What is this behavoir?

Hello...ive had my oscars for about five years now...and this behavoir is nothing new but I have yet to find out what it means... the pic kinda shows the mouth on mouth ritual they do ...also, whens an oscar done growing?? like I said my boys/gals are at least five years old..thanks a bunch!

 

Dominance. It's similar to dogs squaring off with their tails out and up, gorillas pounding their chests, buffalo doing mock-charges, etc...
As long as it doesn't last too long or get too violent, it's normal. However, sometimes fish, like people, just don't get along.

 

well these guys/gals have been with eachother since they were an inch long...but for some reason today, its been worse than any other days in the past years...hmmm of course its a new tank and everyone, including me are still learning stuff about it..thanks for your help!

 

You're probably right about the new setting. With fish, it's often not whether or not they've been together, it's "have they been together in this setting?"
It's kind of like with bettas. They'll get along with cories just fine. But if you let a betta establish itself in a tank and then add the cories, the betta will harass the cory. The answer? Just take the betta out for a little bit while you add the cories, maybe move a bit of the decor around, and put the betta back.
Anyway, your oscars should get things figured out between themselves.

(Also, I don't know much about Oscars. I suppose it could be some sort of mating dance, if one's a male and one's female. I was just comparing it to what other fish do, and the mouth lock is often a form of wrestling for them)

 

and of course, I have not a clue about the sex of these devils...but my albino is deffinately getting some kinda ritual from the other...hopefully its love taps and not the opposite!

 

That picture would be the most fun to use for caption fun!:kewlpics:

 

How would I do a "caption fun" pic?? I'm a picture queen..you would not believe the pics I have of my animals n kids...although both sometimes are one in the same heheh

 

Just post the picture in a thread and ask people to come up with captions. Not sure if there's a particular section for it, or if it just goes in the General section.

 

I know nothing about oscars, but I know I love that photo!!!:kewlpics:
It must look really weird as you are watching them!

This will be an interesting thread to follow.

Hey maybe she is having a hot flash and telling him to get lost...

Val

 

Oscars r just unpredictable, my one often chases the pleco but never harmed it, he sometime lays on his side for sometimes but he eats a lot; really stuff himself! such a great fish.