wasnt planning on having two oscars but the combo of the wild Columbia and Red just seems to work. There is zero aggressive behavior and they swim together and get along nicely.
So the negative to the wild oscar is that it really is a bland looking fish at this point. They go from that really cool dark pattern to a washed out light green at this stage (apx 3").
So the negative to the wild oscar is that it really is a bland looking fish at this point. They go from that really cool dark pattern to a washed out light green at this stage (apx 3").
Sorry for all the issues man. That's just how this game goes. It sucks 3 of them together would have looked striking.
In the end it's not a total loss at least you got a cool looking red out of the deal.
In the end it's not a total loss at least you got a cool looking red out of the deal.
Update
Pics of Oscar #2
The 'regulator' red oscar, a great peace keeper
Pics of Oscar #2
The 'regulator' red oscar, a great peace keeper
I have tried multiple times to reintroduce and see how it does but it has not done well with the other wild Oscar. It seems to only know one thing and that is to nip and bite. There is a subtle show of dominace from the red toward Oscar #2 but it is within normal safe pecking order stuff. oscar #1 just goes at the other wild like its just trying to bully it to death. At this point they are pretty much the same size with #2 being slightly bigger even. But its all about attitude and #1 has it and lots of it.
