I just got my Oscar last night.
He's still in the sulking stage, but appears to be coming out of it slowly.
He prefers for my tank light to be off.
And while not super active, he does swim around a little when I'm in the room now.

But I think he is terrified of my dogs.
That dude clams up and won't move when my black lab is watching him.

Which kinda sucks, because she loves watching my other fish.

Is that somewhat normal (since he's probably never seen a dog before) and something he'll "grow out of"?

Yes hun, He will grow out of it, Just give him time... Mine now chase my dogs and try to bite them through the tank. LOL

Oscars sulk better than most children. Before long he will be begging from you and the dogs!

No worries, the fish will get used to the dog.
My first O took some time and indeed nowadays like with Nicki's, my O tries to chase dog the out of the o's territory.That is outside the tank, of course.
lol, i got 2 kids and a dog going crazy in the house and the fish really do not mind anymore.

mine used 2 be like that with my stafforshire bull terrier..

now ull see my staffy stood at tank staring at them while there at other side of the glass eye balling the shit out of her! then she'll growl n they either swim off of start to swim at the glass to get 2 her!!! lol

askhammatt wrote:


you need to try and get a video of that - I'd love to see it

haha will do!

Nutriaitch wrote:


It takes some time, like the others said...don't be surprised if he's skittish or hides alot for quite some time--mine took about 3 months to really get comfortable. Now he follows anything moving in the room. He's like a dog himself now...very curious.

ok, so on the advice of the guy at the fish store where I bought my Oscar (a mom and pop place), I've kept the light off in my Oscar tank for a while now.

Guy said he'd probably be more comfortable and less scared, thus swim around more thinking he was safer.

This morning, on a whim, I decided to turn the light on just so I could see him better (I have a kinda dark background, so he's tough to see without light).

Dude hasn't hid yet since the light went on.


May be just a coincidence, but I kinda wish I had turned the light on sooner.

Congrats! Now all you have to do is post pics! we love babies!

Nicki--Sue wrote:


after about 30 tries, here is the best pic I could get.

forgive the quality.
my glass is not that dirty, anytime I zoom in with this camera, it gets fuzzy like this.

Nice color on that Tiger!

My dog loves to stand on the back of the couch to watch the Oscar alot and the Oscar usually swims up to the glass and eyeballs him right back...I'm sure they're both curious as to how edible the other is.



Here he's checking out the hospital tank...