Oscars

[Gill]

Hi there

A small problem

Bought two albino oscars around three weeks ago - they were raised together and the person who had them from young had to give them up because they only had a 2ft fish tank.

Everything has been A OK, water quality, feeding etc.

Today however the slightly smaller of the two has now decided to lay at the side of the tank on its side

It looks like the other one is starting to bully it

We thought we might have over fed it at first (mix up with both me and hubby feeding them today) but then noticed the bullying

Do any of you have any suggestions?

 

[smb]

Sounds like they aren't compatable anymore. You might have to get another tank or get a divider.

Hopefully, there isn't internal damage from the bigger one ramming him as that's what it sounds like if he's laying on his side like that on the bottom.

 

[Gill]

Hi smb

Well, it only seemed to have lasted last night as today they are fine again. There was no ramming involved. The big one went up to the small and it immediately laid on its side. But when big one came up to it again, small one faced it, face to face and puffed out his gills.

That is last thing i saw them doing last night

But this morning when i got up to feed them they were swimming around happy again rubbing themselves on each other - or maybe that was just for feeding times.

Do you know that if they do start bullying if this would also happen during feeding?

(I will be really upset if the big one has started to bully)

Thank you

 

[smb]

Oh, I thought it was laying on it's side all of the time now and couldn't swim.

If he leans when a fish comes up to it, it's submission. He's letting the bigger O know that he realizes who's boss. The fact that he puffs his gills at him at other times is totally the opposite tho and he's challenging him and letting him know he won't back down. This is normal with fish alike in size. Sometimes they feel the need to be alpha and tries to establish dominance.

This happens all the time with cichlids and they will test each other from time to time to see what they can get away with.

Do you know that if they do start bullying if this would also happen during feeding?

Yea, feeding would be a prime time for bullying.


I wouldn't worry too much about it until you see one being constantly chased and worn down. That's worse than the actual liplocking although with liplocking it can get bad but not normally. Sounds to me like it's just normal territorial cichlids doing their thing. I would try not to move their boundary markers for a while so they don't have to restablish territory so often. See if that works to calm things down.

What size tank are they in?

 

[Gill]

Thanks

That helps a lot - it was quite confusing because they seem best of friends again now!

They are in a 55gal at the moment.

I won't change anything for a while then

Thanks again

 

[smb]

YW.

Being that this is a breeding pair remember that this , along with lip locking, is natural behaviour prior to breeding. The female tends to make the male prove he's worthy to breed with. It's a different World with cichlids and that's why I love them.

Sometimes it can get out of hand and like I said, if the female looks like she's really getting beat on I would put a divider in or put one in a seperate tank. But only move one out as a last resort.

A 55g is pretty small for 2 O's. I prefer 1 Oscar at the most in a 55g. I hope you have good filtration in there as O's are very succeptible to HITH.

 

[FLYguy]

I think your fish is sleeping.

I have a few Oscars that all live together. I never see them fight, so I dont think that they do.

Some of mine when the lights go out, they just lay down on the bottom and 'slouch' against the glass. They are asleep, when the lights go on again, they wake up and come alive. I thoguht they were sick when they started doing that.

 

[Redoscar12]

For 2 oscars the bear minimum is a 75 gallon tank. Also to divert this broblem try re-aranging the plants and decorations around. They may be fighting for te dominance.

 

[Gill]

Thanks again for your suggestions

My oscars are smallish for oscars at the moment but i am fully aware that they will need a bigger tank sooner or later

I have an Eheim external canister filter at the moment and I hoover the gravel once a week with a partial water change

I do check the water quality and it is perfect

I will keep an eye on them and let you know if anything changes

Thanks again

 

[smb]

YW Gill. I'm looking forward to hearing how this turns out for you.

 

[Gill]

Thanks smb

I shall keep you posted