Oscars aggression help!

[busymom23]

180 gallon oscar tank. 2 tiger oscars, both about 8 inches...lived together since January, started fighting aggressively yesterday, biting, lip locking, now one is hiding and everytime he comes out, the other chases him. He's so scared, he's banging into rocks, the sides of glass, trying to get away...why are they fighting and what can I do?

Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 40
Ph: 7.4-7.6

50% water changes weekly
Fed variety of cichlid gold pellets, aquadine, freeze dried blood worms and brine shrimp, frozen brine shrimp, blood worms, and daphnia.

 

[bettaowner]

I would say remove the more aggressive fish for a month at least so the other fish can establish a territory. This almost sounds like mating behavior in some cichlid species.

 

[Jmunroe]

Probably won't work. The foot print of the tank looks too small in the pic for 2 oscars to live happy unless they are a mated pair. 2 oscars need at least a 6 foot tank. They are too small to be into breeding which will happen around 18 months of age but they are growing up and trying establish territories. If they are 2 males they won't get along anyway regardless. Nitrates at 40 means you need a large water change. Try to keep the nitrates below 20 that will keep them less irritated I find as well. Best bet is to decide which one you like and find a home for the other and consider getting maybe a school of silver dollars or something else to go in the tank.


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[busymom23]

Tank is 24 inches wide, 4 feet long, and 29 inches high....and I like then both, so I really, really don't want to get rid if one...isn't there anything I can do to help them?