Oscars breeding? Potential consequences?

[Rollins4Miles]

I currently have two Oscars, a tiger and a red, that appear to be courting. Their colors have changed significantly and their behavior all seem to fit this conclusion. I have read that Oscars can become highly aggressive when spawning. I have a 75g, all juvenile, overstocked tank at the moment with a 10g quarantine tank on the side.

Would it be recommended to perhaps move the two courting Oscars into the 10g quarantine until the Oscars have spawned? Thereafter placing the two Oscars back into the 75g while leaving the fry in the 10g.

Please note that the 75g is not set up for Oscar breeding. The two Oscars are approximately 5-6 inches at most. The 75g is a temporary tank for these fish until the 150g is purchased in January.

Any advice is, as always, greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[yamaracer5]

A 10 gallon tank is not a option for even 1 oscar.I would leave them right where they are until you get that big tank or start giving some fish away.

[MCHRKiller]

Are all of the fish in your sig in that 1 75G tank? If so you DEFINATELY need to start prioritizing your fish and getting rid of a ton of them, or buy another tank immediately. If your oscars are infact pairing the consequences for the other fish will not be good.

[Lady Hobbs]

Oh boy. I don't know what to say. Not trying to be smart but really, I don't know what to say!!!! You have community fish, barbs, Africans, Oscars, frogs, plants........Ghost Knife alone can get 20 inches long.

I would see if your fish store will take a bunch of these fish back and perhaps give you a credit toward that new tank when you're ready to buy it. Unless you want hundreds of Oscars, I would not keep a male and a female, either.

[Wild Turkey]

I would see if your fish store will take a bunch of these fish back and perhaps give you a credit toward that new tank when you're ready to buy it. Unless you want hundreds of Oscars, I would not keep a male and a female, either.


I think thats a great suggestion

Please, Please no oscars in the 10g. One is going to definitely die immediately and the other probably shortly after

[Northernguy]

You have been given many great suggestions now.
I hope you do plan on either getting more tanks or rehoming.
The 75 is not going to be near big enough for two full grown oscars.
A ten gallon is not large enough for the fry and it will hurt your oscars.
Please research your fish.
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[chronic]

+1 on all the above posts. I think you would have more oscar vs water in a 10g tank!!

[Red]

umm yeah. Agreed with above, return everything and start over. How big are your oscars, I gather there not that big and not big enough to be breeding anyways.

[Rollins4Miles]

Ha I actually thought this thread was over with...

In regards to the courting of the Oscars...I did research online in order to reach a conclusion. From the color change of the fish, their conduct towards each other, and their size, my online research resulted in possible mating. However, after I had mentioned this to my trusted employee at the LFS, he told me that my Oscars were too young to be mating. I believe he told me that they would be sexually mature around 8 inches or so. Mine are currently five inches. Now I come to the conclusion that they were not mating. (There was actually an ich breakout...again...which has been controlled and taken care of. Hopefully this could explain the color changes in the Oscars).

In regards to the stocking combination, I have had zero problems thus far. Please don't get me wrong, there is the usual territorial scuffle at best. Beyond that, there is no fighting or harassment of any sort amongst any of the residents inside the tank. The tank is currently overstocked on purpose to help spread any possible aggression, which has worked so far. All the residents are juveniles so I haven't run into any size issues at the moment. The 75g is not meant to hold two full grown Oscars. They will be placed in the 150g or the 180g if the price is right. This will be happening inside of two months.

Accordingly, the zebra danios and barbs were not expected to be permanent residents of the tank, though now it seems that they are. I added a few giant danios to help spread aggression as well. This has worked for the most part, with the exception that the one Oscar got one of the giant danios. The frogs seem to do fine in controlling the zebras.

In regards to plants being inside the tank...research has told me that the frogs, african cichlids, and Oscars will uproot and destroy the plants. So far there has been the seldom at most bite mark in a leaf, but all the plants are still standing and are still healthy. I was quite surprised myself.

I am not sure if there are any other issues I have not addressed in my response. If there are, and they are important, I will post another response.

Thank you all very much for your information. This hobby is one of continuous learning from you all and from personal experiences. Though it may be an odd, if not highly unorthodox, stocking combination, it has worked thus far. The fish are all currently getting along and I can only hope that it remains this way.

[Northernguy]

You have ich!
Not surprising.That tank with that stocking is grossly over stocked.
You will ontinue to have ich outbreaks or worse if you continue this way.
Your fish are stressed right out.
Sorry if this sounds bad but they may soon start to kill each other off!Something must be done about the stocking.Your tank is big enough to safely grow one oscar!
Have you researched your fish yet!

[rhonin]

I would highly recommend you start planning now for additional space. With a group such as yours you have had above average luck with regards to breakouts and temperment.

The last time I bred Oscars they had a 100g all to themselves (plus a pleco). There was many a time I contemplated getting bigger. Mine started breeding at the 8-10" stage, male was the 10".

[Rollins4Miles]

I would be the first to say that I've had extreme luck with how things have gone so far. I made an interesting discovery not too long ago. When I had first introduced my EBJD into the tank, he seemed happy and energetic, plus he was eating consistently. At the same time I also introduced my ruby red, which seemed fairly lethargic and did not eat often. I may have seen the fish eat 3 or 4 times for the better part of 3 weeks.

I then slowly introduced other fish into the tank, and slowly the EBJD became more shy and ate sparingly. The ruby red continued the same temperament and when I returned home on Thanksgiving I found that my ruby red had died. Earlier today I had decided to take a closer look at the EBJD and noticed he had an anchor on his stomach. I went to my computer to make certain that what I thought was an anchor worm was indeed a worm. After I confirmed that it was, I went back to the tank, and I kid you not, the anchor worm was gone. I can still see the wound on the fish.

Three days ago I treated the tank for the ich using Clout. I treated the tank using the full dosage, did a water change and then did a 25% re-treatment. Should I retreat the tank or was the worm falling off perhaps the end of it? Could this be the reason for the ich breakouts?

There seems to be a trend with where I buy my products at...

[lobsternoob]

Keep retreating the tank for ich, I've usually treated for a week or so to prevent it just coming right back.

[PhilliesWorldChamps]

People here have given you the proper advise. You refuse to listen. Your fish are not in a healthy environment. I have 12 African Cichlids in a 75 gallon. I have a Oscar, and a Jack Dempsey in a 75 gallon. I have a single Oscar in a 75 gallon.

I have had these tanks for going on 2 years, and have had ZERO problems with anything. I take 40 gallons out of each tank, and vaccum twice a week. Your water has got to be lethal for your fish. Your fish are going to die one by one. You should be a responsible fish hobbyist, and return most of your fish. I seriously thought when I read your initial post that you were joking. What a shame that you are serious.

[Rollins4Miles]

People here have given you the proper advise. You refuse to listen. Your fish are not in a healthy environment. I have 12 African Cichlids in a 75 gallon. I have a Oscar, and a Jack Dempsey in a 75 gallon. I have a single Oscar in a 75 gallon.

I have had these tanks for going on 2 years, and have had ZERO problems with anything. I take 40 gallons out of each tank, and vaccum twice a week. Your water has got to be lethal for your fish. Your fish are going to die one by one. You should be a responsible fish hobbyist, and return most of your fish. I seriously thought when I read your initial post that you were joking. What a shame that you are serious.


I have heard the advice from fellow members on this board. Are you assuming that I am not listening to it because my last post was in regards to anchor worm? Or perhaps because I posted about how fortunate I have been thus far? My water parameters are spot on. Nitrates will climb the slightest after a live feeding but once the water is changed it drops down to normal and it holds.

There are rules and exceptions to almost everything in life. I look at what you wrote above and see something that I was told to never do, but it works for you. So keep it up if it works. I have heeded their advice and will act upon it. There is no need for the condescending remarks you made above.

And to think, being a former resident of Philly, I almost complimented your name...

[Lady Hobbs]

I'm also confused. This is what you posted: Any advice is, as always, greatly appreciated. Thank you! I guess the reason we are confused here is because you appear to not really want advice at all so what more can we say?

[Red]

Healthy tanks do not get anchor worm. Most healthy tanks dont get ich. Your fish are going to kick the bucket, your fish do not mix, and the tank is overstocked. Start over.

[rhonin]

Most folks here are enthusiasts who take care and pride in their "hobby".
When we see a potential catastrophe luming we are quick to offer help, praise and scolding.

We all mean well and have the fish foremost in our minds.

Best of luck with your fish.

[Rollins4Miles]

I apologize if it has come across that even though I had asked for advice, that I was simply ignoring it. I have already rehomed many fish as I was instructed to do. I also purchased a larger quarantine tank as well. Currently I am retreating the tank with medicine.

As to the anchor worms, someone stated that healthy tanks do not have anchor worms. I'm not going to contest this. The only reason why I bring it up again is from what I've read, anchor worm is introduced into the tank from an outside source, either already in the fish or on plants. The reason why I mentioned it earlier was my curiosity as to whether the worm could be contributing to my ich breakouts. Research online said that yes it does. However, some of the information I have found online is incorrect and I was seeking someone's opinion within this forum. That was all, I wasn't trying to be rude or ignore anyone's advice.

Rhonin - Thank you for your last post. It was pleasantly polite and greatly appreciated.

[Lady Hobbs]

Good for you for rehoming some fish and getting a quarantine tank.

This should help you out a lot right there.

[PhilliesWorldChamps]

I have heard the advice from fellow members on this board. Are you assuming that I am not listening to it because my last post was in regards to anchor worm? Or perhaps because I posted about how fortunate I have been thus far? My water parameters are spot on. Nitrates will climb the slightest after a live feeding but once the water is changed it drops down to normal and it holds.

There are rules and exceptions to almost everything in life. I look at what you wrote above and see something that I was told to never do, but it works for you. So keep it up if it works. I have heeded their advice and will act upon it. There is no need for the condescending remarks you made above.

And to think, being a former resident of Philly, I almost complimented your name...

Sometimes the truth hurts. You didn't state in ANY of your posts that you had re-homed ANY fish. Even just the (2) Oscars will not live healthy in a 75 gallon, (unless you are doing 80% waterchanges every day), and you haven't even mentioned what kind of maintenence you do on the tank.

As far as complimenting my screen name, I could care less, I am more concerned about the abuse of your fish. The truth hurts.

[Northernguy]

Anyways!Lose the drama everyone please.There has been enough of it around here lately!
Glad to hear about the other tank and rehoming.
Most diseases are brought on by stress.Stress is caused in so many different ways.Especially tank size and overstocking.

Here is a read about ich that may help.
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Good luck with it! I hate ich.

[Red]

Well I am glad you have gotten rid of some fish, we all made mistakes in the start. My main advice to you, is don't mix fish from different places. As in a fish from africa and a south american. (with cichlids, community is a bit different) And don't mix africans within the lakes. (tang and malwai)