Oscar care help please?!

[_Nick_]

Can someone help me i have 2 oscars & ive had them for 10 months now but lately they ben acting weird when i turn the aquarium light on they will sit at the bottom like they are bout to die.but when i turn it off they swim around like normal do anybody know what this means

 

[oscarchic11]

mine does that 2 sometimes. i think the light startles her sometimes so she sulks on the bottom for a bit. like if you just wake up and someone turns the lights on on you. they should get up and start moving around after a bit. you can also try turning the light on a little later in the day... how big are your oscars? ive had mine a year, she is 4 months about and 9"... also what do you feed them?

 

[Billbug68]

They still in a 36g? lol

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

They still in a 36g? lol

Lol so true.

 

[Billbug68]

Lol so true.

I couldn't help myself... But seriously, that's most likely the problem...

 

[oscarchic11]

I couldn't help myself... But seriously, that's most likely the problem...

i agree... i have my single Oscar in a 40b, and she will need a bigger tank soonish. they need 55-75g per fish when fully grown. big fish=big tanks...

 

[Billbug68]

nu nu recognized this guy last time, he always posts about his oscars but refuses to agree they need a larger tank. I'm not trying to be hostile in any way, but they do need a larger tank, or he will continue to see problems until they end up dying, unfortunately... The truth hurts...

 

[oscarchic11]

I couldn't help myself... But seriously, that's most likely the problem...

all he has to do is look online. i feel bad for them. poor babies! unless he is super overfiltering or doing 50% every day they prob wont last much longer... they prob have eye issues from nitrates. that is 1 effect

 

[Aski247]

Totally normal. Fish "turn their brain off to rest" because they don't have eyelids they shut off the part of the brain for site helping them sleep. The sudden light, takes them a min to adjust and when they regain conveniences they are back to normal. Colors are often faded as well. This happens to my RD, and many of my past cichlids as well.

Nothing to worry about. I only wish I could remember the site I read it on.

 

[Billbug68]

Totally normal. Fish "turn their brain off to rest" because they don't have eyelids they shut off the part of the brain for site helping them sleep. The sudden light, takes them a min to adjust and when they regain conveniences they are back to normal. Colors are often faded as well. This happens to my RD, and many of my past cichlids as well.

Nothing to worry about. I only wish I could remember the site I read it on.

Agreed, but there are other underlying problems here.

 

[akagochi]

36 gal! come on dude, your better than that. Check out some local garage sales or thrift stores even. used but good condition fish tanks are out there for a good price.

 

[_Nick_]

My oscars are 7-8inches i feed them cichilds stick & pellets

 

[oscarchic11]

What size tank???? Please tell me @ least 75g at that size!!!

 

[emerald76]

What size tank???? Please tell me @ least 75g at that size!!!

36 gal or so it says in another thread of the OPs
The fish need a 125 gal IMO to live together as adults

 

[Mouth-Brooder-Fanatic]

all he has to do is look online. i feel bad for them. poor babies! unless he is super overfiltering or doing 50% every day they prob wont last much longer... they prob have eye issues from nitrates. that is 1 effect

im gonna have to argue with this, as much as you will all disagree with me but it isnt fully true. my cousin got an oscar 3 months before me, and when i visited her a while ago and saw her tank i was disgusted by how she'd care for it. 90% pwc every 3 weeks and the tank wasnt really big enough, i think it was about a 40g when we worked it out. the oscar istelf was 10inches. however, i have never, and i mean NEVER seen an oscar in such good condition. not a scar anywhere, not one tiny dot of hith or hlle. that thing had gorgeous colour and was active, plus ate well.
moral of the story: oscars are hardier than you think.
plain truth: the bigger concern about this guy's oscar is his tank size so the fish can be happy, and i firmly agree you need an upgrade. sorry x

 

[HUKIT]

im gonna have to argue with this, as much as you will all disagree with me but it isnt fully true.an oscars are hardier than you think.

I would disagree with that statement adamantly and say that oscars are prone to illness's such as head and lateral line errosion(HLLE) and Hexamita, so the fact that one oscar kept in a terrible situation is by no means proof they are hardy. Here is what those oscars look like when they are kept in situations exposed to high nitrates over time:

 

[5x5]

I would disagree with that statement adamantly and say that oscars are prone to illness's such as head and lateral line errosion and Hexamita, so the fact that one oscar kept in a terrible situation is by no means proof they are hardy. Here is what those oscars that are kept in situations exposed to high nitrates:

I agree with Hukit on this one. Every week I see oscars returned to pet stores with varying amounts of HLLE and other issues such as popeye.

None of us have quantitative proof, but oscars certainly appear to be extremely susceptible to these illnesses. Every legitimate Oscar website I've visited has confirmed this. Years of Oscar owners and observations trumps a single success story in opinion. Sorry mouthbrooder.

 

[Mouth-Brooder-Fanatic]

no no, im fully happy to be proven wrong! and if it helps others, go for it. as it happens, her tank should be getting upgraded and her pwc have gone weekly, and the fish is in just as good a condition.
i am glad hers is and was doing ok, but fact is if an oscar is getting to look anything like that then its rediculous and needs much much better care. maybe hers was lucky or something. gosh how can an owner let an oscar get like that? horrible.

 

[RAH]

Totally normal. Fish "turn their brain off to rest" because they don't have eyelids they shut off the part of the brain for site helping them sleep. The sudden light, takes them a min to adjust and when they regain conveniences they are back to normal. Colors are often faded as well. This happens to my RD, and many of my past cichlids as well.

I see this with most fish. I just turn my ceiling light on; then, I wait about 15 min or so. Then when my fish are awake, I turn thier lights on. I really can't tell from those pics if something is wrong but I learn this usually helps them with adjusting to the light. Hope this will help.