hey everybody... i just bought a fairly young oscar yesterday, and i was wondering how long it will take for him to "warm up" to his new surroundings? specifically, me. when i'm away from the tank, he acts like a normal fish that has lived there forever... but when he sees me move from all the way across the room, he panics and hides under/behind some plants in the tank... if i sit there watching long enough, he'll come out from behind the plants for a couple of seconds, and then dart back.... i know moving fish around like that, it takes a while to get them used to the new environment, but i was wondering how long it will take, and is there anything i can do to speed up the process? i've tried giving him baby shrimp, and cichlid pellets, but since he's hiding, he doesn't see me put them in the tank, and by the time he comes out, the current from my filter pushes the stuff up into the corner where he can't get to it...
new oscar, stress
- Thread starter TwanDizzle
- Start date
i'd suggest adding some 'dither' fish to this tank (assuming you've got room). that, coupled with a few weeks for him to become acclimated to his new home should do the trick.
I agree that dithers would be a good addition to your tank. However, make sure that they are quick as your oscar may decide to make them lunch once he's comfortable in the tank.
Something I try to do is make sure that the fish sees me feeding the tank. Its tough when they like to hide with their back to you, but I find that when they learn you bring the food, they warm up pretty quick.
Something else that has worked with other fish that were tough to befriend is the use of live black worms. Frozen bloodworms will work in a pinch, but most fish go crazy for the live worms. That usually teaches them really quick who brings the good stuff.
Good luck. Be patient. It will happen.
Something I try to do is make sure that the fish sees me feeding the tank. Its tough when they like to hide with their back to you, but I find that when they learn you bring the food, they warm up pretty quick.
Something else that has worked with other fish that were tough to befriend is the use of live black worms. Frozen bloodworms will work in a pinch, but most fish go crazy for the live worms. That usually teaches them really quick who brings the good stuff.
Good luck. Be patient. It will happen.
what are dithers? right now, i've got the oscar, a plecostamus (which keeps to himself anyway), and some danios and cories... i don't know if i stressed out the whole tank trying to catch the gourami that i used to have in there or what... i just had to get rid of him because he killed the other oscar i had in a day, and he started picking on the new one almost instantly.... and i had a rough time catching him... that's probably why all of my fish are so stressed.... i used to be able to put my fingertip in the water, and the danios would come up and try to eat at it... and they won't do it anymore... they'll still attack the food flakes that i drop in there, but that's about it...
where can i get live black worms? i've tried coaxing my oscar with cichlid pellets and freeze dried baby shrimp, but like i said, he won't notice that i put it in there until i'm away from the tank (i can sit in my bed and watch him)...
oh, and on a side note about oscars, why is it that all of them that i've seen have deformed mouths? some are more noticable than others... my oscar's is slightly to one side of his face... a lof of pics that i've seen online are the same way
where can i get live black worms? i've tried coaxing my oscar with cichlid pellets and freeze dried baby shrimp, but like i said, he won't notice that i put it in there until i'm away from the tank (i can sit in my bed and watch him)...
oh, and on a side note about oscars, why is it that all of them that i've seen have deformed mouths? some are more noticable than others... my oscar's is slightly to one side of his face... a lof of pics that i've seen online are the same way
i have an update, sort of... now, i can sit in front of the tank, and watch my oscar swim around, but he still hides when i reach up to put food in the tank... so i guess its SOME progress...
it'll take time but eventually it'll get used to you. once the oscar associates you with food, it'll come out and beg you for food everytime it sees you. as for your danios and cories, i suggest you separate them from the oscar if you don't want them to end up as oscar food. also i'm assuming you're keeping the oscar in the 55 gal. oscar really needs to be in a wider tank as they can reach at least up to a foot in length. a 75 gal or a 50 gal breeder tank is more ideal for them.
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yeah, the danios were originally bought as my "cycle" fish, but they've managed to live for a few months now... of the 7 i originally had, i still have 5 left.. but yeah, they can become food and it won't destroy my feelings... i'm kind of worried about the cories because i've heard that they have spikes or something that can get caught in the oscar's mouth and kill him... i am trying to find a bigger tank, but its harder than i expected... all of the ones on eBay, you have to go pick up yourself, and the only place i can find one for sale locally is brand new, and the store has to order it, so that's a lot of money that i don't really want to spend... i want to eventually move everything to a bigger tank, and convert my 55 gal to a saltwater aquarium with a scenic biofilter (the big foam decorative backgrounds)