# Okay, I won't call it dumb, but it sure is weird!



## heylady (Oct 14, 2004)

Again, I'm being sarcastic here....but these cichlids really do have some odd behavior. 
We all know how sulky oscars can be. Change something to their tank and they will sulk for days.

I recently took down one of my tanks. Sold the fish that were in it but I didn't want to get rid of the plants in there. They were just so big, and I figured I could use them. So I decided to put the biggest of them, a really huge amazon sword, in a plastic tub so I could easily move it if I had to. Because of the fish I keep I'm limited into what tank this plant could go in. And because the plant was so big, that limited me too. So I ended up putting this plant in the oscar tank. Right smack dab in the middle. You'd have thought I put a green octopus in there!! Ohhh poor Walter spent two days leaning up against the glass at the end of the tank. As far away from that monster as possible. Sat there watching the long green tentacles moving in the current. OMG!! Gross!!! Eating was out of the question as the pellets floated oh so near the monster! After two days it was my day to clean his filter. This made poor Walter make a mad dash for the other side of the tank...he was soooo lucky the octopus didn't grab him! There he spent another two days eyeing up the monster while pressed up against the glass on the other end. On the fifth day I broke down and bought some live ghost shrimp which dove for the giant plant. Walter could not resist this treat and although at first he was rather skittish when touching the plant, he soon learned that this octopus apparently doesn't eat oscars. Lucky guy!


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## white_t (Mar 7, 2008)

Sounds like something my red devil would do.


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## Artelmis (Nov 16, 2008)

my oscar "bill" did that recently, he had just outrgown his 20g which i had him in since i got him a couple months ago when he was about 1 1/2 inches. he loved that tank. i just put him in a 50, complete with big rocks, some driftwood, and a golf ball. i even put some toughies in there with him. took him 3 days to get out from behind the bigger of the two sponge filters i have in there. was irritating. he wouldnt even come out for the 4 little yelow minnows that were swimming so temptingly close...

lest he's acting ok now, so thats a definate improvement. altho i do need to get a bit more black-rock gravel and maybe add a couple pieces of "mondo grass" or something.

plus. the golf ball looks ridiculous even tho he does bump it around and flare at it from time to time


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## heylady (Oct 14, 2004)

Here's a pic of the "big green monster" and Walter. Today I noticed Walter swimming casually through the leaves...I think he likes it!


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## Reiner (Jul 17, 2002)

that is a really nice plant


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## eric (Jan 1, 2002)

Another fine example for people who think their oscars are smart. :roll:


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## Nutty4Mbunas (Mar 27, 2008)

Poor Walter was used to having a large tank with nothing in it. You put a barrier in his swimming space...lol Im glad to hear that Walter is enjoying the large octopus plant now..tee hee


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

eric said:


> Another fine example for people who think their oscars are smart. :roll:


I'm convinced that frontosa are the dumbest fish on the planet... so I've got a 240 with ten fronts in it along with some other fish that I'm currently using a fish trap to remove... Every time I put the traps in all ten fronts go in them. I pull the traps, release the fronts then put the traps back in... they start swimming back into the traps before they're even set on the bottom LOL

I think they enjoy the ride or something LOL


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## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

TheFishGuy said:


> I'm convinced that frontosa are the dumbest fish on the planet... so I've got a 240 with ten fronts in it along with some other fish that I'm currently using a fish trap to remove... Every time I put the traps in all ten fronts go in them. I pull the traps, release the fronts then put the traps back in... they start swimming back into the traps before they're even set on the bottom LOL
> 
> I think they enjoy the ride or something LOL


We took in a large (7"), but lonely, male frontosa from our LFS. I made him an "elegant" home out of a large empty plastic Folger's coffee canister (African blend, of course!).... only problem is that it kinda floats, so you have to have some gravel in it.... but every couple of days, the frontosa slowly moves the gravel out of it, and his house floats away! :lol: He's done it several times now! I need to just get a big rock!

I do like him quite a bit, I feed him big chunks of krill by hand... and you can reach in and pet him if you wanted to.

-Ryan


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