Yesterday my friends brought the six foot tank down to me complete with stand, lid, lights, two heaters, a Fluval 405 and various bits and pieces - great friends

This is good timing as on Thursday I visited a new fish shop a bit further afield and found they had the most beautiful Oscars I've ever seen for sale. There are approx 7 red tigers and 7 or 8 albino red tigers, all about 3 inches long (minus tail), very healthy looking and with the most gorgeous markings. They are twice the price of others I've seen for sale but worth it as far as I am concerned.

We have a spare tank that the Oscars can go in as a temporary measure until the big tank is ready to go - I have plans that may take a week or two to realise.

Meanwhile I paid a visit to the shop that has the black oscars in and find they only have four left. The fungal problem has cleared up but now I see the other problem (and probably the cause of the fungus) which is that they are being seriously bullied by their tank mates and have quite a few bite marks and ripped fins :angry: :angry: they are also cowering in one corner apart from briefly coming over to say hello to me

I really can't account for the condition of these fish as this place is in all other respects exempary but it was very hard to leave them there. I'm very, very tempted to go and 'rescue' them tomorrow. I think they look healthy enough underneath it all, I could be wrong but it wouldn't be the end of the world if they died on me (not the end of mine anyway ..). I believe I can accomodate the four of them for a while and LFS would take back the ones I don't want to keep (we talked about this a while ago). Obviously I would make very sure they were going to properly accomodate them before I returned any. They are quite attractive fish, I doubt I would really regret it much long term.

What do you all think? Am I been too sentimental or not sentimental enough?

Edit to add: with the black ones I have an oportunity to have all four and see which get on best, with the others I can only afford two plus I doubt I could make a friendly agreement about returning some with them.

It seems you're already thinking long term about where to keep them. Fish keeping IS an emotional hobby. Do you friends keep fish too? Maybe they could take a few when they got bigger but without knowing they would go to good homes it might be best to leave them where they are. I'm full up now and still want more so I know how you feel about leaving them in a tank where they're being bullied. Talk to the owner there and tell him he needs to give them a tank of their own. It will help sell them if they're alone and free swimming too, showing off their natural beauty. With all that said let me know how they all get along when you get them home cause I think you're gonna go get them anyway
Please keep us posted!

Thanks for your reply Sinstinna. I tried to do the sensible thing and let it go today but failed so I got my OH to toss a coin for me and that came out as go and get the black oscars, so off we went.

When I got to the Oscars tank I realised that there was actually more than four of them in there - it doesn't look like they have sold any, it's a dimly lit tank with a black back and sides which doesn't make them too easy to spot. I was contemplating just walking away when the pike cichlid which is one of the other inhabitants swam above three of the O's who flattened themselves in terror, lying rigid on their sides until it had gone. So I tackled the guy in charge about the situation. It turns out that the problem is due to aggression issues with some of the other cichids meaning some of the others have had to go in with the O's who are now getting the worst of it from the refugees. However he promised to do something to resolve the situation and I have my name down for a couple of them when they are looking a bit better. He seemed genuine enough so fingers crossed things will be looking up for the little guys soon

I applaud you Cody Very well done !! I'm married to a salesman so I know they'll tell you what you want to hear and I suggest you go in during the week and see if he did what he said or at least call him. Pet stores have to think about PETA and other organizations so maybe he'll do what he said. I sure hope he does.
Everybody that reads this is gonna be proud of you

Very good job. I hope he does what he said he was going to do! Well Done

Well I finally went back in today and was delighted to be greeted by a happily-begging-at-the-front-of-the-tank horde of Oscars So nice to see!!! There are split fins and stuff to heal but they looked so much better and were obviously feeling it too. The bullying tankmates have been moved and while the pike cichlid remains there it is obviously not bothering them much

So ..... I bought two of them home with me Admittedly not in some ways the wisest purchase (I did get them at a very good price though) but fingers crossed they will go from strength to strength now. They are actually very beautiful, if not in the conventional oscar way.

They had a good look round the tank and then showed signs of been hungry so I fed them a few pellets and a couple of bits of prawn which they accepted very readily so I thought they were going to be easy to settle but then they disappeared off and squished themselves into a crevass been two rocks and have remained there ever since. I've checked on them and they are still alive (!) and not breathing particularly fast but have not moved for the last few hours. Should I do anything about this? They weren't spooked, I'm not sure why they suddenly decided to disappear off when they seemed to be feeding quite happily?

Any thoughts or advice gratefully received

Photos to follow if they ever decide to show themselves again.

nice to know your fishes are doing well. congrats for the new comer.
it is normal to new comer to stay aloof especially after meal. but
as long as they are coming out during meal time, you should not
worry about it. in no time, they will greet you too.

I knew you'd get them, I just didn't know how many you'd end up with