Detroit

I have a 50 g freshwater tank w/ 2 Tiger Oscars 6-8 inches and 2 algea eaters 5-7 inches. I have had them 6-8 months now. I perform weeekly water changes and every once in a while I completly break down the tank. I feed the Oscars dry shrimp in the morning, live night crawlers in the evening, dry shrimp again before bedtime, and live feeders maybe once a week. They have always done well. Last week the bigger of the two Oscars started digging up their hiding space. Unuasual to me. It would chace the other one off to the other side. almost like it was protecting the nest. I performed my water change, completly broking down - besides the hiding are of the Oscar. I cleaned the filter.- everything was dirty. Now the bigger -8in- Oscar has damaged the scales of the 6 or 7 in Oscar. They both have not eaten in two days. The bigger will take one bite of food the smaller wont go near the food. My water temp is a little lower than normal -76 nitrate high about 150, nitrite .2, zero chlorine and ammonia, pH about a 6.5. This is differrent than normal because maybe I was sloppy in the water change. I might of washed to much of the good bacteria away. Im willing to learn, I dont want my oscars to die.

DETROIT

Shawnie

welcome to fishlore!!!!
you need to do DAILY water changes with some prime or stress coat+ until you have 0 ammonia and nitrites and under 20 nitrates...they could have either a nitrite or nitrate poisioning as both levels are toxic...taking out anything sharp of decorations or driftwood etc will stop them from scraping themselves up.....of course 2 of those big boys with 2 plecs are going to be very hard to keep a clean tank in 50 gals...so upgrading your tank is going to be a must asap...the stress coat+ or prime with the water changes will keep your fish safe until the cycle finishes...cleaning out and tearing down the tank and filter probably put you into a mini cycle..goodluck!

agabr123

welcome to fishlore

aside from shawnie's advice, i'd go with two smaller water changes per day (two 15% changes every day) since your nitrAtes are so high. that should get everything back to normal and allow your fish time to acclimate to the new water.

unfortunately, the two oscars and your other fish aren't going to be comfortable in a 50 gallon tank, i'd suggest nothing smaller than a 125 if you can afford it or rehoming/selling the fish if you can't oscars are HUGE waste producers and it's hard to keep a 55 gallon tank clean with just one oscar.

Detroit

Thank you for the advice. I know i need a bigger tank. I first have to sell it to my wife if you know what I mean. I will start the daily water changes.
Just to give you an update, the Oscars are friends again and slowly regaining their appetite.

Detroit

I just bought a 60g tank. I decided to seperate the two Oscars and give them their own tank. They are really not getting along.

agabr123

sorry to hear they aren't getting along, but i'm glad you were able to get another tank

Shawnie

thats soooooo awesome on them each having their own tank..but oscars will do this type of behavior all their lives...they spar back and fourth constantly and lip lock even more often...but the tank wasnt big enough for both as their health wasnt doing well as you saw....goodluck with them!

Detroit

When everything is up and around I will take pict. and show you how beautiful the Oscars are. :;

CHoffman

Awesome..Oscars can be such beautiful fish when properly taken care of..Great job at getting another tank!!..I bet they will love having the extra space. Seems like they have a good home with you

Detroit

I don't know if my other post made it through or not.
I have my 60g set up like a river bed for my two Oscars and Plecos.
I have my 50g set up like an tropical ocean bottom. the hardest thing was determining what type of fish to stick it with. I went with freshwater tropical community. It is awesome to look at when I feed them.

Check out my photos

Shawnie

your oscars are awesome looking!! but I thought each oscar had their own tank now? you changed it and used tropicals in the 50gal? ...the oscars will NOT do well with 2 the size you have and a pleco in a 60 gal tank

Detroit

You are right. I made a mistake. The bigger one is already after the other one. I might have to find a good home for the one being attacked. I really don't want to but right now I cant afford another tank. What are your suggestions. I have to seperate them.

Shawnie

well you went and stocked the 50gal didnt u? because thats what would have worked..one in the 50 gal and one in the 60 gal...other than rehome him, or another tank, you are stuck where you were when you originally posted...not sure why you stocked the 50 gal with two huge fish that needed a tank each

Detroit

I went and bought another tank for the other Oscar. I have a couple of ?
The 60g tank I kept them in keeps turning the water green. Is it just a bad case of algea.
I am also moving. It is a three day journey with truck and trailer.
I was told that I could just get a cooler and a battery powered airator and change the water twice during the trip.
I shouldn't feed them for at least 2 days before I move or on the trip.
Is this OK and is there anything else I can do.

Thanks

CHoffman

Great for buying a tank for them. The algae blooms is probably because of the build up of Nitrates. Having two big Oscars in that size of tank wouldn't take long for the nitrates to build up. Once you have them each in their own tank It should be fine.

As far as moving goes that sounds like a good idea. You can get the cheap styrofoam coolers and put 1 oscar in each. That way there is no aggression in such tight spaces. If it gets to cold or to hot you'll need a way to regulate that.

Detroit

Thanks
I also have a ? about the Oscar that was always getting picked on.
At first it wasnt to bad then it started to show on the non-aggreser.
His right side had a raw spot. I seperated them for a minute then put them in a new tank 2gether. It was fine for a month then the aggresion started back up again. I saw some strangled fins and a small hole in the non-agreser in the now scabbed over raw spot. Besides seperating them already, what do I do to keep it from getting worse or infected.

CHoffman

You just need to keep the water super clean, Small everyday waterchanges wouldn't' hurt a bit at this point. Also use stresscoat +. I swear by the stuff. it goes a long way in healing fish. If it gets to bad you might just to to get a divider and put it in between them. They wouldn't have allot of room but it would be better then the other one getting killed.

Detroit

Thanks for the info.
It is a good idea.
? - can to bright of a light cause to much algea

CHoffman

Yup. Bright light is is great for growing algae. How many watts per gallon do you have.

I also wanted to add you could us melafix too. It's basically like a neosporin for fish. It's used to prevent infection.

Detroit

I got rid of my algea problem.
I put 5 ml of Algeafix in my 60 g Oscar tank. Presto - all gone.

Detroit

I think Im learning how to explore this forum. What do I do to show my pict. and albums. This is really neat, there are alot of people who really love fish and aquariums.
Thanks to who ever came up with this idea.