3" Oscar ate 3" Bala shark

[sushiluver]

I moved my Bala shark into the QT tank because it had a touch of ick. My Oscar is in the QT tank because it was getting over some ick. It's ready to move to my aggressive tank but it's not completely cycled yet.

Well as soon as the Bala gets out of the cup the Oscar had the nose of the shark in it's mouth. I was shocked!8O I never though it would go after a fish the same size. I had no where to move the Bala so I took my chances and hoped the Oscar would just give up. Well when I came back a few minutes later the Bala was in a million pieces. I'm sorry to say the Oscar had a big belly. I knew that Oscars are hungry little fiends but never thought it could take on something the same size let alone eat it. :?

 

[SCFatz]

Good golly tayum.

 

[tropicfishman]

that is crazy!!!! oscars are a mean fish, they'll eat anything they can fit in there mouths, and what they can't, they shred

 

[Guest]

If it makes you feel any better I had a 6" pike cichlid eat a 4" gold nugget pleco of mine one afternoon. I didn't know wich one I felt sorry for the pleco or the pike. The poor pike took about four to five hours to fully eat the pleco. One of those, your eyes are bigger than your stomach. At least I hope my gold nugget went quick.

 

[QTOFFER]

How big was the QT tank? I'm asking because the oscar may have attacked the bala because of territorial issues, not necessarily hunger. FYI, oscars have been known to take on fish three times their size - they can be murderously aggressive. That's one reason why one needs at least a 75 gal to keep an oscar with an equally tough tankmate.

You should raise the temp in the tank from which you moved the bala - it is probably still infested with ich in the gravel. Keep the temp at 88oF for three weeks to kill all traces of ich.

 

[Zagz]

I would have to agree with Qtoffer. It was most likely due to a territorial issue. Larger aggressive fish need large territories.

The heat treatment for ich works the best IMO. No worries about beneficial bacteria being affected. Also true the tank is most likely still infected. Ich can infect a fish's gills and not be visible to the naked eye.

 

[trotty]

All the joys of owning and keeping OSCARS!!!!