CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

He's looking a lot better, swimming around and he has only one white spot left so I think he's going to make it. But now I have a problem with my pleco. Nothing real bad, he just looks more grey than the usual black. Is that another sign of bad water quality?

I tested my water quality this morning and my NO2 and NO3 both tested 0, but my NH4tested at about 1. That isn't TOO bad, right? My o is looking ALOT better, he is no longer keeping his fins down, which I read was a sign of stress, and I think he doesn't have any ich spots left, so all I should have to do is keep treating it for ten days to be sure it's all gone. Even though the bottle says to treat daily, will it be OK to do it twice in one day? Thanks to everyone who helped me, it's really appreciated. Thanks again.

Giving him too much med's will be bad too. Follow the directions exactly.

Ok, thank you. But he is doing alot better, I think he's going to make it. Thanks everyone.

I'm with Dan on the 100% water changes, they could introduce more problems, just go for 50% max but keep doing them as often as you can if ammonia & nitrite levels are high (every day or 2).

If the cloudiness had been a milky colour, this is due to a bacteria bloom and is just the bacteria levels trying to catch up with the food they've now got to eat (ammonia), however, now that you've added an airstone it is possible with all new water in a new tank it may be tiny bubbles.

As for food, apart from 2 different types of pellet I feed my Oscar prawn (his fave), bloodworm and earthworms.  I've also got a whiteworm culture growing on to give him an occasional feed.  Generally I feed him wet foods twice a week pellets 3 times and 2 fasting days (normally the fating days are the days before his wet foods)

Oh and he does like to nick the pleco wafers from the plecs if he senses them dropping in in the dark.

PS - Good to hear he looks better, fingers crossed for both of you.

This morning my girlfriend saw that my o was dead. But now I have another problem. The black fins are getting ich. The treatment says that the blue coloring will go away in a couple of days, but a couple of hours after I add it, the water is crystal clear. Is it ok to treat it twice in one day?

No!  Follow the directions exactly!  The color isn't important.  The directions also probably say to remove the carbon from your filters.  Be sure and do that.

I have a oscar that I just recently had to move outdoors because he was getting to big for the tank...it was a 55 gallon tank..my husband built him a homemade water fountian pond, which is roughly 100 + gallons. He is eating the feeder fish from walmart, but thats getting expensive, is there anything  else I can feed him,,will he eat worms ..crickets...bugs..ect? Also will he addapt to the winter conditions with a heater in the pond? Oh yeah...by the way...how big will he get? He's right at 7 inches long right now. Thanks for any help you can give. 

He will get to be around 12 inches, not including the tail.

Oscar's can eat bugs, but not just bugs. They cannot just eat feeder fish. They need a staple food, pellets. Feeder fish and bugs should be given as just treats.

As for outdoors, I would never do it. I love my Oscar's too much to risk them. You should research fish before you get them. That way you would have known they get big, and that they need big tanks.

Sorry I couldn't help about keeping him outdoors. Maybe you should start your own post on this subject. That way you'll get way more replies.

Rhoda Fuller wrote:I have a oscar that I just recently had to move outdoors because he was getting to big for the tank...it was a 55 gallon tank..my husband built him a homemade water fountian pond, which is roughly 100 + gallons. He is eating the feeder fish from walmart, but thats getting expensive, is there anything  else I can feed him,,will he eat worms ..crickets...bugs..ect? Also will he addapt to the winter conditions with a heater in the pond? Oh yeah...by the way...how big will he get? He's right at 7 inches long right now. Thanks for any help you can give.   

Hi Rhoda Fuller, welcome to the forums! The size of aquarium you can keep an Oscar in is the source of spirited debate, not only in this forum but everywhere. I believe, that with careful aquarium maintenance and setup, Oscar pairs can be kept in 55s. However, moving your Oscar to an outdoor pond is a viable option (depending on where you live) if you're uncomfortable with Os in 55s Oscars occur "naturally" in the waterways of Florida and thrive.

If you're interested in the "how to" of keeping Oscars in 55s, respond and I'll be happy to give you the data. Oscars in "small" aquariums is an art, but a do-able one!

My personal preference is to avoid feeders entirely, unless you have an established system of quarantine. There's just too much danger of disease. I would go with a commercial Cichlid pellet as a primary food, then try other items as treats. If you go with pellets, remember to not overfeed the aquarium and foul the water with decomposing pellets!

Once again, welcome to the forums!  --Mark

Mark Stone wrote:

Rhoda Fuller wrote:I have a oscar that I just recently had to move outdoors because he was getting to big for the tank...it was a 55 gallon tank..my husband built him a homemade water fountian pond, which is roughly 100 + gallons. He is eating the feeder fish from walmart, but thats getting expensive, is there anything  else I can feed him,,will he eat worms ..crickets...bugs..ect? Also will he addapt to the winter conditions with a heater in the pond? Oh yeah...by the way...how big will he get? He's right at 7 inches long right now. Thanks for any help you can give.   

Hi Rhoda Fuller, welcome to the forums! The size of aquarium you can keep an Oscar in is the source of spirited debate, not only in this forum but everywhere. I believe, that with careful aquarium maintenance and setup, Oscar pairs can be kept in 55s. However, moving your Oscar to an outdoor pond is a viable option (depending on where you live) if you're uncomfortable with Os in 55s Oscars occur "naturally" in the waterways of Florida and thrive.

If you're interested in the "how to" of keeping Oscars in 55s, respond and I'll be happy to give you the data. Oscars in "small" aquariums is an art, but a do-able one!

My personal preference is to avoid feeders entirely, unless you have an established system of quarantine. There's just too much danger of disease. I would go with a commercial Cichlid pellet as a primary food, then try other items as treats. If you go with pellets, remember to not overfeed the aquarium and foul the water with decomposing pellets!

Once again, welcome to the forums!  --Mark

Mark would love to have your info on keeping Paris of o's in a 55 as I am in the proses of doing just thatany thing you could add to my knowledge would be great.  Thanks James