# Single Oscar Project



## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

Oi Im re-creating my Gf's first oscar blog 

His name is Chicoazen and was a present to my fiance on our 3rd anniversary 
(name has no meaning as far as i know.. but well here is him! 

30sh May pics:

First he was hosted in a small 40lt tank where my brother kept some other small cichlids and he became a good friend with a Vieja Argentea.


























and his old tank mate! 

















Sorry about the blurryness!


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

1 Month after he got moved to his actual home (a 55gal where he is living alone) he grew about 1" but became very shy in his new tank, looks like some Oscar-drama related issues


























Feeders were an attept to make him move, since gf was really scared that he would be sick or something (due our ignorance to Oscar Drama..) so wanted to put some movement inside the tank... not the best idea but oh well.


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

Last friday we added 6 Boitia Clown Loaches, (2 died from unknown reasons) they seem to be hiding in the Mangle all time, wich is weird, i thought they moved a lot...

Chicoazen barely noticed them, went to swim around then when they were introduced then went back to the top of the tank.

This weekend we noticed something, we were staring at the tank from like 10mts away, and Chicoazen was swiming casually... then we got close to the tank and he stopped moving his fins and allowed the water to move him around the tank like playing dead (even let the water smack him against the glass..)

of course we got scared and removed the top of the tank in an attempt to do something, but as soon as he heard the noises he started swiming again.... grr...

Does this drama lasts this long? has been a week alredy and i don't think he's eating at all..

Last sunday we did his first water change on the new tank, and he was swiming happy around the syphoon and our arms, but as soon as we were done, he went back to his play dead position


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

Hmm... Gf just called and said he seems pretty bad and is barely moving..

we are starting to doubt is all Oscar drama  she will take a video and upload it in a bit.. he's just sitting on the bottom of the tank not moving at all ...


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## jeaninel (Nov 1, 2009)

Sorry to hear about your Oscar. I really like his markings.

Was the 55 gallon tank he was moved to a cycled tank? Have you checked the water readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

Yup it was cycled, had a colony of Tropheus for a year in there..

Parameters are good.. 0/0/12

I was thinking about bloat since he isn't eating and doing white strings of poo, but he is not breathing hard... I'm only hoping is still Oscar drama, as many described in the old thread..

We added today a small Oscar (2cms) for a week only to see his reaction (then is going back to the LFS), this lil guy moves like a bee around the tank while Chicoazen is standing in the same spot, letting the flow move him around..

As usual Chicozen totally ignored him...

I went to the LFS where i bought him (they still have like 4 fry from the same batch around 2") and... more curious they all behave the same, really quiet not moving much.. still, a bit more active than ours. (they don't let the flow push them against the glass)

another curious thing he does, he swims to the bottom, but don't stops till his face hits the sand...

we are really worried


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## kmuda (Nov 27, 2009)

The symptoms you are describing are perfectly consistent with Hex. The treatment of choice would be a metronidazole based medication.... SeaChem MetroxPlex (my preference) or API General Cure (second preference). Hex is very common in young SA Cichlids.

I don't keep Africans so I get somewhat confused about references to bloat as it applies to Africans vs how it applies to South Americans. From the reading I've accomplished on this forum, it would appear that "bloat" in Africans is very similiar (if not the same) as "Hex" in South Americans. At least the treatments are very similiar.


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

yeah...sounds the same as bloat (the treatment is the same too..) i was scared to try and medicate him with the same i usually do on Ts, fearing that would do more dmg than help since is our first O...

i'll use Metro asap, and hope he can make it... Gf calls me every hour to give me updates, i hope we are still on time. usually Tropheus with bloat don't last that long without medications 

thanks a lot!


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## jeaninel (Nov 1, 2009)

Yeah, if he has white, stringy poo sounds like "bloat" or "Hex". I lost 2 JD's, 2 Firemouths and a Salvini to bloat. Hopefully you can catch it in time. Good luck with the little guy. I hope he makes it.


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

One quick doubt, Metro damages Loaches?

is my first time with them too, but i remember reading something about their sensivity to some chemicals, and if this "hex" is similar to "bloat" i need to treat the whole tank ._.


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## kmuda (Nov 27, 2009)

While I don't keep loaches, I am aware that Metro is commonly used on loaches (used to treat "skinny disease") and yes... I would recommend treating the whole tank.


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

Gf just sent me this video. i can't see it because of my firewall but hopefully you guys can..

we used metro yesterday, but odds seem pretty low..  poor Chicoazen seems terrible


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

Chicoazen passed today at 3pm...  he will be missed.. qq


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## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

Aww I'm sorry dude.. 

You should double check your water parameters.


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

Well after some debate, last week gf wanted to remove the tank, I managed to convince her to give it a second shot, and offered some fish from my tanks so she could see is not hard to take care of them (she picked a 2 Red Blood Parrots that are couple and well they don't actually breed, but they behave like if they are), to encourage her to pet a lil Oscar. She will keep them while the Oscar grows and with the time we will switch them back to another tank.

I had them on my CA tank, but since they "paired" up they were trying to fight everything around them, until the big Vieja Fenestratus was hanging around their home and they decided to pick up a fight... so it was a great time to remove them, before they decide to fight against the big V. again.

A few days have gone and tank seems great, parameters are still ok (which leads me to the conclusion that Chicoazen got sick at some point... id say those dang feeders  ).

We just added a very very small albino Oscar (about 0.35 inches), he seems very vivid dancing around the tank, and the Blood Parrots ignore him all time, he loves to swim around the mangles and stuff. His name is piloto (spanish for pilot >)

We also added some "Amazonia" plants; idk if thats the real name of the plants, but thats how the LFS calls them, we know they are short term till O. decides to rearange the tank... which might happen in a while due his very small size hehe.

Ill add some pics soon, we lost the camera memory last week hehe (that was my fault)


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

Finally got some pics

meet piloto! 

































And his Tank mates  the 2 blood parrots still in recovery after fighting with the V. Fenestatus









Tank shot


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

We are about to ad 4 Redhead Sandsifters, this sounds like a good idea? to clean all the mess that he will leave after eating, thinking long term..


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

Well, Redhead were a no go, since my LFS sold them one day before *shrug* and we alredy have 2 bottom feeders... (the remains of the original boitia clown batch)

So after watching *mok3t* problem to mate his old grown single Oscar, we decided to get a pair for piloto, which makes the name of the thread kind of weird... but oh well.

That being said, we will buy a 125gal after they grow a bit to keep a pair there, then give a pair to my brother (if we get 2 pairs) and ill put one or two in the 160gal. Rest will be returned to the LFS or we will see 

So we bought another 5 lil 2cms Oscars, well at that size they look all the same, so we got 2 more albinos and 3 tigers wich makes a final stock list of 3 Albinos and 3 Tigers

Here they are following gf's hand (everyone but piloto... he's a rebel!)



















Is such a great group hehe, is a shame they can't stay togheter when they grow...

As expected Gf have a name for all of them alredy.. (I can't identify them yet tbh, only piloto because is starting to show a bit of orange pattern), but some names were turtle, coin, jackson... can't remember the others, ill post them later on


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

So... parrots where a bit more agresive than usual with everyone who came near them..









So i went to see what was going on, on the other side of the fishtank and...

Surprise!! 









I know they are not fertile, but it was a big surprise anyways  haha









On the top right corner of this last pic you can see Piloto hehe


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## FishOnLand (Jul 10, 2010)

Piloto is a good looking fish! I've got two BP companions in my tank too; they seem to get along well with mine since they are all small. :fish:


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

Well as expected, after 3 days the eggs are gone hehe 









Close up to turtle.. >)









Group shot









Next week a friend is going to Texas, so i ordered a Nikon d5000  so hopefully the quality of pics will be a bit better hehe (hopefully since my best camera experience is with an iphone)


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

the next time you run into the white stringy poo use one cup of epsom salt per 100 gallons. I'd be ordering that 125 soon! LOL Life's what happens when you're making other plans


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

hehe yeah totally true! i alredy ordered the table for the new tank, just waiting for it then ill go for the new tank! 

Last weekend after we did a big water change (even if they are small they do a lot of poop!!) 
we saw a movie, and when i was going home (like 2 hours after the water change)

we saw the fishtank and ?!? where's everyone?









i notice some weird look from a parrot...









and yeah they did it again! 

















Of course the Oscars went to see the new eggs and congratulate the parents with mr. pleco (well parrots cant be.. but they try...)









But the parents didn't want any visit, so they drove the lil oscars off..









so they had to watch the eggs from far away


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

I'd be a little more concerned for the little oscars safety...


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

I watch them closely, Oscars don't really come near the spawn site, and the only protective is the mother, she does "warning" chases but has never felt any Oscar as a threat to her eggs.

On the other hand, she seems to dislike the pleco very very much when is spawning, is usually the target if he comes near the eggs.

anyways after 3 days the eggs were gone, and everything went back to normal


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

Well Gf added another SA cichlid to her tank...










Seriously LFS advise is pure win, anyone else knew Ramirezi is a good tank mate for Oscars -.-?









And this guy is not helping because "he gets along with them, look they swim togheter!"









Oh well, he will have to go soon..









and the Parrots


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

I just don't understand the facination with parrots... :?


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

I agree Fish guy! They just remind me of the vulture on Bugs Bunny lmao! My momma done told me to get something for dinner :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

I am attached to all my fishes, and parrots look funny..

I bought one of them years ago, i was trying to rescue him from a tank with a Midas that was destroying her... didn't thought she would survive, but she did  the other was a present from my Mother.

I wouldn't buy one again... neither a Flowerhorn.. but i can't let them go now

This is my other aberration  









Now that i know a bit more about hybrids I'm all against them... but still i wont get ride of mines... just cant, they have been with me long enough to make me feel attached to them 

I liked the flowerhorn (i got it at 2cms) because he was the most ugly fish i ever saw back then.. hehe and still love the way he charges against my arm everytime i clean my tank.

Even tought i hate all what hybrids represents... specially for Mexican species. Now is basically impossible to find a real Trimac due the overflow of low grade flowerhorns that looks like them.. *shrug*


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

Yesterday we switched plants, (no clue about the name of this new plants, but they look nice hehe)

Piloto and Jackson (the albinos) are starting to show Orange pattern clearly now.

Coin, Turtle and Worm (the tigers) are losing the white patterns and starting to show a bit of orange.. but not as clear as in the albinos.

Piloto









Jackson









Both









Tigers









Turtle









Coin









Coin & Worm









Piloto









Until next update!


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Ok, as a mod I have to say it... We're only supposed to have five pics per post so it doesn't slow up the forum...


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

Oops my bad, feel free to delete my post.. can't see the edit button anymore


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Oh, I won't delete it man, in the future if you want to post a bunch of pictures then just provide the links after five


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

Updates!









well the other plants got destroyed... looks like they were weaker than this ones, so we went back to our old Amazonians









All the Oscars are starting to get more and more orange! (flash helps a bit too!)


















Piloto:









We also added a black background, but i took the pictures before... looks pretty nice!


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

Updates!

1 Month later:


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

Looking good :thumb:


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

Update!


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

Wow they are really taking off! Looking good bro! :thumb:


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

Update after a few months hehe









this guy jump off the tank when GF was feeding them... but is recovering fast


















Piloto.. the oldest and smallest of them


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

Looking good man!

Full tank shot now?


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

Update update! 




































mok3t this is the only tank shoot i took.. i forgot hehe


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

So... Was she mad you posted a picture of her? LOL


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

She has been before.. hehe


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

Don't hide her pretty face!


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