odd oscar behavior

[toyomark]

this may be competely normal, but im new to keeping oscars.

I recently purchased a 6inch tiger oscar from a respectable local fish store, and every now and then ill watch him just sink to the bottom and "lie down" he'll just rest on the bottom and lean on the glass like hes taking a break until i walk away, once im out of his sightline hes back to normal fishy activities.

also he fights his reflection a lot, which im assuming is normal.

He is currently in a 55 but i can easily upgrade to a 90(biggest i can fit on the this stand) with the same stand(built myself, gave me an option depending on what route i wanted)

He and a catfish are the only fish in the tank, as well as a pleco i never see.

Im thinking its just because he isnt fully adjusted to the new home. when im out of his sight he seems more normal. Is this fish really smart enough to recognize im not his old owner? if so, how can i help settle down?

also, what are some good "treats" i ca give him that are good for him as well?

thanks for the help.

[Ladyblue82]

my albinos are a lil bipolar...they lay at the bottom at times and just chill when i go up to the tank they come to the top to ask for food, i started feeding them by hand they like it i think. maybe he just needs time i say if you can upgrade him do so i know my hubby is getting a 125 gallon soon for mine

[msjinkzd]

How long have you had him? Mine pouted for almost a month before he started acting "normal". He also pouts if I change anything in his tank. They are very opinionated fish.

[toyomark]

less then a week. just in the past ive had fish "warm up" by now.

[excuzzzeme]

They are temperamental like kids, wives, husbands, and old dogs! Mine will rest on the bottom every now and then and sometimes watches me out the corner of his eye like he can hardly wait for me to leave the room so he can be naughty. Sometimes I will shake my finger at him as if to scold him and his mouth pops open as if to say "What did I do?"

Fighting his reflection, ignoring me when I walk into the room, refusing to take food until he says it's time, etc, all the signs of a spoiled brat.

For a "special treat" I may give him a couple of small pieces of hotdog, maybe a fly, or a garden worm, but any live food is a rarity. Just having him 1 week does not mean bonding. It may take a couple of weeks or so until he decides he can trust you. DO NOT tempt it with treats until he trusts you first. One of mine trusted me quickly and the other took more than a month. They are no different than any other pet except they are wet and you don't have to housebreak or potty train them.

[toyomark]

so for the time being, this is considered normal?

[msjinkzd]

Yes :) I use raw market shrimp diced up as a treat for my Oscar.

[Rbishop]

Heck, my albino will even dig a hole in the sand and lay in it.....

[BadFishPa]

I have had one for years and even now if a kid taps the glass or i set the lid dow too hard,right to the bottom he goes lol

[ChrisK]

:laugh: Yeah he's just pitching a fit adjusting to his new home.

[excuzzzeme]

That is one of the things that make Oscars so popular - their antics and moodiness.


my albinos are a lil bipolar... HAHAHA only a little?


so for the time being, this is considered normal? If it were any other pet you wouldn't think twice about it. Just like any other pet, it will miss the previous owner for a while. Eventually it will get over it. Just depends on how attached the fish was.

[wataugachicken]

I'd be careful with treats, or rather, i'd be careful feeding anything you wouldn't want to feed all the time. my oscars had a tendency to fall in love with certain types of frozen foods and then they would refuse their everyday food (shrimp pellets) completely, for weeks at a time. before that darn 'emerald entree', they thought shrimp pellets were the best. variety is good, but the trouble with oscars is they don't want variety, they want what they want when they want it.