Oscars breeding? Potential consequences?

**Rollins4Miles** · 11-28-2009, 08:08 PM

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** · 11-28-2009, 08:39 PM

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** · 11-28-2009, 09:35 PM

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** · 11-28-2009, 10:34 PM

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** · 11-28-2009, 11:53 PM

Originally Posted by Lady Hobbs

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** · 11-29-2009, 12:09 AM

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.
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/cichlid/oscar.php

**chronic** · 11-30-2009, 12:48 AM

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

**Red** · 11-30-2009, 12:53 AM

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** · 12-01-2009, 05:31 PM

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** · 12-01-2009, 05:40 PM

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!