CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

I just want to say I have some sissy admin edit (Please remember this is an all age friendly forum) oscars! Last Jan. I bought my first 55gal tank and put 2 tiger oscars in there and 1 convict. A day later 1 of the oscars was killed by the convict and the other was beatin  up pretty bad. So until yesterday I had the convict in his own 20 gallon tank. I now have three tigers in the 55 gallon tank all about 6 to 7 inches long pretty nice size on them. So yesterday I went and bought some guppies I was going to feed them to the oscars but I siad why not keep them so I wont have to buy more later plus I see on that is ready to have more babies so why not. So I took the convict out the smaller tank and put him in with the oscars. I just knew the oscars was going to tear him apart as soon as I let him go swim. But nooooooooo that convict had no problem fitting in he just bully's them all around like he has been in there the whole time. Now this morning I had to do a water change 25%. The oscars most of the time hang low at the bottom of the tank when I do the changes. But man the convict still has all 3 of them in the corner like some cat. What is the deal with Cons vs Oscars. They are a lot bigger and he rules the tank. Can somebody infrom me what I should do?

U can't do anything but remove the convict, again... for some reason, he is just a terror.. IT is probley a male but I have seen some females do the same to others in the tank.. U dont' need to get him/her a mate as then HE/SHE would really hurt the oscars. THAT U dont' want. .

See if a LFS wil take the convict as U want to raise guppies now..

U are going to need a bigger tank of 150 gal  later on to keep all these Oscars together AND OR another 55 gal when TWO of these Oscars pair up.. U thought the Convict was bad!! just wait..

Removing the convict is the only way to keep the Oscars safe/and unstressed. .
And watch Your WORDING on your posts please... Barb

I know another tank is needed. I have another 55 gallon tank. just the tank no stand ,lights,heater you know all that is needed. If i put this tank on the floor do you  think I could put the convict in there with out having a problem for a few weeks ?

NO that is not good to place a tank on the floor.. IT might be uneven and that wil place presure points on the glass, resulting in a blow out.... NOW big is he?? seems that  U might want to just tade him in.. BUT I know how we get attached to them.. A divider wil work here and just place him in 1/3 of the tank.. HE wil need a filter thou on his side..

I guess he is just a bully. Usually O's aren't very agressive, but they definitely can be. I have 4 O's, and 1 convict in the same tank, and they get along fine. The convict is really attached to my one O and won't leave his side.

I guess you'll have to decide which you like more.

1. your tank isn't big enough for 3 oscars. (isn't really big enough for 1) let alone the Con
2. Cons are aggressive fish, Os aren't, so your bound to get bullying.
3. Your bound to have a pair in your Os, hench, one of them will be getting beaten up pretty soon.
4. Feeder fish!! terrible idea. Have no nutritional value, will spoil your Os and stop them eating pellets, carry disease. O's aren't a piscatorial predator in the wild, they are insectivores. Hence their big slow swimming, intelligent fish with side facing eyes.

True predatory species have forward facing eyes (as a rule) to allow depth perception. See pike, zander, most sharks etc.

Try feeding worms, crickets, insect larvae etc. Less cruel, better for your fish.

Never got why people fed guppies. surely if you wanted to invoke a predatory response from a fish, chose something thats going to mimics the fishes natural prey, and not some bumbling, inbred tit bit that can hardly swim under its own power, and is pretty must eaten within seconds of hitting the water.

I'm sure as fish keepers we're meant to care for our fish, and not breed them simply as a new ending food source which provides us with some amusement in the process.

Rant over eh?

Craig

I dont want to get rid of him (the convict). He has really nice color to him under the light. I like how he moves, quick, kind of sneaky. Hides and peeks then moves around the rocks. He shows he knows who I am. But I guess I'm just still new to the fish world, and i cant wait to fix my other 55 gallon up so I can get him in there. Then put others in there with the convict (but no more convicts, no babies). I know time is coming where I will have to part ways with one of the 3 Oscars. Or just get a bigger tank! So tell me if I'm right or wrong by watching them closely, to find out who hangs with who the most. I got all 3 of them at the same time. As babies like 1 or 2 inches. I am very attached to them. If you closely at my profile pic you can see them. 

Don't worry -- they'll tell you!