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New Oscar problems?

2K views 5 replies 2 participants last post by  BigZX 
#1 ·
Hello, I'm new to this forum and also to oscars and fish keeping in general. I got my first Oscar a couple days ago. Since I've gotten it home it doesn't look very well. It doesn't swim around much and is usually on the bottom of the tank. The fins and top of the fish look pale. It does come up to eat it seems. I've been checking my water sine I've gotten it and am seeing no ammonia or nitrites, and nitrates are between 10 and 20 ppm and water temp is about 80 degrees. Could this really be "pouting" or stress from being transferred to my house? Thanks for any help.
 
#2 ·
What you are seeing is not uncommon at all. If your water tests are accurate, and the fish seems to be eating, I wouldnt worry at this point. You should have some cover for the fish to hide around. Couple of rocks, piece of driftwood, few fake plants maybe. Several days, even a couple of weeks to settle in is common. Keep the water clean, try to keep nitrate well under 20ppm at all times. Offering a varied diet is a good thing to incorporate at a young age. Quality pellet as the staple meal, some treats like freeze dried krill, shrimp. Try some fruit, extra vitamin C in Oscars diet is a huge asset. Oranges, banana, mango, whatever you have in the house. What size tank is the fish in, and what is the filtration? 80 degrees is bang on Oscar's comfort range
 
#3 ·
It's in a 40 breeder for now. I've got a sun sun 303b for filtration with a sponge filter on its way. I have been just dropping a pellet in when he sees me to try to get him to associate me with food but that hasn't worked yet. I dropped in some blood worms today to see if that would get him stimulated but he's just looking at them right in front of him. I've been doing water changes every other day just to make sure the water has been good.
 
#4 ·
It ate all the bloodworms while I was away so it's definitely eating. I guess I'll just have to give it some more time to adjust and keep my water conditions tip top. I've read in some posts that I shouldn't feed it for a while to get it to come out for food. Would that be a good idea, or should I just continue to feed it normally while it's only eating while I'm away?
 
#5 ·
I will assume the fish is a baby or maybe a young juvenile? Keep feeding it, whether you see it eat or not. Optimum nutrition is very important during its developmental months. Needs to build a strong immune system and strengthen bone structure. Once the fish enters the growth spurt age of 4 months to a year old, an inch per month of growth is quite normal. Oscar is a cichlid that does not react well to cramped living space, and the 40 breeder will be insufficient very soon, if not already. You may read here and there that a 75g tank with a 48x18 footprint is minimum for an adult Oscar. True in a sense, but some Oscars can exceed 14ins and weigh 3 lbs. I have several Oscars well over a foot long, and would no way keep them in any 4ft tank, not even a 48x24x24 120g. For your tank upgrade, go as big as you can manage. Shoot for a 72x18 footprint with a volume of 125+ gals. I have other species of cichlid 14-16ins that live solitary in 180g tanks. The tanks are in no way too big for them
 
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