[JackOscar]

So I've had my Jack Dempsey and my Oscar for about a year now. I got them both at the same time, when they were the same size, and they seem to have no problems with each other. Even after the Oscar outgrew the Dempsey, he leaves him alone and they mind their own, the Dempsey usually residing in the plants and décor towards the bottom of the tank and the Oscar liking to sit in the open water and stare down anyone who walks past. Now that they are old enough and big enough to eat live fish though, the Dempsey has been acting very strange. I usually buy about 10 minnows and let the both of them have a hay day. But, recently the Dempsey will hunt only a few fish and then he has a meltdown. He will swim around the tank too fast and hit himself on things and then he will swim up to the filter and lay on his side for at least 10 or 15 minutes before going back into hiding. This really scares me every time it happens and I'm just wondering what is happening???
Please Help.

 

[Iggy Newcastle]

Welcome to the forum

I cannot say what's causing your JD to wig out and lay on its side. Discontinue live feedings. Minnows from a bait store/pet store harbour all sorts of diseases that can pass onto your fish. Resume your pellets or whatever prepared food you started the fish out on.

 

[FireHorn123]

How big is the tank

 

[JackOscar]

The fish were eating pellets before the live feedings, but now that they've had live food they won't eat the pellets. I'm afraid to discontinue the live feeding. And the tak is 50 gallons, a bit too small for them I know.

 

[Old Newbie]

Unless you are raising your own feeder fish I would not feed live fish either; once they get hungry your fish will start eating pellets again. No idea what is going on with your fish though.

 

[FireHorn123]

A 50 gallon in my personal opinion is big enough for a single oscar. I would choose one or the other if I were you, get rid of the jack Dempsey. Feeder fish are blown way out of proportion as long as you don't go to pet smart or petco, places like that you can feed feeder fish, I've never had a problem with feeding them again this is my opinion.