luckyyouxx

Hey everyone, Yesterday I added a new oscar to my 55 gallon tank. The tank already had a oscar in it of the same size. I heard from a fish store owner that oscar fish are not agressive but they will eat anything they can fit into their mouth. The new fish is much too large to fit into my other oscars mouth. The problem is, the oscar that was already in the tank wont let the new oscar swim around or anything. They were fine yesterday when I first put the fish in. They swam together and acted like "friends" but today he makes the new oscar stay at the bottom or the tank. He isnt agressive towards the new fish and he doesnt nip at him or anything but he just wont let him up. Is there something that I should do? Or will it just tack some time for them to get used to each other and then they will be fine? I have a tank divider and I could use that if I need to but I really dont like using it. Can someone please tell me what I should do. I really want to see them swim around together like buddies.

Thanks,

Amanda

Shawnie

Hi Amanda..just move all the decorations or whatever around in your tank..it will make them both think they are in a new place...as long as one cant fit the other in their mouth, they will learn to cohabitate in the same tank..only worry is, they will need a larger tank as they grow fast..your LFS is wrong...oscars are agressive..its in their fish nature....how big are they now? goodluck!

luckyyouxx

I moved everything around today. I took all the decorations out and washed them then I put them back in. I also did a 50% water change. They are both about 8 inches. They are small enough to swim around the tank very comfy as of right now. They have plenty of room. Im going to be getting them a bigger tank when I move out of the house I'm in now. So they will just learn to get along with each other? How long should it take? The new fish shot up from the bottom tonight to eat while the other one was still up there so he must not be that scared. Im just worried that he will get too stressed because of the other fish not letting him come up.

Shawnie

You dont want to wash things...as you will wash away all the beneficial bacteria...do you know about the nitrogen cycle of a tank? ...yes they do have plenty of room now being so small..but its almost like overnight that they grow lol...give it more time they will be buddies

luckyyouxx

Oh no..i dont use soap and water or anything to wash things. I just sprayed the plants off with warm water because they had some food stuck on them. No sadly I dont know about the nitrogen cycle of the tank. Could you please explain? What should I feed them? I have been reading on here that they need lots of protein for growth. I feed them cichlid staple from hikiri. I stopped feeding them live foods.

Shawnie

oh lordy ..please take the time to read this link...TONS of great people to help you here if you need it...but read the link so you dont loose your new boys ...start by trying to find some bio-spira if you can at your fish store...if not you can follow the directions on that link below...pleaaaaaaaaase read it

http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm

as far as food, mine get a bunch of things...the hikari cichlid gold is what mine get for pellets..then i suppliment them with bloodworms, frozen shrimp, and gut loaded crickets...I give them feeders maybe once a month ....

luckyyouxx

Okay I will go read that right now. I have heard of bloodworms. I used to feed those to my beta fish. They seem way to small for an oscar though. They are kinda like oscar baby food to me. I will but some of those. Where do I get frozen shrimp? How big should I get them? What the heck are gut loaded crickets? I dont give them hikari gold. I just give them the regular hikari pellets. Should I switch to gold?

Shawnie

they nitrogen cycle is so very important...so yes do take the time to read it....They love bloodworms and I just give them big spoonfulls...they eat off my spoon LOL they are spoiled...I get raw fresh shrimp at my grocery store and just let them thaw naturally in the fridge...then i cut up peices and feed them ...gut loaded crickets are crickets I buy at our LFS and theres a product they sell to feed your crickets so they have lots of protein and other nutrients...then after a week or so, I feed the crickets to the oscars...I like the hikari gold as my boys seem to have more color when I started feeding them the gold..that could be a myth but it works for us....

luckyyouxx

Okay, I read the article but I dont really understand it. Could you please explain it to me some more? Ill buy the gold and start feeding them that. My new oscar is bright orange and its very pretty. I want to see what the gold will do to their color. I have only seen bloodworms in little bottles so I have no idea how I would be able to give them spoonfulls unless I buy about 10 bottles lol. Ill but some crickets for them also. Ill have to look around for that cricket food though. I love watching the fish on "the hunt" its very exciting! I really do wish I understood the cycle though. I dont want my babies to die.

I'm looking at my fish tank and it seems my older oscar has gone to bed. He swims around all day and then goes behind the coral center piece I have in the tank at night. Do fish sleep? The new oscar is still at the bottom. I hope he starts enjoying his new home soon. He is in a much bigger tank than he was at the LFS.

Shawnie

first off, can you get some bio-spira tomorrow at your local fish store?? if you can, YESSSSSS get some and follow the directions...also you need a test kit and alot of us use the api master liquid test kit...if you cant get bio, you need to start immediate 50% water changes a day(treating your tap water first for chlorine etc if you have city water..prime is good or that).....for awile unfortunately...your ammonia and nitrites have to be at 0 and nitrates at about 10-20...other wise you will poision the fish..which what could be wrong with the new fish who mite not be use to it... so see if u can get bio-spira tomorrow...and go from there..tonite id do a 50% change ...

bloodworms come frozen...so I just cut off chunks, thaw, and spoon feed

luckyyouxx

I have a test kit but its just one that you stick in the water and it shows the readings. It often makes me guess though because it shows colors and I have to match the colors on the test strip with the colors on the color code. I have city water but how do I treat it before I add it to the tank? I have never heard of bio-spira. If it will keep my fish alive and healthy I will buy it though. So i need to add bio-spira and then start doing 50% water changes a day for how long? I always heard doing it that ofter was bad. I'm starting to get worried. Ive had my older oscar for over a year with no problems but I'm worried that I might have been poisioning him for over a year. (ahhhhhhh) Looks like I'm taking a trip to the LFS tomorrow.

My fish look alot like yours. One is a red and the other is an albino but its more orange than white.

I have to go to bed. Its very late but I will check back on here in the morning. Ill go to the LFS tomorrow and I'll write you back in the morning. Thanks for everything. You've been a huge help!

Talk to you tomorrow.

Shawnie

Well if you can get bio-spira, just follow the directions for that...if you cant, then do the daily water changes by adding prime to your water before adding it to the tank...use a 5 gallon bucket or something in that likeness...you wont know your true readings tho if you cant read the tests...and it has to have a test for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates..I took the advice I got here and dumped the strips for the liquid...strips arent as accurate alot believe...

water changes even if you have a cycled tank is very important..just dont have to do as often ...

I didnt have a clue about the nitrogen cycle either until I joined here...I have had my oscars for 5 years...I thank the fish god daily that I didnt loose them..but it was by luck not by knowledge...dont be hard on yourself...alot dont know..but this site is amazing with very very helpful experienced people...

goodluck and again, I have gone thru this and its very hard work, but so well worth it...nite!

luckyyouxx

I'm going to try to get the bio-spira but if I can't I'm sure you can help me with what to do. Im very glad I signed up for this site. I dont know what I would have done if my fish would have died. Ill get that stuff and more food for them and Ill probably have more questions for you about the cycle.

Well today they are doing the thing that your fish are doing in your avatar picture. Does that mean they arent going to get along or is it just that they are showing each other that they are both big fish or something? I oh so want them to get along.

Shawnie

It can either be them going at it for the "boss" position, or flirting...I hope things go well with bio-spira...it saves alot of headaches...

luckyyouxx

Well its not any kind of flirting ive ever seen lol. My old oscar is swimming around all over the tank and "showing off" while the other one is still down at the bottom looking very sad. Ill let you know if I was able to get bio-spira or not.

Shawnie

Mine still do this after five years...switching the tank around usually calms them fora bit goodluck lucy!!!!!

luckyyouxx

Someone recently told me to take both of them out and put them in 2 different buckets and switch the tank around some then put them back in at the same time. Could that help?

Shawnie

yes that can also......