Hi, I'm new here and new to the wonderful worldd of Red Oscar as well. I got a 3 inch Red Tiger Oscar and same size Jewel last week and they were doing fine. Yesterday, I put in two more Jewel (same size), one of them started attacking the Oscar and the Jewel got a piece of lip off my Oscar. Should I seperate the one attacking, or take out the two new jewels? Is my Oscar gonna be ok ?
Thank you all and your advise is highly appreciated.

welcome to OFL
well jewels are bad ass fish for their size. i think it's better to keep just one jewel in your tank because if they pair up, their aggression will be even higher.
And keeping a smaller jewel would be even better.

Those Jewels can have some cool colors for their size. But in my experience they are big time "nippers"; chasing your other fish around and fighting with them or just nipping their fins resulting in damaging your fish. I am sure they can be great fish in the right situation, but for me it didn't work out.

Good Luck!

Thank you all, but the little tiger is laying down on one side at about 35 to 40 degree, heavy breathing and stay at the bottom at the time. Water checked was ok, PH=7. I have changed water 2 times with 20% each time. Does anyone know what's going on? Thanks....

We will also need your water readings for Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate! And how big is your tank?

Hi Nicki, I don't have the level reading as I had the water tested in my local Petco and Petsmart, and they both said it was ok. My tank is a 5gallon tank.

5 gallon is just way to small,
one oscar needs atleast 55gallons

please remove the jewels and buy at least a 55 gal tank and cycle it then add your little oscar..this website and its forums will teach you all you need to learn to get it right...but that fish cant stay in that tank its way to small!

Jewels are aggressive fish and if you are going to keep them with other cichlids make sure the jewel is the smallest- they are bullies and tend not to bother with fish bigger than them

You need at least 55g for 1 oscar. You need a bigger tank ASAP

Thank you all and appreciated... I have seperated the oscar and jewels, but little oscar was badly badly beaten up and I'm trying to see if he can survive, then I will get him a 55G tank. Just wondering based on the last photo, is there anything I can or should do?

delboybully wrote:

x2, 5 gallon will not increase your Oscars chances of survival.
You need pristine waterconditions for this fish to make it...

Mind you a new tank will still have to be cycled, which will take another 5-6 weeks.

you seem to have more trouble here that requires immediate rehoming of the oscar
or the jewels. take note also the blurring of eyes...this means you have some
water issues in there.

a big tank is a must but should be cycled first.