do Oscar have to dig to be happy
- Thread starter daveedka
- Start date
no digging here in the short time I have had mine, he did decide one day to start taking the small plastic plants in the tank and race around the tank dropping them in new spots one by one until he was happy with the way the furniture looked. Took the plants out he is still fine no digging yet.
Sometimes they dig, sometimes they don't. Hard to tell why. I suspect that some of the time it's a spawning or pre-spawining behavior. Could be boredom. They get interested in different things. For awhile it's digging, then maybe playing in the bubbles, watching TV, checking out the people in the room, terrorizing their tankmates, rearranging the plants (maybe secretly studying Feng Shui -- sometimes their choices are better than mine). Mine don't really hide in the caves, though they will check them out thouroughly -- even if they're too low for them they'll turn on their side so they can get in and inspect. Be careful how you build them -- they're swimming bulldozers. Any time I re-arrange or add anything all the cichlids (2 O's, 2 Severums, and a Juripari) have to come check it out from every possible angle.
Ive had several Oscars and have never noticed that they have a tendancy to dig.
Based on the responses thusfar, I would have to conclude that some Oscars dig and some don't. If yours is digging, I wouldn't freak out. If its not, again I wouldnt freak out.
In my experience Oscars are like puppies.....each is unique in its behavior.
If it acts happy and acts happy...Id say it is happy.
Based on the responses thusfar, I would have to conclude that some Oscars dig and some don't. If yours is digging, I wouldn't freak out. If its not, again I wouldnt freak out.
In my experience Oscars are like puppies.....each is unique in its behavior.
If it acts happy and acts happy...Id say it is happy.
I myself have two oscars neither of which dig. They are just not interested so far. my friend who also has a larger oscar to which has not dug on a regular basis. but she took away his gravel in a new tank and he was fascinated for two days with his own reflection. He is also living in a tank with 3 red top zebras all to which could easily fit in his mouth but he never eats them. Even when they swim past his face
What size tank is he in? Does he have any tankmates? Do you interact with him much? Most of us are not as playful as we mature, but hopefully we become interesting in other ways. I've found the same to be true with fish.
60gal tank, yes i use to interact with him until he started ra\mming the glass every time i went near the tank, yes he has 3 parrots as tank mates a perruno and a pleco
You may be pushing the envelope a bit on the tank size. At 8-10" he may be feeling confined in that space with those other fish. Plus, you must be having loads of fun keeping the water in good shape. When I moved mine out of the 55 at about 8" he really relaxed a lot, and some aggression issues toward his former buddies eased off markedly. Ramming the glass as you approach? Hmmm. Usually for an O to get that excited it tends to be about food. Is he getting enough?
I know I don't have Oscars, but..
My tetras sometimes crowd against the glass near me when I sit near the tank. doesn't matter if its feeding time or not (they are always hungry and try to convince me they are starving even after they've just eaten.) they arn't much fun to watch then because they arn't swimming around all nice, just bumping their noses against the glass. I think some fish just know that someone's there and want to get closer. I've taken to sitting further away and then they don't notice that I'm there as much and continue swimming normaly.
My tetras sometimes crowd against the glass near me when I sit near the tank. doesn't matter if its feeding time or not (they are always hungry and try to convince me they are starving even after they've just eaten.) they arn't much fun to watch then because they arn't swimming around all nice, just bumping their noses against the glass. I think some fish just know that someone's there and want to get closer. I've taken to sitting further away and then they don't notice that I'm there as much and continue swimming normaly.
