Now I've read a few posts about this but it's getting somewhat upsetting to me lately...my Oscar's always hide immediately when I come in the room. They've been in their new tank for well over a month now so I don't think it's that, and the pleco seems to be no problem...theyre getting along just fine. I've had to do weekly water changes and at one point early on had to remove them for a complete cleaning...is it normal for these fish to be so skittish? It seems like just when they're starting to settle down I have to do a water change and they get all stressed again and leery of me. But I have to do the changes due to the infection my one oscar had, plus I was dealing with a white cloudy water problem that's finally resolving.

sigh. It seems like I have to trade tank maintenance health for them liking me. Sucks. Anyone else experience this to this degree?

On a positive note they're growing like weeds. The shy one doesn't get as much food but i make sure to distract the aggressive one with some food at the other end of the tank so I can feed him.

Do you have a very bright light?

Standard for 55 gallon. I don't turn it on for a while in the morning. I let natural light come in so it's a gradual change. I also have small clear xmas lights in a tree right next to the tank which seem to work well.

First I let it get light naturally, then after an hour or two I turn the xmas lights on so it's a little more bright (about room lighting)...then in the afternoon I turn the light on from about 1 until 9. Then I turn off the light but leave the xmas lights on so its night lighting, but they can see a bit around. This goes for about 2 or 3 hours and then I turn everything off and it's pitch black when I go to bed.

what is your procedure when you do a water change? maybe when you stick your hand in the tank it scares them & is causing them to hide? maybe you are moving too many things around in the tank during a wc? how much water do you change weekly?

I always give my oscars some food, a little less than what i would normally give them & then proceed with my water change. my oscars always either try & nibble my hand or at the gravel. I've been doing this for about 2 years & it seems to work for me.

but then again you they could be other issues aswell.

btw, why do you require so much lighting? i have my lights on from 4pm to 9pm everyday. some oscars prefer less lighting.

angmat wrote:


I don't move anything around during a water change, although I do stick a small tupperware jug in. They certainly don't like it and hide, but it doesn't seem too intrusive as far as I can tell. They hide in the caves I made for them.

I have been doing a 50% water change last two weeks due to some health issues (HitH),and white cloudy water. It seems cleared up though so Im going to drop it down.

I'll try less lights on time. I just figured that might make them freak out more when it came on then. At least the pleco seems fine. He hid all day long for a while but now he's starting to poke his head out a bit and move around during the day. Today he was active so I dropped an algae wafer out front and he came out and muched on it. So at least that's something.
The oscars check him out but really don't take much notice of him.

I'll get them a treat this week too, like some Count Chocula or something. See if that helps any.

Are your oscars in a busy or quiet area. If it in a quiet area you could try moving them to a busier area or try hanging out near the tank. This will help them get used to you

Just keep at it and they will eventually get used to you. In most cases new oscars have settled in within 2 weeks. However some can take longer. Just keep at it

Quick question...I have one oscar who is shy and as a result doesnt get what I think is enough food. Thus, I think I have been overfeeding to compensate...I have been noticing a significant amount of waste and debris as a result on the bottom of the tank...should I clean gravel...and if so...so I do a complete water change as well or would that be too much? Or just vacuum gravel? I have just inserted a large sub pump filter that is new so I'm thinking just a gravel vacuuming and 15-20% water change.God, I can't believe how much I spent on the filter...but I'm happy I did.

Also, just as a reference point, what is the temperature you usually maintain in your tanks? I have been holding at 76 degrees. Comments? Thoughts?

Hun, you should vacuum the gravel. You can vacuum and do your w/c at the same time. I can usually vacuum the entire gravel and do about a 30% W/C at the same time! Works slick

And I keep my Oscar tanks at 80 degrees... Hope this helps!

Thanks Nick...appreciate the help...Overfeeding was due to the fact that I noticed the one Oscar had a concave stomach...I was worried. The more dominant one blocks the other from feeding, not to the point of starvation, but still too much for my liking. If this continues I will buy a divider. I want to keep both of these babys alive and well...

Heater up to 79 so I think they'll enjoy that. ;)Actually, looking at the thermometer I was keeping temperature way too low..about 72.

johnnyphoenix wrote:

Money well spent, a good and trustworthy filter setup is worth every penny!

I vaccuum 2/3 of my gravel everyweek during a 50% WC.
I mostly do it for the look of my tank, and because my fish are used to large WC.
It's never because of my watarparameters are getting out of check.
But with the vaccuuming and the help of my SD cleaning crew, the tank stays very clean all the time, dispite of the big fish and their big appetites!

You should be aiming to clean your gravel at least once a month. However you can clean the gravel whenever you do a water change. Most people on here do 50% weekly water changes. The trick is to test your water before your weekly water change. ammonia and nitrite should be zero. If nitrate is above 40 then you will need to do bigger or more frequent water changes. If you overstock you will find yourself doing more than 1 50% water change per week. Only feed what your fish will eat in 2 mins once a day

I keep my tank at 79f

delboybully wrote:


I honestly believe overfeeding was a huge issue in regards to this. Again, I think this was due in part to the one oscar eating the majority of the food and the other being more passive and developing a concave belly. Thus, I tended to overfeed to make sure both got their fill.

I vacuumed up a bunch of waste and leftover decayed bloodworm etc. Ah well, live and learn. I do a 50% change every week so far, I am loath to do more because of the upset it causes them to a certain extent.

This cloudy water is proving to be quite a problem. I notice it looking at the side of the tank...not in the front. Poor little guys...there kinda looking at me like in 'Mr. Mom'...'You're doing it wrong, Moron...try again next week.' lol. I told them...'Ok then. Keep it up, and I'm buying an alligator Gar. See how that works out for ya.'

Yes, I do talk to them.