Oscar Fish Questions & Help!

[ECCO_]

Ok, Awhile back my friend had an oscar he got from either Wal*Mart or Petsmart (I hate both these places btw).... he didnt have it long in his tank and Im guessing he got rid of it. Instead of taking it back, giving it away, or killing it he threw it in a old pool.
This is months later but I went by his house and found it in there still alive, what its been feeding on in there I have no idea, The water was merky and full of algae, but besides that I didnt see any life. Anyway I couldnt let it stay in there and got it myself and plan on keeping it.

My question is, will it grow out of being shy?..... dont think its had human contact for awhile
And will it become fond of me? From what I know oscars like their owners.

 

[Big_eyes]

Dunno, pics would be t'riffic though!

I love stories like this, good on you for getting it. Suppose you never know if a fish is going to pick up or not but he can't really complain moving to a nice clean tank from a dirty manky pool can he.

 

[england]

Ok mate, hope you acclimatised him ok, being in filty water straight to clean may shock him, its much like getting wild caught, he will probally be very very timid compared to usual oscars, i have a wild caught bycron sp, beautiful but if you go up to take he freaks out, everything has to be done slowly, the bigger the tank the better for these situations, as any really,lol but more so, good luck mate, does it have anything like hith,?
iam sure eats been eating things like bugs etc,much like in the wild, tadpoles even fish end up in pools brought in by birds etc,,good luck with it mate..pics would be nice

 

[ECCO_]

Dunno, pics would be t'riffic though!

I love stories like this, good on you for getting it. Suppose you never know if a fish is going to pick up or not but he can't really complain moving to a nice clean tank from a dirty manky pool can he.

Yeah true!!! I just couldnt leave it there. And when he told me he did it I thought it was a joke. So I was by his house and saw the pool, and there it was.
And I noticed its coming out some... just ate some pellets. Its just when someone is in front of the tank that it kinda go's to hide. I will take pictures tonight.

 

[Big_eyes]

Just thought.....when you say pool, do you mean swimming pool or is that your term of a 'pond'?

 

[hamfist]

Well done ECCO. WIll be following your story with interest !

 

[ECCO_]

Thanks.... and it was a swimming pool. Small one going around, but I have no idea how deep it was. Had all kinds of old stuff in it. And it doesnt look to have hith. Thank god!

 

[england]

Sounds good then mate, good luck with him, probally be more skittish than usual,but least it should be happier now,did the pool have filteration? was it with chlorine?

 

[ECCO_]

Sounds good then mate, good luck with him, probally be more skittish than usual,but least it should be happier now,did the pool have filteration? was it with chlorine?

Nah, this was like a pool that they let go down. Like they dont use it anymore. So no.... it had tree branches, leaves, and even a chair in it. I take back what I said about there being no life, I recall seeing mosquito larvae in it. Couldnt see to the bottom, so dirty...so I had no idea how deep it was.

 

[PDSimon]

Great story, good luck with him! i would also love to see pics

 

[ECCO_]

Thanks all! And I will try to get them soon. Its about 6 inches, so it got pretty big in there. Its pelvic fins look so beautiful as they have that long stringy tip ends on them. And its an tiger oscar btw.

 

[ECCO_]

Ok, this is the best shot I got of it, as it is sorta shy. It'll come out when Im not looking or not around. Also it occasionally flicks its pelvic fins, is this normal?

Ill try and get more pics as it comes out.

 

[Lawdy Lu]

Hi! I'm assuming since it was in a swimming pool of some sort, that it had enough water to provide oxygen for as long as it did but... it was stagnant water, in which their natural habitat is a slow, flowing white water river in Peru, Colombia, Brazil, and French Guiana and occurs in the Amazon river basin, along the Amazonas, Içá, Negro, Solimões, and Ucayali river systems, and also in the Approuague and Oyapock drainages. I would provide some sort of cichlid vitamin first of all, to provide the vitamin C. When Tigers don't receive vit C, they are prone to serious illnesses due to vitamin deficiency, and eventually leading to death. Second, I would look at least a 75 gallon tank, with filtration at least 20 gallons over the 75. As much as I hate Petsmart, they do provide some nice frozen worms (glass and blood), krill, frozen plankton, mysis shrimp and beefheart (they adore bloodworms and beefheart, but if he/she is very large, then I would nix the bloodworms and go with the mealworms and the earthworms along with the veggies and beefheart, so he/she is satisfied) for them. They also carry mealworms and earthworms as well, but be sure to provide either algae wafers, or some sort of frozen veggie cubes.

Socialization will come with time as he comes to know that you are the one that feeds him. Trust me, he will love you in about a week lol. They are very dog-like, and require attention, so be sure to sit by the tank for about 20 minutes a day and let him/her watch you. In no time, he will wag his tail when he sees you =D

If you have any other questions, hit me up. I have two, myself. I adore them! Good luck =D

Lu

 

[ECCO_]

Hi! I'm assuming since it was in a swimming pool of some sort, that it had enough water to provide oxygen for as long as it did but... it was stagnant water, in which their natural habitat is a slow, flowing white water river in Peru, Colombia, Brazil, and French Guiana and occurs in the Amazon river basin, along the Amazonas, Içá, Negro, Solimões, and Ucayali river systems, and also in the Approuague and Oyapock drainages. I would provide some sort of cichlid vitamin first of all, to provide the vitamin C. When Tigers don't receive vit C, they are prone to serious illnesses due to vitamin deficiency, and eventually leading to death. Second, I would look at least a 75 gallon tank, with filtration at least 20 gallons over the 75. As much as I hate Petsmart, they do provide some nice frozen worms (glass and blood), krill, frozen plankton, mysis shrimp and beefheart (they adore bloodworms and beefheart, but if he/she is very large, then I would nix the bloodworms and go with the mealworms and the earthworms along with the veggies and beefheart, so he/she is satisfied) for them. They also carry mealworms and earthworms as well, but be sure to provide either algae wafers, or some sort of frozen veggie cubes.

Socialization will come with time as he comes to know that you are the one that feeds him. Trust me, he will love you in about a week lol. They are very dog-like, and require attention, so be sure to sit by the tank for about 20 minutes a day and let him/her watch you. In no time, he will wag his tail when he sees you =D

If you have any other questions, hit me up. I have two, myself. I adore them! Good luck =D

Lu

Thanks for the info, As soon as I get a chance Im going to head to my LFS or "Petsmart" and get some stuff. And your right, this morning when I feed it, it was hiding.... but as soon as the lid went up, it came out and up to the surface. After it ate it kinda went back into hiding... But I have hope. LoL

For now its eating "Hikari Cichlid Gold"
But I would be greatfull for your help... Thanks!!!

 

[Lawdy Lu]

My pleasure! I love me some fish that think they are dogs lmao anytime