oscars were acting strange. so i kept observing them.
here is a little diary
1 week prior

the female oscar wasnt eating as normal.

5 days prior

the female oscar eating even less.
the male started doing these shakeing/shivering movements.

3days prior

the female oscar stoped eating.
male still doing these shakeing/shivering movements.

2 day prior
the female oscar stoped eating.
male still doing these shakeing/shivering movements.
both Started to rearrange the gravel and trying to move rocks.
they cleared a patch in the gravel.
i then put the gravel back and moved the rocks.

1day prior

the female oscar stoped eating.
both doing these shakeing/shivering movements.
both Started to rearrange the gravel and trying to move rocks again.
moveing it everywhere.
started to nip the plec

the day

the female oscar stoped eating.
both doing these shakeing/shivering movements more frequently.
both Started to violently rearrange the gravel and trying to move rocks and a piece of wood .
moveing it everywhere.
still nipping the plec

3 hours prior

the female oscar stoped eating.
both doing these shakeing/shivering movements more frequently.
both Started to violently rearrange the gravel and trying to move rocks and a piece of wood.
moveing it everywhere.
still nipping the plec
both were very close to the gravel next to each other. guarding the chosen spot.

heres the footage off 2 hours before. recorded at 1 frame per second.




1 hour prior

i moved the wood that they were biting out of the way (they didnt like my hand in there they went mad biting it).
the female oscar stoped eating.
both doing these shakeing/shivering movements more frequently.
both Started to violently rearrange the gravel and trying to move rocks and a piece of wood.
moveing it everywhere.
still nipping the plec
both were very close to the gravel next to each other. guarding the chosen spot.

heres the footage off 30min before and 1 hour and 30min laying eggs. recorded at 1 frame per second.



1 day after

ive moved 1 rock into a breeding trap in the tank and 2 rocks in a make shift tank with a heater and air pump i keep putting fresh tank water in every day.
the eggs are white in colour(not sure if they have been fertilized), i read that the white eggs are unfertilized

2days after

a few have got fungus on them (atleast thats what i think). iam removeing them.
heres a pic



the most of eggs are changeing colour heres a pic a few are whiter than the rest (maybe thats what the book ment)



3 days after

i dont think any will survive. the fungus is not getting any better.
both have just started feeding properly (begging for food again).
heres todays pic

thats amazing!!!! how did you get your camera to time lapse like that???

Win wrote:


its one of the setting on the video mode called time lapse i can set it to 1 or 2 fps.(it is a still camera)

Very cool footage.
Funny to see the pleco trying to get at the eggs time and time again.
Isn't there something you can do to help against the fungi?

Very nice footage!!!! Great job!

day 4

i dont think any will make it. the fungi is not getting any better. ive got to remove more.
heres a pic

also i had a power cut last night. i was up every hour pumpin water round the filter. it was great fun. think it worked though waters fine.

maybe you should move the eggs to another tank, add an airstone, and methblue... Then they will hatch in there... The air works like mom and dad fanning them. and the methblue, is a fungicide.

Wow that is amazing footage! Very cool to see the spawning process...and I agree, I love that time lapse feature!

ikkie78 wrote:


i doesnt show the movement/ actions they are doing, the diging and the stone pushing is quiet agressive

Nickisue wrote:


i have got stone in a make shift tank sat on top of a air stone i also tryed some fungicide in it. i had the same thought as you its not made much diffrents.

Those vids are amazing, very cool

day 5
fungi has over run the eggs just leaving them now. and see what happens

no pics today