I just set up a tank and had 1 oscar, 1 irridescent, and 2 bala sharks. Every thing was fine until yesterday when the oscar ate the irridescent and now he is going after the bala sharks. the pet store where we got them said that they could be together but the way it looks, I don't think so. They are fed regularly but the oscar is so greedy he hoards all of the food. Right now I have the oscar in a breeder before he eats the balas. Anyone have any suggestions on what I can do? Please let me know.:help:
My oscar is eating my other fish
- Thread starter scaudill1976
- Start date
it doesn't matter how small the oscar is, the fish you have (left) will not survive unless your plans are for a 5 foot long tank. bala sharks grow to a foot and should be maintained in groups of 5 or so. they are a 'swimming' species and need room to do so. oscars grow to over a foot and need a minimum of 75 gallons. if you don't plan on upgrading to a tank that large, return all your fish for those that can fit in the tank you've got right now.
Dangerdoll
Global Moderator
I plan on getting a bigger tank in the near future but in the mean time what can I do to keep the oscar from eating the balas?
there is no "in the mean time". your fish cannot fit in your tank. they may "look small" and "look like they fit just fine" but the reason your oscar is eating your other fish is because your tank is too small. you can take them back and exchange them ... or you can watch them be eaten.
Dangerdoll
Global Moderator
I agree, the problem is Oscars are aggressive enough as is is and with such a crunch for space, the aggression is inevitable. They prduce way too much waster for the tank, even if the fish looks small enough. IMO, either you have a 55 for the younger years of an oscar or you get the 75. Anything smaller is just not an option. And Balas... well, I don't even know why they sell them at LFS or Petsmarts, whatever.... they are so often sold to less than adequate conditions...
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Not to beat a dead horse, but the best time to buy those fish is when you already have the tank that will fit them. Oscars really need a tank about 5 feet long, and balas need huge tanks, more like about 8 feet long. I would take them back, do some research and buy fish that fit the tank you have now. When you buy a fish that will get huge and put it in a small tank, it is very likely it will become stunted due to growth inhibiting hormones that are released. Ironically, fish can be subject to their own growth inhibiting hormones which they themselves release. Biologists do not yet know exactly why this happens, but, in the wild, in huge volimes of water, it doesn't matter as much. However, in a small tank, it does. Theoretically, you can defeat this affect in a small tank, by HUGE Daily water changes. However, you then run into the fact that the fish can not swim and maneuver properly in such a tight area, and structural deformity kicks in. Therefore, in my opinion, the fish will never really reach its full growth potential physiologically intact if it is mantained in a tank that is too small for its adult size. Now I won't debate whether or not fish have "feelings", but if behavior was one indicator of how a fish "feels", then the aberrant behavior that ensues when you observe a fish in a tank that is too small is yet another reason not to do it. I hope this is helpful, and that you are able to take the fish back and start with fish approppriate for your tank size, which will, in the end, give you much more enjoyment.