My new Oscar changes colour

Darren Jackson · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 5

Dear Group,

Me and my boyfriend have just bought a new Oscar and although he has settled
in ok , the top half of his tail and dorsal fin change colour intermittently
to a light grey colour and all his fins have a light grey edge which I
haven't noticed during my research before buying him. He also opens his
gills wide and shakes his whole body. Other than that he seems quite happy.
He's also showing a rather unhealthy interest in a 5" pleco, although he
wouldn't fit in his mouth, is there any danger of him hurting it?

Thank you in advance for your help with this.

Natalie

Archived from group: rec>aquaria>freshwater>cichlids

rmc · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 42

Natalie wrote:

> Me and my boyfriend have just bought a new Oscar and although he has
settled
> in ok , the top half of his tail and dorsal fin change colour
intermittently
> to a light grey colour and all his fins have a light grey edge which I
> haven't noticed during my research before buying him. He also opens his
> gills wide and shakes his whole body. Other than that he seems quite
happy.
> He's also showing a rather unhealthy interest in a 5" pleco, although he
> wouldn't fit in his mouth, is there any danger of him hurting it?

--
Can you give some more information? Size of tank, size of Oscar, other
tankmates, etc?

I wouldn't want to guess at the fin coloration without actually seeing it,
but it is quite common for fish to change colors or hues depending on their
mood, stress, fear, and so on. The flaring of the gills and shaking sounds
like an aggressive behavior to let everyone know he is the boss of that
tank. Hopefully the others here will have some more insight.

Oscars can be a real treat. You might want protect your heater with some
decor so the brute can't break it. Some kind of a toy can also give both of
you some great entertainment. Mine would love to play with ping pong balls.
He would take it to the bottom and try to make it stay in a certain spot.
When it floated back to the surface he would have a fit. He couldn't
swallow the ball so I felt it was pretty safe.

Mark
mark@cichliddomain.com
http://www.cichliddomain.com

Darren Jackson · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 5

Oscar is about 10" long and is living in a 48x18x12" tank approx. 165
litres. Heater is all protected as are all filter inlets, etc. He seems
very frightened when we open the tank lid. The only tank mate he has is the
pleco I mentioned earlier. Is it that he just needs some time to settle in?
We thought his behaviour might be because of a change in mood and a need to
show 'who's boss'! I like the idea of a ping pong ball. What's the score
with live food?

Thanks again

Natalie

On 22/6/03 8:01 pm, in article Y1nJa.9822$vx3.3026841@kent.svc.tds.net,
"rmc" wrote:

> Natalie wrote:
>
>> Me and my boyfriend have just bought a new Oscar and although he has
> settled
>> in ok , the top half of his tail and dorsal fin change colour
> intermittently
>> to a light grey colour and all his fins have a light grey edge which I
>> haven't noticed during my research before buying him. He also opens his
>> gills wide and shakes his whole body. Other than that he seems quite
> happy.
>> He's also showing a rather unhealthy interest in a 5" pleco, although he
>> wouldn't fit in his mouth, is there any danger of him hurting it?
>
> --
> Can you give some more information? Size of tank, size of Oscar, other
> tankmates, etc?
>
> I wouldn't want to guess at the fin coloration without actually seeing it,
> but it is quite common for fish to change colors or hues depending on their
> mood, stress, fear, and so on. The flaring of the gills and shaking sounds
> like an aggressive behavior to let everyone know he is the boss of that
> tank. Hopefully the others here will have some more insight.
>
> Oscars can be a real treat. You might want protect your heater with some
> decor so the brute can't break it. Some kind of a toy can also give both of
> you some great entertainment. Mine would love to play with ping pong balls.
> He would take it to the bottom and try to make it stay in a certain spot.
> When it floated back to the surface he would have a fit. He couldn't
> swallow the ball so I felt it was pretty safe.
>
>
> Mark
> mark@cichliddomain.com
> http://www.cichliddomain.com
>
>

rmc · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 42

"Darren Jackson" wrote in message%darren@duderanch.ath.cx...
> Oscar is about 10" long and is living in a 48x18x12" tank approx. 165
> litres. Heater is all protected as are all filter inlets, etc. He seems
> very frightened when we open the tank lid. The only tank mate he has is
the
> pleco I mentioned earlier. Is it that he just needs some time to settle
in?
> We thought his behaviour might be because of a change in mood and a need
to
> show 'who's boss'! I like the idea of a ping pong ball. What's the score
> with live food?
>
> Thanks again
>
> Natalie

--

He probably just needs a little time to get used to you and the new
surroundings.

Live food? You could be opening a "can of worms" so to speak. I prefer not
to feed live fish for numerous reasons with the biggest one being afraid of
introducing parasites or disease into the tank. IME, live feeder fish also
seem to make the inhabitants more aggressive. I use to treat mine with
earthworms once in a while. Oscars will eat goldfish, guppies and just
about anything else they can get in their mouth, but they will also do just
fine with pellets.

Mark
mark@cichliddomain.com
http://www.cichliddomain.com

Darren Jackson · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 5

Thanks for your help Mark, we'll give him a bit of time and see how he gets
on...

Anyone have any suggestions of a name for him? We were thinking Bernard
it's a good name for a big fat fish!

Talk soon

Natalie

On 22/6/03 8:38 pm, in article fBnJa.9826$vx3.3028652@kent.svc.tds.net,
"rmc" wrote:

>
> "Darren Jackson" wrote in message
> %darren@duderanch.ath.cx...
>> Oscar is about 10" long and is living in a 48x18x12" tank approx. 165
>> litres. Heater is all protected as are all filter inlets, etc. He seems
>> very frightened when we open the tank lid. The only tank mate he has is
> the
>> pleco I mentioned earlier. Is it that he just needs some time to settle
> in?
>> We thought his behaviour might be because of a change in mood and a need
> to
>> show 'who's boss'! I like the idea of a ping pong ball. What's the score
>> with live food?
>>
>> Thanks again
>>
>> Natalie
>
>
> --
>
> He probably just needs a little time to get used to you and the new
> surroundings.
>
> Live food? You could be opening a "can of worms" so to speak. I prefer not
> to feed live fish for numerous reasons with the biggest one being afraid of
> introducing parasites or disease into the tank. IME, live feeder fish also
> seem to make the inhabitants more aggressive. I use to treat mine with
> earthworms once in a while. Oscars will eat goldfish, guppies and just
> about anything else they can get in their mouth, but they will also do just
> fine with pellets.
>
> Mark
> mark@cichliddomain.com
> http://www.cichliddomain.com
>
>
>