Need some Tiger Oscar advice!

[Pleco11771]

Okay so yesterday I brought home my first Tiger Oscar, finally deciding to pull the trigger after a particular Tiger caught my eye bullying all the others, seemed like he had some character.

Anyways I brought him home and drip acclimated him to an already established 10 gallon that he would be staying in until my 55 is done cycling. (Before everyone prepares to shoot me for even the thought of an oscar in a 10 gallon)

Late yesterday he was barely leaving the bottom of the tank, resting on the bottom and cocked to his side.

He has on again off again continued to do this but has been swimming around some, exploring and what not. My only question is should I be worried if he continues this behavior for the next couples of days???

-PH 7.4
-Temp 78degrees
-Only fish in the tank and I did two 15% water changes today, one this morning and one tonight


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[Pleco11771]

As of right now he has been propped against a plant resting on his side, swimming slowly around the back of the tank then back to the plant, this is the behavior Im worried about.


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[Bichir Bro]

As of right now he has been propped against a plant resting on his side, swimming slowly around the back of the tank then back to the plant, this is the behavior Im worried about.


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This is pretty much how every newly acquired oscars act. They are very good at being depressed and such for around a week.
And IMO a 55 is still too small for a single Oscar. I've single full grown ones in a 75 and it still didn't look right, they're big fish and I personally like seeing them in tanks like 125s and such. There's no way a 55 can handle the bio load of an Oscar. A 75 is even pushing it. Just my 2 cents. Good luck with him on down the road!


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[Jmunroe]

This is pretty much how every newly acquired oscars act. They are very good at being depressed and such for around a week.
And IMO a 55 is still too small for a single Oscar. I've single full grown ones in a 75 and it still didn't look right, they're big fish and I personally like seeing them in tanks like 125s and such. There's no way a 55 can handle the bio load of an Oscar. A 75 is even pushing it. Just my 2 cents. Good luck with him on down the road!


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This is true. Mine makes my 125 gallon look small. He's really the only active full tank swimmer. He owns the tank. There is a pleco and small HRP in there as well. The pleco stays in his spot all day and the HRP cruises the rock work. My water change schedule is 75% every 4 days. It was 75% every week with just the Oscar in there. So be prepared to do 2 75% water changes a week or 8-9 days in a 55 or 75 with an adult Oscar. You would be better off putting him in the 55 gallon with all the filter media from the 10 gallons filter in the new filter on the 55 to give it a boost. You'll need to change 75% a day on the 10 gallon if he is 2 inches.

 

[Patty1980]

Mine was 2 inches when I got him in November. He is approaching 4. I'm growing him out alone in a 55. I do once per week 50% wc and vaccume poo every other day (about 5g usually). You have to feed the babies so much, I'd really advise getting him into the 55 asap. I'm planning to move him to the awaiting 100g when he gets 6-8 inches. Welcome! He is my favorite fish! Sooooo smart and spoiled rotten. Jmunroe is the guru. I follow his advice to the T and have been so pleased with the results.

 

[Pleco11771]

Thanks guys! He is just over 3 inches I'd say, looking to get him into the 55g within the next 3 days (was planning on using the 10g filter media) but until then I'll bump up the water changes to 75% everyday.

He has started swimming around and has stopped the sluggish behavior!

If the tank size becomes an issue down the line my cousin has a 90gal he could go into, but I still like the idea of one larger fish for the 55g


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[Patty1980]

Oh yeah LOL, mine pouted for a week when we got him. Also, anything I've added or changed in his tank and with each water change....pouts. I find it very endearing.

 

[Brookster123]

It's called sulking people...geeshh.. i know more about oscars than you and I don't even have one yet in so end more time reading on them than the fish in do have hahahah.. i want one!

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[Rcguerra]

Brookster, do you know about Oscars? Nice, setting up a 135 gallon for one today.


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[mikem691]

Brookster, do you know about Oscars? Nice, setting up a 135 gallon for one today.


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Jmunroe is the Oscar guru. Pm him with any questions or a link to your thread if you have one.

 

[Rcguerra]

Thank you.

My main concern now is if I can reduce nitrates by having a sump with lights and plants.



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[Patty1980]

Sumps are fine for Oscar tanks, plants sure. But if its to lower nitrate, then water change water change water change. They are very sensitive fish to nitrate and that is the most effective way to keep then consistently low.

 

[ImACoolguy]

Hornwort will eat up nitrates. You could use that for the sump. It grows like a weed too.


Caleb

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[PNOY]

Hi, Patty. " Save one person, and you're a hero. Save a hundred, and you're a nurse".


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[notenoughtanks]

Oscars are pouters , mine will pout ( sulk )_ after moving the rocks and wood around to vac , as for tank size , bigger the better for these guys , mine is around 9 inches in a 75 gallon tank ( moving him to 180 once installed and cycled ), with some low bioload diters, im running Dual AC 110s and im doing my weekly water changes. all my levels are in the safe zones , once in my 180 I will be running a Sump and have an Auto water change system .. I will probally end up doing another Oscar or somthing along those lines later on .. , Good Luck with him , they are awesome Fish ..

 

[ImACoolguy]

Oscars are pouters , mine will pout ( sulk )_ after moving the rocks and wood around to vac , as for tank size , bigger the better for these guys , mine is around 9 inches in a 75 gallon tank ( moving him to 180 once installed and cycled ), with some low bioload diters, im running Dual AC 110s and im doing my weekly water changes. all my levels are in the safe zones , once in my 180 I will be running a Sump and have an Auto water change system .. I will probally end up doing another Oscar or somthing along those lines later on .. , Good Luck with him , they are awesome Fish ..

May I ask what dithers you are going to keep with an Oscar?


Caleb

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