Dawna - 2010-05-07 My husband and I bought two tiger oscars about two weeks ago and although at first they were a little shy they both started to eat out of our hands and greet us in the morning when we woke up. One of them started to lose its color (the smaller one) and just recently passed away (my 3 yr old is very upset). We checked our levels in our tank and everything was fine and the other one seems to be great. I was just wondering if anyone could tell me what they think may have happened so that our other one doesn't die too. My son really enjoys feeding the fish as I say he will eat out of his hand and he loves that. Also he seems to be getting a little moody today as he won't let us pet him. Could anyone give me some ideas as to what his problem may be or why our other one died? Thanx
dman - 2010-04-14 I removed my blue acara from my 3 ft tank cause my oscars were getting bigger far quicker than bluey. Now bluey is in a smaller tank with many other smaller fish. Now he's the boss of that tank and can finally get some food. One of my oscars only has one eye, however is stronger but smaller and is the best catcher of live fish like goldfish... they lock jaws a lot but it's cool cause they give up eventually, one eye loves his pats and hates the others interrupting.
Jenna - 2010-04-01 We've had Lord for almost four years, and he is aptly named. He lords over the tank (or tries to, he's a bit of a chicken). We have only two other fish, one we got recently and the other shortly after Lord became what we thought was full size. Lord is currently about 16 inches long and Sucker Fishie (our plecostomus) is about the same. They "got" along from the first day they met. Lord is as much of a puppy dog like fish as is described in the article. He loves and craves attention. And gets very hurt and grumpy when we chide him for splashing water out of his tank. I've never seen a fish like him.
cari - 2010-02-26 Just got two oscars today. They were very lively at the store now that they are home they are very shy and have been hiding is this normal?
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Katie - 2010-03-05 They're just stressed. Make sure there's plenty of shelter for them and they'll come around.
David Fernie - 2010-03-08 Yes it is normal i have had oscar's for years now loved them all my life when you buy a new oscar or any cichlid they become shy for 1 week or 2 then start to learn you are their owner. Now all my oscars know i am their owner. They are on a very happy diet and love seeing me when i get back from college. They love getting petted on the head. They sometimes jump out water for food. I will suggest an oscar for anyone just not beginners as they need to be looked after well. On their diet they can get a desease known as hole in the head which needs attended to asap. As it is very harmful to them. If you need to get more info on them you may contact me on weediv1993@hotmail. Co. Uk and you can put a load of fish in with them. After a while i have turtles and newts and a load of different species of cat fish in with mine. Contact me soon thanks.
Lizzie - 2010-03-31 " It's ok oscars can be shy, but once they get used to the tank they are quite happy."
Asian Fisherman5893 - 2008-09-25 I just bought an Oscar today and his name is Tike and he is very shy towards me. When I got him he was just abundant and playful, and now since he's in his new home he is shy towards me, and why? I have tried to feed him frozen shrimp and pellet foods but nothing yet. Should I wait a day to feed him again? Either way he is very personable and demands being alone with a pelco(Leppy) in the tank. It's a 30 gal for now and then I'll move him into the 120 gallon when he gets bigger. So what should I do with Tike now to make him learn and know that I am his owner and not to be shy towards me? Thanks everyone this site is awesome!
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Katie - 2010-03-05 Just give him time and he'll come around.
jason 5 - 2010-03-04 I have three oscars, one is a albino tiger red. They are very big for their age. The biggest one is the oldest, he is 5 inches long and is 6months old.
Troy - 2009-08-14 I have an oscar that is about 5 inches long with my pleco, they get long in my smaller tank. I have a 1 inch jack demspey, 1 inch Green terror, 1 inch red devil, and a 1 inch texas. The lady at the store said they might fight but they seem to get along. I plan to put all together when they are big.
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Arlene - 2010-02-19 Good luck with mixing your Oscar with the other cichlids you have. Most likely, your oscar will be fish food for the rest of your cichlids when their true temperament develops as they mature. Your other cichlids are much more aggressive than an oscar, especially the red devil and green terror, they live up to their name!
Ricky - 2009-10-08 I discovered this site a few months ago, and have become a huge fan of it's informative and interactive format. So, Bravo to the Animal-World team for their contributions to the overall comprehension and well-being of our beloved animals. I currently have four Oscar cichlids, a tiger named Thor, a red named Medusa, and two lutinos named Ringo and Rawhide. I have kept aquarium fish for more than twenty years, and the Oscar fish have always been my favorite. There is no comparison in terms of interaction and "wet pet" status. I've read where Green Terrors, Red Devil, and Midas cichlids have all been equated with the Oscar as a celebratory wet pet. I've kept multiples of all those fish, and while extraordinary in their own right, in my opinion, they are no where near equal to the Oscar as "wet pet". In my opinion, the level of of intelligence and responsiveness in the Oscar is unsurpassed. The aforementioned cichlids are far too aggressive to be considered really interactive. They defend their territory (whatever they feel that might be), to an extreme that would inhibit any attempts to clean or water change. With the several Oscars I've housed over my twenty years in the profession, the only "major" aggression would occur when there were eggs or fry are present. That's not to suggest that I have not had the occasional "mad dog" Oscar, but, statistically, they have been far superior to all other cichlids I've maintained as "wet pet." I said all this to say, that if you are considering a "pet" for your aquarium, with all things being equal, the Oscar is the absolute BEST choice...without a doubt, Just ensure that you have the proper housing, as they are large fish. As a minimum, 55-75 gallon aquariums are required to adequately house one.
jason 5 - 2009-07-29 My oscar is 5 inches long. He is an albino red tiger oscar. These oscars are the most aggressive oscars. They like feeder fish, frogs, crickets, grass hoppers, worms, and minnows. Oscars can grow 16inchs and needs atleast 45 gal.
A classic in every sense of the term, the Oscar Cichlid has long been heralded as one of the most spectactular and iconic of the aquarium fish!
My husband and I bought two tiger oscars about two weeks ago and although at first they were a little shy they both started to eat out of our hands and greet us in the morning when we woke up. One of them started to lose its color (the smaller one) and just recently passed away (my 3 yr old is very upset). We checked our levels in our tank and everything was fine and the other one seems to be great. I was just wondering if anyone could tell me what they think may have happened so that our other one doesn't die too. My son really enjoys feeding the fish as I say he will eat out of his hand and he loves that. Also he seems to be getting a little moody today as he won't let us pet him. Could anyone give me some ideas as to what his problem may be or why our other one died? Thanx
I removed my blue acara from my 3 ft tank cause my oscars were getting bigger far quicker than bluey. Now bluey is in a smaller tank with many other smaller fish. Now he's the boss of that tank and can finally get some food. One of my oscars only has one eye, however is stronger but smaller and is the best catcher of live fish like goldfish... they lock jaws a lot but it's cool cause they give up eventually, one eye loves his pats and hates the others interrupting.
We've had Lord for almost four years, and he is aptly named. He lords over the tank (or tries to, he's a bit of a chicken). We have only two other fish, one we got recently and the other shortly after Lord became what we thought was full size. Lord is currently about 16 inches long and Sucker Fishie (our plecostomus) is about the same. They "got" along from the first day they met. Lord is as much of a puppy dog like fish as is described in the article. He loves and craves attention. And gets very hurt and grumpy when we chide him for splashing water out of his tank. I've never seen a fish like him.
Just got two oscars today. They were very lively at the store now that they are home they are very shy and have been hiding is this normal?
They're just stressed. Make sure there's plenty of shelter for them and they'll come around.
Yes it is normal i have had oscar's for years now loved them all my life when you buy a new oscar or any cichlid they become shy for 1 week or 2 then start to learn you are their owner. Now all my oscars know i am their owner. They are on a very happy diet and love seeing me when i get back from college. They love getting petted on the head. They sometimes jump out water for food. I will suggest an oscar for anyone just not beginners as they need to be looked after well. On their diet they can get a desease known as hole in the head which needs attended to asap. As it is very harmful to them. If you need to get more info on them you may contact me on weediv1993@hotmail. Co. Uk and you can put a load of fish in with them. After a while i have turtles and newts and a load of different species of cat fish in with mine. Contact me soon thanks.
" It's ok oscars can be shy, but once they get used to the tank they are quite happy."
I just bought an Oscar today and his name is Tike and he is very shy towards me. When I got him he was just abundant and playful, and now since he's in his new home he is shy towards me, and why? I have tried to feed him frozen shrimp and pellet foods but nothing yet. Should I wait a day to feed him again? Either way he is very personable and demands being alone with a pelco(Leppy) in the tank. It's a 30 gal for now and then I'll move him into the 120 gallon when he gets bigger. So what should I do with Tike now to make him learn and know that I am his owner and not to be shy towards me? Thanks everyone this site is awesome!
Just give him time and he'll come around.
I have three oscars, one is a albino tiger red. They are very big for their age. The biggest one is the oldest, he is 5 inches long and is 6months old.
I have an oscar that is about 5 inches long with my pleco, they get long in my smaller tank. I have a 1 inch jack demspey, 1 inch Green terror, 1 inch red devil, and a 1 inch texas. The lady at the store said they might fight but they seem to get along. I plan to put all together when they are big.
Good luck with mixing your Oscar with the other cichlids you have. Most likely, your oscar will be fish food for the rest of your cichlids when their
true temperament develops as they mature. Your other cichlids are much more aggressive than an oscar, especially the red devil and green terror, they live up to their name!
Regarding the first comment. This is rediculous. I would not keep one Oscar in less than 40 gallons.
I discovered this site a few months ago, and have become a huge fan of it's informative and interactive format. So, Bravo to the Animal-World team for their contributions to the overall comprehension and well-being of our beloved animals. I currently have four Oscar cichlids, a tiger named Thor, a red named Medusa, and two lutinos named Ringo and Rawhide. I have kept aquarium fish for more than twenty years, and the Oscar fish have always been my favorite. There is no comparison in terms of interaction and "wet pet" status. I've read where Green Terrors, Red Devil, and Midas cichlids have all been equated with the Oscar as a celebratory wet pet. I've kept multiples of all those fish, and while extraordinary in their own right, in my opinion, they are no where near equal to the Oscar as "wet pet". In my opinion, the level of of intelligence and responsiveness in the Oscar is unsurpassed. The aforementioned cichlids are far too aggressive to be considered really interactive. They defend their territory (whatever they feel that might be), to an extreme that would inhibit any attempts to clean or water change. With the several Oscars I've housed over my twenty years in the profession, the only "major" aggression would occur when there were eggs or fry are present. That's not to suggest that I have not had the occasional "mad dog" Oscar, but, statistically, they have been far superior to all other cichlids I've maintained as "wet pet." I said all this to say, that if you are considering a "pet" for your aquarium, with all things being equal, the Oscar is the absolute BEST choice...without a doubt, Just ensure that you have the proper housing, as they are large fish. As a minimum, 55-75 gallon aquariums are required to adequately house one.
My oscar is 5 inches long. He is an albino red tiger oscar. These oscars are the most aggressive oscars. They like feeder fish, frogs, crickets, grass hoppers, worms, and minnows. Oscars can grow 16inchs and needs atleast 45 gal.