Is your oscar exhibiting any out of the ordinary behavior? YES TONIGHT I TURNED OFF HIS LIGHT LIKE I DO EVERY NIGHT. WELL WHILE SITTING AT THE COMPUTER I HEARD ALOT OF SPLASHING AND A BANG FROM MY TANK. THEN ABOUT 20 MINUTS LATER I HEARD IT AGAIN. SO I TURNED ON THE LIGHT TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH HIM AND NOW HE HAS A BIG SIZED CHUNK OF SCALES MISSING. HE SEEMS AGGREVATED WHEN I TURN THE LIGHT OFF. ALMOST LIKE HE IS MAD AT ME.

-Tank-mates

HIS ONLY TANK MATES ARE 2 SMALL SILVER DOLLARS.

-Tank size

HE IS IN A 75 GALLON TANK

-Equipment

Are you running a bio-wheel? YES

Are you using any medications? I USED SOME NATURAL ICH TREATMENT ABOUT A MONTH AGO. WHEN I NOTICED THAT HE HAD GOTTEN IT.

Chemicals, too. I USE NO CHEMICALS IN THE TANK. I AM OUT OF PH TESTER BUT COULD IT BE A PH PROBLEM?

I had to use Velcro to hold my hoods down. We woke up one morning and the hood was open. I was shocked and glad that everyone was still in the tank. Just find a way to hold your hoods closed!

welcome to the site.

it is normal for oscar to jump inside the tank... and sosmetimes
they jump off the tank.... this is the very reason we usually recommend to install or put some top lid to avoid this accident.

but thrashing, splashing and darting inside the tank means you have
to check any possible reason why: ammonia ? nitrite? nitrate? pH but
should have the basis by regular reading.....pH will be factor if
and only if it flactuate drastically in short period of time. those
uncommon behavior should not be taken lightly. parasite also trigger
such changes.....

just my two cent opinion....

I GUESS WHAT WORRIED ME THE MOST IS HE IS LIKE A DOG. IF I COME NEAR THE TANK HE IS RIGHT UP AT THE FRONT TO SEE ME AND BEG FOR FOOD. BUT HE WAS JUST LIKE OK WHAT EVER. AND WAS STAYING AT THE BACK OF THE TANK. I HAVE GLASS HOODS AND HAD TO PUT WEIGHTS ON IT SO HE COULDN'T GET IT OPEN.

WELL I HAVE MY UNCLE DO ALL MY MAINTANCE AS HE USED TO RUN AN AQUARUM SHOP. I GUESS I JUST DIDN'T THINK HE WAS BIG ENOUGH YET TO MAKE THE LIDS BANG THE WAY HE DID. AS FOR THRASHING AROUND HE IS DOING NONE OF THAT. NOW THAT THE LIGHT IS BACK ON SO I CAN KEEP AN EYE ON HIM HE IS BACK TO ACTING NORMAL.

MEEKHAN wrote:

this is normal to all my oscars.... wiggling their tails when ever they see me.
but as i have said... better check water parameters. because they should be sleeping when light is off.... unusual behavior should not be taken lightly.

and please..... use small font.... using all capital letters is almost the same as shouting loud in the forum.... please.......please.....

sorry about that. I forget that I have it one sometimes. I test the ph first thing tomorrow.

as i have said, pH is not that critical if you have no
reference in previous two days. it is more or ammonia
and nitrite since these two lethal elements that causes
trouble to oscars. althought taking pH today will help you
upon reading again two days later to compare.