Hinder Oscar from being naughty

Anybody got tips on how to stop my Oscar from ruining all plants in my tank?
He insists on tearing them apart, no matter where they are located. My tank is now barren, since he just won't stop unrooting/ripping plants apart.
He is also eating/spitting up sand all the time.

Perhaps some toys or something?

Would love to aquascape my main tank, but just can't do it.

I assume somebody else has had this problem? Seems quite common for Oscars to have a temper.

Thanks!

 

Oscars like to burrow, you could try just doing only ephiphytes and gluing them to big heavy rocks and use heavy wood and give a thick sand bed

 

Oscars like to burrow, you could try just doing only ephiphytes and gluing them to big heavy rocks and use heavy wood and give a thick sand bed

Think he would just pick the leaves off of them
Think distraction would be my best option. Once he decides a plant is gone, it will be gone. No matter how I've planted it.

Had one he couldn't easily get the roots off, so he tore all the leaves off instead. That also did the trick..

So far Java moss is the only plant i've been able to keep alive with him.

 

ephiphytes like java fern are very tough and commonly put with goldfish because of their hardiness

 

ephiphytes like java fern are very tough and commonly put with goldfish because of their hardiness

Think that is what I had in the tank, but he ripped all the leaves off

 

You could use floaters and silk plants?

 

You could use floaters and silk plants?

Been worrying that's the route I'd have to go, not a huge fan of fake plants.

Floaters I've had some issues with them spreading too fast and covering the entire surface. Are there any options that grow large and don't spread?

 

From everything I've read you can either have an Oscar or you can have plants. Oscars constantly re-arrange their home. Put things in there your big guy can move around. Be sure it isn't anything he can throw against the glass and break it though.

I know you said you don't like them but there are some silk plants that actually look fairly real. I feel sure he will be moving even them around too but at least he may not destroy them. Does he eat the plants or just tear them apart? If he eats them he may need more veggies in his diet.

 

From everything I've read you can either have an Oscar or you can have plants. Oscars constantly re-arrange their home. Put things in there your big guy can move around. Be sure it isn't anything he can throw against the glass and break it though.

I'll have 12mm glass, kinda doubt he could break that? (~0.47 inches).

Might have to go for just roots, moss & rocks then :S
Any health downsides to that?

 

I'll have 12mm glass, kinda doubt he could break that? (~0.47 inches).

Might have to go for just roots, moss & rocks then :S
Any health downsides to that?

I edited my original post with some thoughts.

I agree, I think it would be very difficult for him to break that glass?

 

You could try doing iwagumi and your Oscar could help you scape it buy Pushing around rocks covered 100 percent in moss

 

He doesn't

I edited my original post with some thoughts.

I agree, I think it would be very difficult for him to break that glass?

He doesn't eat them, just tears them apart. He will hold them in his mouth, and then spit them out.

Doubt he needs more veggies, he steals 1-2 large algae wafers atleast a few times each week.

 

He doesn't

He doesn't eat them, just tears them apart. He will hold them in his mouth, and then spit them out.

Doubt he needs more veggies, he steals 1-2 large algae wafers atleast a few times each week.

Gotcha It does sound like he does what Oscars do. I guess it is going to have to be silk plants or no plants at all and toys. There was a lady here, I wish I could remember her name, that shared videos of her Oscar re-arranging the rocks and everything else in his tank. He loved redecorating