Ok, so in the last week, I have noticed my very healthy oscar sulking a bit.
In the last two days, she has been sinking to the bottom of the tank to sit on the rocks, upright just watching the world go by.
Now, she hasn't eaten anything unusual, I have tested the water and the amonia was a tiny bit high, so I have done two small water changes over two days and that's fine now, but she still isn't looking very active.

When I fed her this morning, she gave a few flicks of her tail to come to the surface to eat, but soon plonked herself back on the bottom.

She isn't 'gasping for breath' just breathing normally.
Her color is fine.
No HITH.
She has been eating small amounts.
I have NOT introduced any fish etc.

So, I'm pretty confused because nothing has changed in her tank, not even the
temp, but I'm worried about her as this has gone on for about four days...

Can anyone offer any advice please?

I had a similar kinda problem... that existed because i was feeding the fish only chicken everyday... i stopped fo a week.. no food for a week... then i started chichlid pellets... and things were fine .. i am not sure this is the solution of you problem.. i just described a case similar to yours

Ok, sounds like a plan!
I'll just keep her monitored.
Maybe she is constipated??? haha

Oscars do sometimes sit around doing nothing, mine do it occasionally, although not for too long.

What worries me is you mentioned you have got ammonia present, although not much. This should not be happening if you have a healthy biological filter. Remember that ammonia is highly toxic to fish, even in small amounts. Even though fish don't always show signs of trouble when the ammonia is present in small quantities, it can damage the immune system. So if you have got ammonia present, you have got to try and find out why. Are you feeding too much?, have you got enough filtration? Is your tank big enough? Has something died and you haven't noticed?

These are just some of the questions you need to address. For the long-term health of your fish, ammonia and nitrate must be zero at all times.

Nice to hear from you again, haven't seen you on here for a while:)

No, my tank is big enough and nothing had died. I just needed a water change, and all has been good for the last 3 days.
When I say the amonia was present, I mean instead of yellow color in the test, it was a slightly darker yellow.

Have been working too hard lately!! At least I'm getting some cash! haha

Finally painted my car, after patching it like a year ago!! o_0

As long as your fish is eating okay, I don't think there's a problem. If they suddenly go off their food and won't eat for no reason, that is when it could be a cause for concern. Most people will tell you that they do sit around looking totally bored occasionally. But from my experience, this behaviour won't last for too long. In fact, if you go near the tank, they will normally come to greet you, that's based on my experience anyway.

i think you should keep an eye on your ammonia. even though it was just a very minor spike you should try to figure out why it happenned. just keep your water in good shape(like you usually do im sure) and with luck Oshie will bounce back to his old self in no time.
hope things work out well for you.


btw nice to see you back on the boards.

hey pooky_84, its been quite a while you've been out.
nice to be back...... is that the big red?

two things.... she was affected by the previous presence
of ammonia..... or she is about to lay eggs. female oscar
do lay eggs even if alone.... no fertilization.... if it is
the big red... she should be big enough and matured. during
single spawning, oscar will not take any foods for 3 to 4 days

welcome back......

Thanx guys!

Well, I have kept testing the water, and all has been good.

Yeah, it is big red!

She might very well be about to lay eggs? I'll have to keep you guys updated and let you know if I can fugure out why there was a touch of amonia??

Alyce.

my big lady grey belly used to stop eating when about to spawn,
stays at the bottom but attack anyone that comes near to her,on
the 2nd day without food, she usually releases huge amount of waste.
perhaps, that is the one that triggers ammonia spike in your tank.
just may be.....in your case.

Hey guys.
Well, I thought I'd report in.
She's still the same, no change for the worse or better.
She eats every couple of days, but doesn't like to move for it.
The water has been perfect for the last couple of weeks but there's no change???

I keep wondering maybe she ate a rock, which is why she doesn't want to swim.
She sits at the bottom, on the rocks and when she tries to move, she moves her tail, but doesn't go anywhere....just seems like she weighs a tonne and can't budge herslef???

Do oscars have a habit of eating rocks that may be a LOT larger than they can poop? But I would have thought, if she did that, she could spit it out again.

Anyway, that's like the only thing I can come up with, but it's really p***ing me off cause I don't know if she's hurting or something.

Does anyone know a fish doctor in Tasmania Hobart that can come look at her?

---very sad---

no, oscar can not and will not swallow any rock.
the scoop and spit them out somewhere away from the
place they choose to stay and spawn.

how is he/she breathing? any gasping manner?
if none, just keep your water under check and
he/she will be fine.