hey guys im wondering if i added a red eye tetra thats about the same size as my baby oscars will this help them get over there sulking??? i really want to enjoy my little guys but they wont move when im in the room its sad they are beautiful fish i want them to act like it any advice at all???

ryankeithmiller wrote:


Adding fish isn't really going to help them adjust any quicker in this case. Oscars almost always behave like this for several days to even a few weeks when they are first brought home. Giving them caves/shelter to hide in is helpful, as well as keeping lights low. Make sure they are in a room with some natural lighting as well, so that the room isn't too dark when the lights come on all of a sudden.

Keep offering them very small food items to 'coax' them out, and so that they begin associate you approaching the tank with feeding time. Once they do make that association, they'll be your best friend and seldom not swim right up to you and beg whenever you come in the room.

But again remember it takes a fair bit of time...It's just how they operate, and you just gotta let them acclimate on their own. Very few if anyone on this board hasn't had their oscar behavior similarly when they are put in a new tank/environment. For the time being I would also make sure the tank isn't in a high traffic area as well.

On a side note, just as a precaution do a water test and post the readings so we can make sure its not a water quality issue, I highly doubt its due to that, but it can't hurt to make sure. Also, what type of conditioner have you been using up to this point?

please please please don't add anything to your tank...

I posted in your other thread. All you can do is wait, and keep trying! I know some people have had great luck with spending quite a bit of time in front of their tank. This way the O's have to deal and adjust to you being there.

well like i said the tank right now is a 5 gallon it has had 4 weeks to cycle with red eyes neons and black tetra i have a 55 gallon filter on the tank.. ..(i cycled with the standard small filter then i bought the 55 gal filter and stuck the 5 gal filter inside the 55 gal so it could get the proper bacteria without missing a beat)i have not done a water check yet the water is clear and the other fish had no issues i only lost two out of 12 during the cycle so thats what i based getting the oscars off of i the albino has eaten 2 neon tetra in the past day and a half but the tiger hasnt eaten anything yet im really excited to get my bigger tank and put them in a perminant home

ryankeithmiller wrote:


ok so you took media from the small filter and placed it in the larger to aid in the cycling process... What are your plans with cycling the 55 gallon when you get it...Also what type of water changes have you been doing up till now and what type of conditioner have you been using

(make sure you pick up a liquid test kit as well if you don't have one already)

im using the 55 gal filter in the 5 gal tank and i have another 5 gal tank that im cycling the other filter form the 55 gal filter in so when i get the bigger tank ill add the correct filters back to the respective tank size and wont have to wait to cycle the 55 gal or larger tank. water changes have been 251-45% once a week this week ill only do a 10-15% i will pick up a test kit on my next pay check and post the reading then

Adding a red eyed tetra will just mean it gets eaten. It wont help your oscars settle and you risk introducing a disease if the tetra has a disease