CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

Hi there this may sound stupid too! I have had my oscar for about three years, and man does he have attitude he hates everybody else except me!! Anyway all of a sudden he has gotten really skittish we haven't changed anything at all! he keeps crashing into things and knocking his scales off! Now this morning i don't know what happened but I went to feed him and the tank was all stirred up-and he had knocked over the car ornament we have in the tank and knocked off heaps of scales but the worst thing is he has knocked open half of his bottom jaw!!!! And when I lent down to look at him he opened his mouth and started sucking on the glass!! Which really upset me cos I have never seen him do this before!!! Anyway I went to work quite upset and worried about him!! Got home and  he won't eat he keeps hiding!! But just now i stood there looking at him at him and he did the sucking on the glass thing and it was like his jaw was stuck open!!! HELP is something wrong with my oscar or is he just being crazy like I know they can be???

hey... i know what you are going through... sometimes o's get crazy but if he is a fully grown adult you should really consider getting rid of things he or she can push over him or herself (not lecturing  ) and, sometimes that can happen when the levels of ph,nitrate...ect get to extreems... i hope for the best...

check water parameters ...

another thing to check is makes sure nothing is having an electrical leak.  you can buy a cheap tester at wal-mart near the car audio stuff and check for currents in the water, especially when he suddenly rushes around.

have there been a change in traffic near the tank, or sound levels (inside or maybe construction or something outside)?

trying to think of anything that could have brought a change such as that.

as far as the scales healing, good water conditions and melafix I hear would help heal quickly

the jaw, i would post that in the 911 section and hope someone will know what will help the best.

I hope everything comes out well, my heart goes out to you.

Oscars are curious creatures.. they look and take a lot of things into their mouths. As he seems to have gotton something stuck and his behavor has done the tank in trying to dislodge it.. NOW what others do U have in this tank?  IF he tryed to swollow like a pleco that would make him have a fit trying to get it out of his mouth.. IF he has lock jaw, then you need to net him and see if you can gently pull on the UPPER part of his mouth and see if you can get it to go back in.. IF he broke it, then he is doomed to NOT eating and that wil make him waste way.. CAN you get a pic of his mouth?? IF the bottom jaw is hanging down and torn, then he really is in trouble.. IF it is just his lip, then that will heal on its own.. so you really need to look here..  I can't advise you here on amy meds if he broke his bones/cartledge  in his jaw/mouth area.. Keep the tank clean and see if the next time he sucks on the glass if their is something in his mouth further down.. Oscars are smart and he may be trying to show you what is wrong.. Also him placing pressure on the glass with his mouth might be what he needs to do to get his jaw unlocked. Smart fish.. Give him time.. KEEP us posted here on how he does.. KEEP THE TANK CLEAN AND DONT' FEED HIIM FOR A WHILE he wont' starve.. 

the only deco you should have in this tank, is HIM and GRAVEL.. Higher temps in the tank wil trigger a male to want to spawn but with NO female in the tank, then he just takes his fustrations out on the tank.. Believe it or not, I think they know when spring time is here. My fish all act like off for a few weeks then they go back to mormal.. MOSTLY the males do this.. Keep the tank temp to 76F OR 78F (24.4 to 25.6c)  this should help with his can't spawn attitude.. My male Oscars ( RIP)  did the same..

Oscars are curious creatures

I don't think truer words have ever been spoken . . .

TOTALLY agree with what barb okla said! He may have something lodged in him and be trying to show you. They are quite strong! if you would like to see a video I took with my phone, I can email it to you. I have a pair of albinos making pits and thats when I shot the short video. It might give you an idea as to what in your tank is too light and can therefor become hazardous to your O.

it sounds like he has somthing lodged in his throut it happened to mine with a crayfish the hitting things to try and unloge it give him time he should turn out ok