# Well I joined the O ranks!



## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

Hey guys how are you? I have now two tanks my 60 gallon demasoni tank and now my 29 gallon Oscar tank. Yes I know he will need a bigger tank but I just bought my O today and he's only like 3 inches. I was so happy and excited to get one finally. I posted the other day about my situation and I dealt with it today. I will post pictures soon so you guys can check him out. I have him acclimating in the tank now and every once in a while I'll turn on my hall light and peek in on him. Any new pointers you guys can share? :dancing: I'm excited if you can't tell lol.


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## Carmine (Nov 30, 2009)

Well from a starter to a starter  :

They are no africans that run around as they got ADHD the first days.
My O is the greatest drama queen you can imagine.

When the lights are out he goes swimming in his tank like the Olympic Gold Medal Winner, but when the lights go on he's like the Titanic on the bottom of the tank. :-?

So its really good you let him be for a while, because it turns around and it will get to be your best friend if you care for him. And trust me its worth it! :thumb:


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

Thanks Carmine. I'm just going to let him get used to his surroundings first. The place I bought him from was terrible! I was really shocked at the tank he was in with about 9 other Oscars it had to be 10 gallons if that. I was pretty upset and I was like man I gotta save this guy from all this torture. There were like 3 O's sitting on the bottom of the tank breathing heavy, I made sure he didn't have ich and a hole in the head like one of the O's started to show that I saw in there. I told the fish guy and he was like well look at that I was like man take care of those guys will ya! Sorry just a little venting lol. My O is in my tank and I feel better that I saved him from that **** hole  :thumb:


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## Carmine (Nov 30, 2009)

can agree more!!

Mine was in a 10gallon tank with lots of them also, but the guy *** got him from really takes care of them.

Oh well, mine is in my tank aswell and he's becoming my favourite fish already after 2days of drama queen and shyness. They can really steal your hart.


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## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

Carmine said:


> Well from a starter to a starter  :
> 
> They are no africans that run around as they got ADHD the first days.
> My O is the greatest drama queen you can imagine.
> ...


OMG dude I recently just got an oscar for my 100gallon tank and I thought it was dead. When I turn on the light he goes to the bottom and lay sideways not moving his fins. His gill moves very slowly.

When I turn the light off and walk away it goes swimming around the tank. I wonder how long this will last because it's not fun watching a dead fish.

Oh, the stupid LFS worker damage the oscar because she was trying to scoop him out with all the decoration rock in there. He got scratches everywhere.


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## Carmine (Nov 30, 2009)

Well Oscars are "DRAMA QUEENS"

Just leave him/her in what he is doing. Just make him come out to get his food. After awhile he will know this and will be swimming around. This behavior will go away after 1-2 weeks.

Also, do you got other fish in the tank? Because other fish can make the oscar less shy. you could just add some little dither fish for him to come out, they will be gone when he's bigger


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## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

I'm still trying to cycle the tank so I can't add to many fish yet. The oscar has been in there for about a day and it does not act dead anymore. It still stay on the bottom but when there are pellets floating on top it will get it real quick and dive to the bottom again.

I have some large tin foil barb in my other tank, I wonder if they will hurt the oscar if I add them. The oscar is a small tiger oscar 2 inch - 2.5 inch.


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## adam79 (Jun 27, 2007)

Carmine said:


> Well Oscars are "DRAMA QUEENS"
> 
> Just leave him/her in what he is doing. Just make him come out to get his food. After awhile he will know this and will be swimming around. This behavior will go away after 1-2 weeks.
> 
> Also, do you got other fish in the tank? Because other fish can make the oscar less shy. you could just add some little dither fish for him to come out, they will be gone when he's bigger


My O is about 6 now and still lays on his side on the bottom of the tank. There is nothing wrong with him. It is just a quirk. He has always done it. It think it is bordom.


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## Carmine (Nov 30, 2009)

yeah,

Its better to give him a tank mate! But nothing bigger then himself. Even if its just 1 fish, youll see he comes alive.


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## adam79 (Jun 27, 2007)

He has had many tank mates and currently lives with a turtle and three catfish. He is just a goofball that mopes on occasion


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## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

Delete


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## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

It's day 3 with my oscar in the 100g tank. I added a pair of tinfoil barb to my tank, the female is 4.5-5 inches, the male is 5-6 inches. It's crazy how my 2.5 inch oscar can scare the tinfoil away from the cave. The oscar is more lively now and doesn't act like a titanic anymore.


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## twohuskies (Mar 1, 2008)

I have my O with 2 tinfoils, and they get along great! Of course, my bruiser is bigger than the tins, now. He used to be a tad bit smaller than them, but yowza - he grew! He still doesn't bother them at all. I think my tins are about the same size as yours, and Mr. O is probably close to 8" by now.


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## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

I can't wait for my oscar to be 8 inches. CAN'T WAIT! it has only been 3 days!


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

I hear ya LSBoost! I want my O to grow as fast as possible and then bam he's going in the bigger 75 when I buy it. I have him in a 20 gallon grow out for now he's about 3 inches


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## adam79 (Jun 27, 2007)

You won't have to wait long. Oscars grow at an amazing rate.


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## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

I keep my tank at 80 degrees, so I hope that helps. It's normal for food to come out of an oscar's gill as small particles right? I guess this is why people say oscar is a messy eater.


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## adam79 (Jun 27, 2007)

80 is right about ideal. It is normal for food to come out of their gills. i'm not sure why? I think maybe they grab more than they can swallow. This is why catfish are good tankmates for O's.


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## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

What kind of catfish can live with an oscar?

I was planning to put a crayfish in there. Some oscar will except a crayfish, others will eat it.


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## adam79 (Jun 27, 2007)

Any cat that gets big enough to stay out of the oscars mouth. I would look at species that tend to be scavangers. Pedators like shovelnose won't pick up food of the bottom. Omnivorous plecos or some spotted Pimelodus could work.

In the wild oscars feed on crustatans and I've had crayfish with mine for a short while. You may be OK if you get a large one, but your oscar may kill it when it molts. Also, you would need a tight lid on your tank. Crayfish will find a way out.


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

Wow boost your Oscar is almost Identical to mine! Looks to be the same size to how big is your O?


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## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

Dude, I could have swear it was like 2 inch-2.5 inch 4 days ago when I got it from the store. Now I'm pretty sure it's 3 inches if you count the tail.

It eat everything! I tired tearing lettuce leaf into pellet size and it ate it. Actually I'm beginning to worry about my 6 inches tinfoil barb. I just saw one of its scale floating around and the oscar was chewing on it. Those tinfoil didn't have any problem living with a JD and GT. For that reason I don't think I'm getting another fish; not even a hard shell catfish.


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## phxl (Nov 21, 2008)

He will grow faster than you can believe... Make sure you take lots of pictures because everytime you blink he will grow another 1/4"!  Really, you will look back at your pictures in a few months and go "WOW, I can't believe how little he use to be!"


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## Carmine (Nov 30, 2009)

Yep, blink and he gets bigger.

*** got my oscars now for a month orso and im already lauching with his baby pics!!


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

Baby pics! :lol:


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

update? :fish:


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

I had some new pictures up a while back I will post a new one soon! He's up to 6.5 inches now and still getting bigger


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

:zz:


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

Sorry Pepo I've been busy with the recent holiday weekend and then getting back to work


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

hehe, no worries, ill wait >)


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## FishOnLand (Jul 10, 2010)

Haha! All these little oscars look the same at 3"... I just got my first one over a week ago. I'm so excited to watch him grow into a giant (if it is a he...) and feed him twice a day to ensure this. It really is like an excited puppy when I go to feed him too.


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

then you need to open a thread and start posting pics to document his growth! 

btw they are very very different if you watch them closely 

Im starting to identify each of the 6 lil guys we have and they are less than 1"


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## FishOnLand (Jul 10, 2010)

Perhaps I shall soon. Yes they are different, but at a quick glance I swear I keep seeing pics of my little guy.


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

I actually did a updated thread of his growth. Me and Boost posted and shared our pics together. I just have to find it. Summer vacation is kicking in and I'm not on here that much. sorry


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