effiefish

can somebody tell me why my oscar seems to yawn sometimes? is this normal?

Isabella

I don't know about Oscars but my Angelfish do something of the sort too. They sometimes seem to be "yawning" too. I don't know what it means but it could be that they're simply stretching their muscles, maybe? My angels do that often after eating - maybe they're trying to, sort of, "push" the food down their gastric tract in order for the food to get digested faster so that they could swim at ease? Just my thoughts. If my angels do that, probably all fish do. And I think it is normal and there is nothing to worry about. Unless they're "yawning" at the water's surface - which could be gasping for air.

chickadee

Azul, my older betta, does this too. I worried for a while, but he is fine and healthy so as long as the water parameters are okay I would say maybe he is just making faces at me .

Shalom,

Rose

Janmitch22

effiefish

thanks you guys probably have nothing to worry about,im new to this hobby(accidently)and learnt to love and appreciate my fish.im always courious,found out from gunnie that i definately need a bigger tank for my oscar,so im left with my 20gal.tank with 1 pleko and 1 parrotfish could i put another fish? if so,what??

Dino

Fish yawn for the same reason we do, to increase the amount of O2 in their system.

dino

Miss Mouse

My goldfish do it all the time - iot makes me laugh because it looks like they're yelling at each other under water heehee. I think they're either moving food struck in their mouth or cleaning their gills or something.. its pretty cool tho.

newbie101

yep my little goldfish does that at me and it looks like he's yelling at me lol

Ironside

Yawning can also sometimes indicate high nitrate levels.

ryannn

Mine did the same thing.

robby270

I'm not sure if they are really yawning i think they are trying to inhale some food particles from the water, cause they come from the Amazon right? so it could be a natural instinct, i mean the amazon river was never the cleanest looking river so maybe food was drifting through the rive frequently and thats how the habit started.

I dunno really just a theory.

Jim

My oscar would yawn now and then. At first it surprised the out of me , but after a while I realized it was normal...

Staindsoul4Life

Adding on to everyone...Oscars [and all fish] do yawn. Its perfectly normal. My fish do it all the time around nights when its most frequent. I have two oscars and have been in the hobby for 4 years now. Dont worry about a thing.

PPK9110

my electric yellow cichilid yawn all the time, lol...i used to think they're throwing up..but i guess not its fun to watch it

Doug

i read somewhere that yawning could be a sign of parasites in the gills (think I saw this on a medication bottle)

fishbum

From what I've heard all animals,except giraffes,(something to do with their long necks)yawn.My oscar did.,so have all my fish from one time to another...I wouldn't worry 'bout it!