OSCRS

[sherry]

Does anyone know why Oscars vibrate when they are near another Oscar? I havent seen them fight right after, so Im curious. By the way I posted this question the other day and can not find it anywhere. did someone move it?

[devonjohnsgard]

Feb 28, 2014 8:33:38 GMT -5 sherry said:

Does anyone know why Oscars vibrate when they are near another Oscar? I havent seen them fight right after, so Im curious. By the way I posted this question the other day and can not find it anywhere. did someone move it?

Hi Sherry,

I'm sorry we don't see your question. I wonder if it really got posted...

To answer your question now, it's just a threat or a defense for the Oscar. That's all.

[Carl]

I agree with Devon

Either a territorial gesture, or it could be posturing for mating too if these are male and female

Carl

[cashay]

I dont know what the sex is.. I wish I knew how to tell. Do ya'll know?

[cashay]

another question. How do you get a picture posted on here? profile and fish?

[devonjohnsgard]

Feb 28, 2014 19:41:57 GMT -5 cashay said:

I dont know what the sex is.. I wish I knew how to tell. Do ya'll know?

It's a tough one. This article may help.
www.everything-aquatic.com/2009/02/sexingventing-cichlids.html

This one too.
www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2007/02/sexing-fish.html

[devonjohnsgard]

Feb 28, 2014 19:45:09 GMT -5 cashay said:

another question. How do you get a picture posted on here? profile and fish?

There's a couple ways. To upload direct from your computer, you have to use the add attachment on the top right.



Otherwise, you have to host the pictures somewhere else like a website or flicker, or wordpress and paste the picture URL in the upload picture section.

When create a post or reply, you can use the insert picture button. Here is some screen shots as examples.

Right click on a picture and select "copy picture location" Enter it into the picture upload.





This would be the same as manually typing pasted URL[/IMG]

To change your profile picture, you have to go into your profile and edit the avatar.


Hope this helps.

[cashay]

Attachment Deleted

[cashay]

Attachment DeletedAnd this is my black one
Attachment Deleted

[cashay]

Mar 4, 2014 21:22:24 GMT -5 cashay said:

View AttachmentAnd this is my black one
View AttachmentView Attachment

These are my babies. wanting to eat all the time

[Carl]

Beautiful Pictures!

I especially like your Albino Tiger Oscar!

Carl

[devonjohnsgard]

Mar 4, 2014 21:23:39 GMT -5 cashay said:

Mar 4, 2014 21:22:24 GMT -5 cashay said:

View AttachmentAnd this is my black one
View AttachmentView Attachment

These are my babies. wanting to eat all the time

tehe... They look like a fun bunch. Always wanting to eat.

[parker002]

Just hope they don't decide to eat each other...

[cashay]

They are actually a fun bunch. They are so hard to read sometimes! haha they have a love hate relationship! they pull on each others mouths, bump into eath other like they are punching each other , vibrate next to each other, then in the next 10 minutes they are side by side as close as they can get in perfect sync swimming together?! whos knows what they are doing.. hehe But now I need help on getting my water right.. 55 gallon ( which i know i will have to get rid of one sooner or later) :*( my PH: 6.0 ppm or less, Nitrite: 8.4 ppm Nitrate: 0.ppm Ammonia- 4.0 I have used some Proper PH 8.2 but I am going to wait to see in about 10 minutes what it will be . Any advise? these are my first Oscars...

[Carl]

Cashay;
Your parameters are quite a bit off.

Your ammonia & nitrites are much too high, while your ph is lower than I prefer, but I do not advocate chasing pH either.
I do not know what your KH or GH are, but knowing these would be good since a KH such as 100 ppm can indicate a more stable pH. As well the essential mineral Cations are found in part in your GH, and since I noticed some scarring on your black tiger oscar, this can be helped sometimes by these Cations (positive mineral ions).
Reference:
www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2008/02/hole-in-head.html

I also do not recommend the use of the Proper Ph products as these often drive out essential elements in an attempt to maintain the "proper ph" rather than coming at the problem via a stable KH (alkalinity & acids)
Please Reference:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumKH.html

As for the most serious issue; your ammonia/nitrites, I would make sure your filters are correctly running, that you have plenty of bio media, etc.
This article will address this in depth:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Nitrogen_Cycle.html

The use of products such as SeaChem Stability can help greatly, but IMO are not the complete answer
Product Reference:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Seachem.html#stability

It is also noteworthy that at 6.0, most of your ammonia is non toxic NH4 which is why you are probably not witnessing too many issues, but this can change rapidly sudden upward swings of pH, especially of your KH is not stable.

Use of SeaChem Ammonia Alert can also hep differentiate between toxic NH3 and non toxic NH4, which most test kits cannot
Product Resource:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquariumtestkit.html#alert

BTW; Glad you able to get the picture upload to work here at EA

Carl

[cashay]

I did use the Proper Ph before I read your answer. Which of course it made the PH go higher. I see what you are saying about the GH. KH unfortunatally the Test kit I have (the seperate viles that you have to put the drops in and look at the color.) It doesn't come equipt with that kind of testing, I am going to get one tomorrow that does. maybe the reliable strips. I used to use them all the time. I thought the scar on the Oscar was from their fighting. I have this thing in my tank that holds the seaweed for my algea eater, I was thinking maybe he scratched his self on that but it healed. I never seen an open wound or anything and Im constantley checking on all my fish. Im a little confused on what you were trying to tell me about that Carl. What is recommened to put in the tank to get it right? My tank being so far off could it be a reason for smelling water? You also mentioned my filters. I have a Huge sponge filter That I had just bought from this site, and I have a HOB that has to sides.That I change quite often. I did not put any gravel in the tank so I can see all the mulm or waste. (easier clean up ) So Im not real sure what is throwing these numbers off so much.Could it be Because I have two in the tank plus an alges eater? not enough room? Does this forum no longer have spell check? I am up for any advice anyone can give me to save my tank from taking a dive. Thanks in advance.

[parker002]

You definitely want to get things under control. My experience with my father-in-law's Oscars is that they're opportunistic. They are somewhat aggressive to each other when healthy but if one gets sick, they'll kill it pretty quick.

[Carl]

Cashay/Sherry;

As Parker noted, Oscars can be very opportunistic. The scarring I observed can be from HITH disease, and the other oscar may take advantage of this. What caught my attention was the fact these scars did not appear to be open wounds, more multiple scarring which CAN be common with HITH disease.

I can not be sure of the cause of the high ammonia/nitrite in your aquarium since I do not know all the details, which is why I asked about Filters.
Make sure you never fully clean both filters at the same time, or rinse your sponge filter in tap water that has not had the chlorine removed first.

Check your feeding amount or what type of food you are feeding your Oscars, as this can be adding to pollution.

Please give the Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle article I referred to earlier in the thread a read, as this will help in more detail:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Nitrogen_Cycle.html

I would also suggest the 5 in 1 Test strips. While not as accurate as some other tests, these are good enough and give quick snap shots of your water parameters including KH & GH
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquariumtestkit.html#5in1

The SeaChem Stability I mentioned earlier might be helpful, albeit not the compete answer, but a good band-aid to help. Ditto the use of SeaChem Prime
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Seachem.html#prime

I would also suggest the use of Wonder Shells for GH and possible HITH issues
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/MedicatedWonderShell.html

Finally, and most importantly (after reading the Nitrogen Cycle article), please list what size Sponge Filter, HOB Filter, tank size, cleaning procedures, or any other helpful information that might help identify why the parameters are off.
However I would not discount that your test kits are no longer accurate, as these do go bad.

Carl

[cashay]

My Filters: I bought the Hydro sponge Filter # 5 pro with a Sun Sun power head. The HOB is one that came with the 55 gallon tank, I think either a whisper or the Tetra? has two slots for filters. I do use the SeaChem Prime. cleaning procedures I change 25% of the water every two weeks, since I don't have any gravel down, I just scoop the poop right out with a net. I feed gold fish occasionally, Beef hearts, chiclids flakes, and pellets some times. ( two nervious to pick up crickets so they have yet to taste them, And I have given them some earth worms before. He doesn't really have scars the only thing I see is his lateral line. In the picture above the white things are scales from a fish they had just eaten. floating all around him. He did have a scratch on him at one time, But again I thought that was from a little hook thing I have in the tank to hold seaweed. Because some times they get spooked and ram right into the glass or I can hear them swishing the water from downstairs. so I know they move really fast in the tank some times. Neither one of them seem to be sick in anyway, growing like crazy, and the albino is the one who usually tries to run ( swim ) away.

[devonjohnsgard]

Mar 17, 2014 17:24:54 GMT -5 cashay said:

My Filters: I bought the Hydro sponge Filter # 5 pro with a Sun Sun power head. The HOB is one that came with the 55 gallon tank, I think either a whisper or the Tetra? has two slots for filters. I do use the SeaChem Prime. cleaning procedures I change 25% of the water every two weeks, since I don't have any gravel down, I just scoop the poop right out with a net. I feed gold fish occasionally, Beef hearts, chiclids flakes, and pellets some times. ( two nervious to pick up crickets so they have yet to taste them, And I have given them some earth worms before. He doesn't really have scars the only thing I see is his lateral line. In the picture above the white things are scales from a fish they had just eaten. floating all around him. He did have a scratch on him at one time, But again I thought that was from a little hook thing I have in the tank to hold seaweed. Because some times they get spooked and ram right into the glass or I can hear them swishing the water from downstairs. so I know they move really fast in the tank some times. Neither one of them seem to be sick in anyway, growing like crazy, and the albino is the one who usually tries to run ( swim ) away.

From what I know, if a fish has a certain disease (like Ich), the fish will scratch itself because it itches. I wonder if this is what is happening here.