Help please! My boyfriend has albino and tiger oscars, the tiger oscars have got huge and started to eat the albino oscars, I was told you were not supposed to mix the 2. is this the case? Also, the toger oscars seem to be changing from black with red colouring to going all over grey or grey patches. What is this? Another problem I have is that they keep trying to jump out of the tank and they r splashing water everywhere and keeping me up. What could be the cause? Help!
2006-12-10 20:45:28 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
Sorry I didnt specify, obviously the tank has a lid
2006-12-11 01:50:35 · update #1
Oscars will eat smaller fish even if they are of the same species. I have 3 tiger oscars in a 125 gallon tank and there was a fourth but like I said they will eat any thing smaller than they are. Sounds like you either need to set up another tank for the small one or bring him back to the pet store. As for the gray patches it sounds like a scale fungus use a chemical call RID ICK it will do away with most fungus infections found on fish. And as far as the fish jumping out of the tank. Don't you have a hood on the tank and if not you'd better get one because Oscars love to jump typical reason for an Oscar jumping is lack of space for them to move around. Like I said I have 3 in a 125 gallon tank and there 9 inches long. The only other thing in the tank with them is a 14 inch arowana and he basically stays by himself near the upper corner of the tank.
2006-12-10 22:00:12 · answer #1 · answered by xxmack675hpxx 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Albino and tiger oscars are technically the same thing, just different colour pigmentation. They can be kept together if the tank is big enough and if they are of similar size. Oscars will eat fish smaller than they are, including other oscars.
The colour change in your tigers is due to malnutrition and poor water quality. What do you feed them? Oscars are big, voracious fish and love feeder fish but they do need a varied diet. They should be eating cichlid pellets for the most part, with some beef heart, earthworms, feeder fish, shrimp, etc. They need a wide variety of QUALITY food. Try to avoid feeding goldfish from the petstore - those feeder goldfish are infected with all sorts of parasites and are in general just not good food. Try breeding your own feeder fish, like platies or mollies.
Another factor is water quality. How often do you do water changes? Oscars are big fish and produce a lot of waste, therefore a lot of toxic ammonia. In an adequate tank, water changes should be done at a rate of 40% every week. Is your tank big enough? Oscars need 60 gallons each, as a minimum. If your tank is too small, consider upgrading (this is also part of the reason that your fish are preying on each other) and in the meantime, change 20% of the water every few days to keep the ammonia and nitrite levels down.
They are trying to jump out of the tank because a) oscars are jumpers b) there is no cover on the tank and c) the ammonia in the tank may be too high, causing ammonia burn, making the fish try to 'escape' the pain by jumping.
Get a lid, get a bigger tank, feed better and more varied foods, and remove fish that are small enough to be eaten.
2006-12-11 01:41:45 · answer #2 · answered by Zoe 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are territorial fish actually. Same breed is ok, but bad for different breed especially if they are smaller in size. (Even same breed diff size also no good)
For the color change, either the food is not right or water condition. They are supposely black water fish, so water must not be too clean.
Check if the spots are spreading, if they are then likely fungus infection. Just get anti fungus from shop.
You need a tank cover, measure the opening and see if you can buy fromthe shop or make one yourself. make sure enough weight on top of it...
Good luck.
2006-12-10 20:52:01 · answer #3 · answered by Ho S 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Just to amend Ho S's answer - blackwater is NOT dirty water, it's water stained to a tea colour by tannins present in bogwood. A blackwater tank still needs to be clean to ensure healthy fish.
2006-12-11 02:39:04 · answer #4 · answered by Lady G 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Generally during breeding time coloration occurs in male.
Due to adultery in feed color may be changed.
I think first one is occurring.
And to provoke the partner of opposite sex; fish splashes.
Splashing of water is breeding game in fish.
Please, don't be worried.
Thank you.
2006-12-11 01:04:57 · answer #5 · answered by kazi_lateef 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
flush them....call a local pet store that deals in fish
2006-12-10 20:48:36 · answer #6 · answered by Travis S 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
i'm not a fish
2006-12-10 20:47:22 · answer #7 · answered by Kevin M 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋