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I feel is if my oscar is getting bored.

This has been the past 4 weeks of events:

4 weeks ago: we moved the tank and oscar to another place (due to the fact that having a massive tank on the second floor of our house was causing some "minor strctual damage". So now he's downstairs.. in a more social place.. the computer room.

3 weeks ago: Seems settled in, had a few splashes in the night and what not, he tends to do this when there is something wrong. Water was fine, food was fine. Tank was clean.

2 weeks ago: I awake to the sound of my fish tank being destroyed, $300 later (because you cant buy filter parts seperatly and new heaters) and he looks as bored as a plank of wood.

1 week ago: My mate suggested we give him something to play with. so I found some scuba diver figurines that double as air bubbler things, and just threw them in the tank. The appear to be moving aorund the tank during the night. ...

This week: It seems like he's bored again.. he sits here watching me program java.. seriously, there HAS to be more interesting things in a fishes life.. I find java programming boring.. anyway... apart from more fish, or more toys, has anyone any ideas on what to entertain my oscar fish with? He's really only naughty at night. during the day he just watches the family members.. so.. yeah.. more toys?? I once read somewhere about ping pong balls.. and..
has anyone else had issues with oscars being bad fishies at night? and what solved it.

Another thing: after the heater change over.. it appears that he prefers one half of the tank only, but both heaters are the same temp, and water temps are also the same. is this a tertorial thing? if it's any help he tends to hang out so he can see the computer monitor.. is this a bordom thing as well?

Thank you for your suggestions, knowledge and ideas in advance.
Matt Jones.

Well, first, welcome to Fish Profiles. You have made a good decision by coming here.

Down to buiesness. Oscars are one of the few fish that I can believe to get board because of their massive personality. Here are some questions for you that might help us solve your problem.

How big is the Oscar? I am assuming full grown (about a foot long)

How big is the aquarium? Oscars are quite active fish, almost constantly swimming, to add they are also big.

How often do you do water changes? Oscar seem to have problems with nitrates from what I have learned and experianced. Since Nitrates accumulate from doing water changes too infrequently this may be a problem. Also, Oscars are messy eaters, so nitrate levels can get very high in oscar aquariums.

What decorations do you have in your aquarium? Oscars tend to amuse themselves by redecorating the aquarium.

With your answers, I hope you can the get a responce that will answer your question.

Oh yeah. My guy at the aquarium shop recomended here..

Oscar Size: Big.. I cant exactly measure it, it's about 3 years old, last time I attempted to measure it with a ruler in the tank.. it was around the 11 inch mark.

tank size: has about 66 "gallons" of water that is: we put 300 liters in it it's fairly long compaired to most fish tanks, which i worry about, as it's not like, massivly deep or anything. I can't find a ruler or the measuremrnts at the moment. ..

water changes: I aim at once a week, but realistically, twice to three times a month. Time constraints, and I am currently studying for like 2 weeks of solid exams.

Decorations: Limited. Large rocks scattered, a big terracotta pot. It's kinda a naked tank really.. could this be a factor?

Get some of those fake plants that have the weighted bottom or some cheap real plants. The oscar will tear them up and move them around.

What size is the gravel in your tank? I've got some bigger stuff in my Oscar's tank (like 1/2 inch) and he has a high old time picking up rocks and spitting them at the glass. I think he likes the sound they make. He also digs holes and makes piles.

If he can see your computer screen you might leave it on with a really active screen saver.

Good luck, Mike

A friend of mine has an Oscar and she has two ways she keeps him amused while she's away at school or working. She breeds her own feeder guppies (so that she doesn't introduce any diseases to her oscar from store-bought feeders) and tosses a couple in when she's going to be leaving the house. Chasing them keeps him occupied for a while especially since there are lots of hiding places for small guppies and her oscar loves to hunt them down. She also leaves the TV on for him as he seems to enjoy it.

I second the plastic plant recommendation. My friend's Oscar LOVES to redecorate. I've seen him do it. He'll just pick up a plant (or small decoration) and throw it across the tank.

I plan on getting an Oscar someday when I can afford a huge tank for him and have the room. They are one of the most interesting fish I've ever seen at play.

Along with the other suggestions. My oscars loved a ping pong ball to nip at and they enjoyed a 20 oz. soda bottle half filled with water. They pushed it all along the length of the tank.

Yeah ping pong balls and bottles HALF filled are the best toys for oscars i have heard of. But the plastic plants are also a good idea. I would put a bunch in there and then do the guppy thing that way they can live but the oscer has fun chasin them down. Good luck
- Matt

When my guys where getting bored... i added some live plants. They tore them apart, but they where no longer bored and became much happier. They didn't like ping pong balls though... I suggest getting some plants, just cheap ones, and replanting them on a daily to 2 day basis. He'll get hours of fun from ripping off the leaves and chasing them around the tank like they where little fish!

maybe you could get him another oscars to play with?
my two oscars seem to enjoy each other more than playing with toys. Thing got alittle rough...and they lay eggs!

Last edited by Trojan_man at 25-Sep-2004 00:10

I use to have a breeding pair of tiger oscars and they were roughly 25-28 cms long. They were always just plodding round the tank until, we sat down for dinner then the male would attack the filter, heater, and even broke my cover glass....
The only way i fixed this problem was catching live food like yabbies, cockraoches, and even flies.... i really enjoyed watching htem play and chase them round for ages until eventually they died and were eaten....
If u only have 1 oscar y not add another? or even a larger pleco! however, my pleco would scratch my oscars cause of their spines... but never the less he had a ball playing with it!