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Do female Oscar's ALWAYS lay eggs?

I have 2 Oscars, and they do all of the mating behavior, and spend mostly all of their time together on their piece of slate, cleaning it off and such. I have had these guys for about 5 months, and nothing has happened yet. They've been doing all of the mating behaviors since like a month after I got them, so say 4 months, but nothing has happened.

I know they could very well not be male and female. But if they were, are there things I could do to try and get them more in the mood? I read turning the heat up a little bit, and I did that but then they just got agressive.

Any suggestions would be great!

how big are they?  Are they mature enough yet to develop eggs and 'fertilizer'   

I have read from a couple sources that they need to be between 12-18 months old (basically full grown) ...  but those sources could have been incorrect.

Does either one of them look like they have a 'fat' belly where a storage of eggs could be? 

Since it sounds like you want them to breed (I wouldn't know if I would want to care for up to 1000 baby Os!), I wish you the best of luck.

They are almost a yr old and quite big.

I did notice a bump on her belly, it just appeared one day and has never left. That's when she started hanging around the slate. But nothing has happened in the time she's been doing it, so..! Oh well, at least I have my babies, I don't really care if they lay eggs but it would be neat.

I read another site, has to do with Florida freshwater fish, which Oscars had been released into ...  several sites actually said they regularly seen 3000 eggs per fish.

Sounds like she might have herself some eggs in the tummy, good luck!

One thing about Oscars is that it's nearly impossible to pin down specific personalities and behaviours. They are different from fish to fish -- some like to dig in the gravel, some do not; some will happily coexist with smaller species, some will only eat them; some happily rush the aquarium glass to greet you, others . . . etc. Breeding is the same way. In the event you do have a male/female, they may breed, if they want, only when they're ready, and probably in a way that is not in any book written by an "expert". So, enjoy your Oscars -- if they breed, they breed --    --Mark

Anything new?  Was she just overstuffed on some pellets/treats?    Did she give you 3000 eggs?  I am curious to know!

No. She's had the bump there for at least a month now and nothings happened. So I don't know. They have been fighting more now, my poor Red is a little beaten up. I don't know what's going on with them. Strange fishies. 

well, advice from others may be necessary, but I am starting to get worried for your fish.  Reading up a little, a growing bulge in the belly could be a bacterial or parasitic infection.  Not saying it is, but for you to search, go to the 911 section of this site, whatever it takes to verify.  I would rather be a hypochondriac for you and you look into it, but it really just be eggs ...  but also push the issue of it may being something harmful and getting it treated A.S.A.P

Please, let me know what you find out.  I will be anxious to find out  .  If you can get a picture of the bulge, it may help those who have vast experience lock in to exactly what is going on ...  and if it is nothing, then you can have a chuckle at my expense     

I will be hoping the best for you. 

I watched her today, and it always comes back right after she eats. It goes away awhile after and comes back after she eats. So, I guess it's a full belly! Piggy fish.

ok, I feel much better now!!!  Glad your girl is just a piglet fish. 

I think it is cute, especially when still small, that they gorge themselves until their belly pokes out so much. 

Mine is doing the waiting game right now ...  I fed it some krill as a treat because I am going through an Ich treatment he must have had from the pet store.  Now it is being stubborn trying to hold out for krill.  Begging for food like crazy, then scoffs at the pellet food or grabs it and spits it out a couple times and then looks at me again wiggling around.

Haha. That is cute. Well, get on with the krill! lol. I've never fed my O's krill. They just had frozen bloodworms for the first time last night. I don't know if they like them yet, but I'll find out! Is it frozen krill you fed them? Maybe I'll get some someday soon.

No, Hikari Freeze Dried 'Bio-Pure' Multi-Vitamin Enriched with the orange top.  It has high protein and is a great nutrient source.  But pellets are much better (and cheaper).  I use the same stuff, but brine shrimp for the mollies, mainly for the babies, but now they are all spoiled and don't want to eat their flakes!!!  I need to quit buying them treats!!!

I had a friend whose Os loved the frozen bloodworms.  They didn't care if they were thawed or not.  One or two cubes each for a treat, if they were thawed, a lot would float to the bottom and you would see them charge the gravel (not hit it) to stir up the water so they could grab them ...  the second one would usually watch and let the first do all the work and get the rewards ...  smarty pants.

I gave him a big piece of krill the other day and he looked like the picture of your fish.  He would sit and let it soften up in his mouth for a while, had me worried it was stuck for a moment.  Another time I gave him one he had it sideways in his mouth carrying it around the tank, like watching a cat carry one of its kills to a safe spot.  It was definitely cute.

The Hikari was 10 at PetSmart, Wal-Mart has a different brand of Krill for cheaper.

Yes, sometimes I don't like getting the cheaper foods, if I have never heard of them. I like sticking with foods I have heard of and are well known.

I'm going to get some sometime soon. I like giving my O's new things. It was funny, when they got their first taste of bloodworms yesterday. It was the first frozen thing they ever had, so they were quite shocked! 

ive them a couple unshelled peas. If the belly goes down it was only constipation. Oscars can get consitpated just like us. Peas once a week will solve this. If they eat the peas and the belly does not go down then babies maybe on the way. Good Luck
Redfeather 35 years Oscar experience

what i have found my 3 baby O's love is the krill!! thats their favorit thing that i feed them ... i am a sucker for feeding them food though...   so... try the krill wit your fishies!