i bought my red tiger oscars about a week ago and the owner of the shop said they are about 8-9 weeks old and they measure about 2 1/2 inches long. they are always together swimming, eating, just sitting there or whatever. they hardly ever leave each other. is it possible for them to be a pair already or do all oscars do this?

Juveniles oscars behave differently than as adults. Oscars lay large batches of eggs to guarantee survival of just a few to carry on the species. As fry they will shoal like many other fish for safety. Although you may have a male or female they are just exhibiting the behaviour that is programmed into their genetic code.

Until your Oscars reach sexual maturity, you will not know whether you actually have a breeding pair. In other words, when you see them laying eggs. Two males or two females will hang around with each other if they are the only Oscars in a tank.