Need help! Oscar.

[chevypride]

My cousin bought an oscar... Put him in an uncycled tank, and as you can imagine he isn't doing very good. The only other cycled tank he has is a piranha tank. Can the oscar go with my african cichlids until his tank actually cycles? Most my fish are over 3 inches and the oscar is just a baby, maybe 2-3 inches.

 

[bubbacichlids]

I have an Oscar and Africans my Oscar is aggressive but the Africans are they kill anything I put in the tank if he's same size or smaller I wouldn't do that although oscars can be aggressive. I wouldn't put them in same tank. How big is the tank with the Africans ?

 

[chevypride]

It's a 40 gallon long. My Africans aren't that aggressive at all. I can put in 1 1/2 inch fish and they don't attack it. It would just be for a month or so until the tank cycles. The fish isn't doing well in the uncycled tank. It's just laying on the bottom, and when it does decide to move it smashes it's face into the ground (nose dives).

 

[bubbacichlids]

At this point it's your best bet to put him with the Africans but as soon as u can switch him back I would a 40 is to small for an Oscar. How man Africans do you have in the tank? Also best of luck I hope he pulls threw sorry I couldn't provide for help

 

[mikem691]

Just have him do some large water changes to bring down the ammonia and nitrites.

 

[chevypride]

I have 5 Africans atm. Plus some convicts that are looking for a new home (or too become a snack, whatever happens first)! Would the Oscar eat my 6" pleco (always forget about this guy!).

 

[chevypride]

He has been. He's doing 50% twice a day he doesn't have test strips though so I'm not 100% sure what is parameters are.

 

[bubbacichlids]

I don't think he will eat Pleco I have one with my Oscar they get alone fine and if your Pleco is bigger shouldn't be a problem

 

[chevypride]

Okay. Great. I won't be back home for a couple days. So lll get him to keep doing water changes and if he doesn't improve by then I'll bring him to my tank.

 

[bubbacichlids]

Good luck hope he get better keep us posted

 

[mikem691]

can you give your cousin some dirty filter media? It will speed up the cycle in his tank.

 

[Tony30gal]

what about stealing some filter media to jump start the cycle on the other tank?

 

[Salty_Dawg]

My cousin bought an oscar... Put him in an uncycled tank, and as you can imagine he isn't doing very good. The only other cycled tank he has is a piranha tank. Can the oscar go with my african cichlids until his tank actually cycles? Most my fish are over 3 inches and the oscar is just a baby, maybe 2-3 inches.

Personally I would ask around local pet stores and see if they would be willing to look after him for a few weeks for a fee.

Putting him into either tank could result in a beat up if not dead Oscar.

 

[Rivers2k]

If he is doing 50% twice a day I would say that is to many water changes. I would do 1 50% a day. Keep the oscar in the tank it will cycle in no time. 1 fish in a tank is not an overwhelming bio load. If you say he is not doing ok because he is sulking Oscars are known to do that when first introduced, water changes, decoration changes. basically any change.

I would actually not recommend a fish less cycle for a single fish in a tank it makes no sense.

 

[chevypride]

They had the tank beautifully set up. But he decided he didn't like it. He uprooted every plant and flipped over all the decor haha! So they just let him do his own thing now. They had rocks in it, but had to switch it to sand because the fish was smashing his face into the ground and cutting himself up. He is a very new fish, so i guess he could be sad. Are oscars like other fish in that they change colours depending on there mood? My cousin says he has lost some colour... I know my cichlids change colour based on there moods.

 

[arthurstorm]

If he does keep him in tank then regular water changes and add some prime will help a lot