Help! Oscar fish is sick or mentally retarded?

Question

I've had 1 oscar for a while and got another smaller one. The smaller bigger one picked on the small one for a long time but has stopped except for stealing his food.... the small one seems to be really disoriented and can't really control his movements. If he is touched he will flip uncontrollably...it's REALLY strange. He also wades vertically sometimes.... any ideas?

Answer 1

He may have been damaged internally by the larger fish. Oscars are cichlids and by nature are very territorial. The older, larger one who was by himself for a long time naturally assumed the tank was his. When you added the newcomer he viewed it as a threat to his territory and asserted himself by agressive behavior.

The smaller one is now subdominant and may even die from starvation because the larger one is not letting him eat. If you want more than one oscar, the way to do it is buy them all at once and raise them together.

Trying to add a new cichlid of "any" kind to an established cichlid tank is very difficult and sometimes impossible with the more agressive species.

Answer 2

Fish blow bubble for 2 motives. One it is labyrinth,and is construction a bubble nest. Like a betta. Or 2 it does no longer have adequate oxygen interior the water and is skimming the outdoors to breath.that would mean it is suffering and could die. Get a pump and air stone from the puppy keep.

Answer 3

Oscars are very aggressive towards their own. Especially in a crowded tank. Two Oscars in a 55 gallon is crowded. The strong one will kill the weak one. In the case of three, the two weak ones will kill the strong one, then the stronger of the two weak ones will kill the other.

Answer 4

One thing could be that hes is very uncomfortable, and frightened in its enviornment. If so you should take one out. My grandpa had a really big one... Well I hope it works!