fishkeeper101 Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Hi all a few weeks ago i got 1 30 cm tiger oscar and his friend a 15 cm albino Oscar. Today i noticed he is laying down on his side near the heater. He hasn't lost any colour or anything. The tank temps are fine at 26. He hasn't ate much at all since I've had hime I've tried everything the smaller one eats anything. Any advice would help, could his time be up or is it normal for oscars to chill out on their side. I thought e was dead this morning so i touched him then he came to life swimming around the tank. HELP!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nini Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Oscars are known to sulk about *everything*, and apparently the bigger they are, the worse they sulk. We only have a little 6-8ish cm tiger oscar, and he sulks when he eats too much, if you do a water change, if you add/take away fish, move the tank around, etc.. ANYTHING that happens usually results in him sulking. He usually loses his colour (but sometimes he hasn't) and just sits on the bottom or in the log in the tank, or he floats along at the top in the current.. sometimes he's vertical, sometimes he's almost on his side.. he has scared us a few times thinking it was game over, and then he'll randomly come good and all is right in his world and he's back to poking the silver dollars..lol In saying that, that's only my experience from the last few weeks.. He's not been sick yet (touch wood), so I can't help you there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishkeeper101 Posted September 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Thankyou for the quick reply the small one actually at first would float around the top and i would think he is dead. The big ones not eating anything ive tried all different pellets, blood worms even bought some prawns, fish, and mussels but nothin not even a taste. Any advice on getting him to eat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nini Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Haven't really had it long enough to know the insider tips, unfortunately.. I think they can go a little bit without food without negative consequences.. Ours usually sees the silver dollars eating and gets competitive for food again. You could try google? :s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich-mahogany Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 If your Oscar has moved tanks or gone through any big changes recently, there is a good chance he'll be a bit off for a while. Oscars can go weeks without eating and will be quite lethargic after a big move. Double check water parameters, keep on top of your water maintenance and wait a couple of weeks to see if he starts to perk up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishkeeper101 Posted September 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Thanks everyone for all the advice do you think dither fish woul help the situation or make it worse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TED Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 You could try contacting the previous owner and find out what they were getting fed before you got them. Some big americans get use to a certian food and then its difficult to get them onto something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishkeeper101 Posted September 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Thanks i don't know why i didn't think of that and think i have come to the conclusion that he is a big sook lol the smaller one is nuts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishkeeper101 Posted September 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goneself Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 As said, they can go weeks without feeding. I'd let him go hungry for a week, then watch him smash whatever goes in the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishkeeper101 Posted September 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2013 Oscar is still not eating aaaah this is driving me crazy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nini Posted September 5, 2013 Report Share Posted September 5, 2013 Did you get in touch with the previous owner about what he used to eat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishkeeper101 Posted September 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2013 Yes he fed them sinking pellets which i got. And feeder gold fosh and crayfish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nini Posted September 5, 2013 Report Share Posted September 5, 2013 Not sure how it is with fish -- but I never fed my snake live food, because they can become "bored' with the dead/frozen food and only want to eat the live stuff.. Are fish the same? .. He may be waiting/saving room for something small to chase/eat? Or .. he could just be an AWESOME grudge holder, and sulk for a bit longer just to make you stress.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich-mahogany Posted September 6, 2013 Report Share Posted September 6, 2013 Fish are definitely the same. Live feeders can turn into a very expensive habbit and should be given as a treat if at all. Feeders are notorious for introducing diseases into your tank. For a really quality Oscar food, look up some home made recipes. Beef heart, crushed pellets and peas is really popular. In the mean time, throw a some pellets in, watch your O really carefully. If he doesnt touch the pellets within a couple of minutes, remove them. Try this a couple of times a day until he starts eating. Test your water daily as well to make sure that its not a water related issue. I know exactly what you're going through. I moved house a few months ago and my O didnt eat for 3 weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99AWD Posted September 6, 2013 Report Share Posted September 6, 2013 I changed the layout of my tank and added a silver dollar (although they're a schooling fish, I only found one at the time) and my Oscar sulked for a solid 3 weeks. He's snapped out of it now and it back to his gluttonous, psycho self. It may take a while, but as long as your water parameters and everything are stable, he should come right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishkeeper101 Posted September 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2013 Thanks guys water is stable i think he is just a wuss hopefully he will start eating soon. How long an he go with out food for because i am starting to worry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishkeeper101 Posted September 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2013 Just made a quick food for them as a treat to see if ne would eat it. Of corse he didnt but the little oscar and the barramundi did. It was Just a simple mix Just some seafood mix from woolies some peas and some protein fish pellets all blended up into a paste then frozen. Is this ok as a treat or not to good for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keeper10 Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 what size tank mate and ph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishkeeper101 Posted September 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 Tank is 300 liters and ph is 7.6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishkeeper101 Posted September 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 Is the food i made up for them okay a couple times a week Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynez Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 My oscar sulks all the time if I do anything to his tank, its just what they do apparently. I used to feed him pellets and he'd smash them from the surface, then I started blood worms and crickets, he loves them! He won't touch pellets anymore though... May have cost myself some money in the long run there haha. Try some crickets, insects are part of their diet in their natural environment... He'll come good... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishkeeper101 Posted September 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 Ok thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
