Worried about my Oscar! :(

[sa}{en]

Hi there! For the last two days my Oscar has been laying at his side at the bottom of the tank. I'm worried. He is one year old and has never been like this before. His "friend" thats lived together with him the whole time seems just normal. There is no sign at alll to tell that anything should be wrong with him. Only that he is lazy and laying on his side. When I come with food he swim normal and eat. ...all a little slower than usual though.

Anyone know what to do? How to help him? Please help!

[nickcfc]

My oscars "play dead" when ever they are stressed (like when you clean the tank out etc) they lay up in the corner of the tank & loose all their colour.
This is very common.
try checking your tank temperature (should be around 78F 24-25C)
what is his "Friend"? is he bigger then the oscar?? how big is your oscar?
sounds like a little bit of stress to me.
hope this helps,
Nick

[vorex]

Try checking your Ph, Nitrate and ammonia level. You can try adding a little aquarium salt to add electrolites in the water.

[ari]

hahaha...not to worry , my fish was lying on its side for over a year. cant figure whats wrong...but then he is still alive

[HomeSchoolFish]

I was going to post a very similar question. My oscar is doing much the same thing.

I had 2 plecos in the tank with him but recently gave them away. Could he be missing the company? I have heard that oscars tend to sulk sometimes, so I wasn't incredibly worried.

[lyn]

i'm totally new at this 'forum' thing, so this is supposed to be a reply to sa}{em -- let me know if it works.

I have the 'abandoned' oscar. Initially he spent a lot of time lying on his side on the bottom, now, after about a week he's not doing it quite so often. In addition to his 'hidey-hole' (small flowerpot), I built him a little bridge to hang out under. For some reason this may be keeping him upright a bit longer.

i really don't know what to do with him. I don't see him eat; occasionally he swims around. I've got 'new tank syndrome' w/somewhat high ammonia level; nitrite testing okay. Does he need a friend? What kind of friend do you have with yours?

I'm going out to buy a bottom feeder, just to try & clean up the uneaten food. Maybe that'll make him happy.

Just looking for somebody to talk to me about this Oscar!

[Black Convict]

I have an oscar, a jack dempsey, two plecos, and two convict. i bought them all at the same time and they were always best buddies. they never fight and are always swimming around together.
when my oscar outgrew the tank it was in, and my friend had to hold him for me. he started mopeing around . then my friend bought him a companion (a Jack Dempsey) he ate it .still saddened, we bought another oscar for company, he came right back to life . when i got him a new tank and put them in with his old buddies he was happier than ever.

Moral = Oscars are happiest with others, but be careful not to put somthing in that he doesnt like because what an oscar doesnt like and oscar will eat.