So over the weekend I cleaned out my tank, and instead of doing the usual water change and vacuum I decided it was probably time to rearrange the tank to clean off all the sand on the drift wood and plants. So i go through the task of pulling everything out (I'm also pulling out water at the same time at a slow pace) I had been taking everything to the back porch so as I pull out the last few plastic plants and carry them out back the O started his sulking and was laying on the bottom, of course I ignore it and go on and run everything out so the wife doesn't fry me for getting water on her carpet. Upon my return (all of 30 seconds later) i noticed the O was completely gone! Since I had the top off my first thought was he jumped so I frantically began searching everywhere looking for him but to no avail found nothing, he's only about 6 inches, not big for an oscar, but still a hard to miss fish on the floor. for about 5 min we continued our search and then i started churning up the sand thinking he could have been covered by the settling sand, by chance i happened to dig in one spot a little and low and behold, that blasted fish dug himself over an inch below the sand! we had to rock him back and forth to get him breathing and swimming again and he's back to 100% self today, but has anyone else in the world seen this happen? It's almost like he tried kill himself! it's like having a clinically depressed fish short of cutting himself with razors!

I've never heard of an Oscar being buried by sand, that is a completely new one on me. But I have no answers for you unfortunately.

wow that is really bizarre... I have never heard of an oscar doing this before.. I have had several differnent catfish do this.

I know! I expected that he would jump out long before doing that! Guess at that moment he just wanted to die and he figured he'd save me the trouble of burying him... least he was thoughtful lol

LMAO.. I'm sorry this really isn't funny but it kinda is... I have never heard of an oscar doing anything like that.

x2..................

just a thought i am going to ask but is it poss that the vacume lost suction and was near the oscar sulking and when the water from the vacume came out just made the sand displace and bury the oscar? I know it sounds wild but i just wonder where the vaccume was and the oscar i hope he doesnt do that again but im glad to hear he is doing fine now.

nope, the vacuum was on the other side of the tank and the opening was only about 3-4 inches from the surface, i mean that bugger was packed down under the sand and he's the biggest fish in there so I can rule out a murder attempt lol, I must just have an over emotional O... and to think I gave him the name Spike, that's supposed to be a vicious name! ... All hail Spike the scourge of under sea!.. hold on let's dig him up, someone moved his plant.. lol

lol maybe his father was part flounder might explain the change in behavior but ok i was just wondering on the vac cause i have seen mine do that to my planted tank and ugh

rumncoke0482 wrote:


DARN! You sort of got there before me.

I was going to say maybe the fish has got a split personality and he thinks he's a Dover sole.

Joking aside, it's strange that the fish would actually let itself be covered up.definitely keep an eye on it and see if any strange behaviour, lethargic, lying around, breathing heavily etc etc

submerging or burying to the sand could be the instinct to escape.
since the water is low, tried to go deeper thinking she could get
through.

when i used to work in a fishpond, i always see milkfish burying
themselves in the mud during harvest time. milkfish never get
embedded in the mud during normal days but comes harvest times,
they even jump out of the water and landed inside the boat or
on the dry dike.

I'll defiantly keep an eye on him, next time i'll just have someone stay in the room and babysit, never thought i'd think i'd have to get a babysitter for a fish...