Oscar Cichlid Lost His Mind?

[Doctorrussell]

Hello MonsterFishKeepers,
Please excuse me as this is my first post on this forum. I have an Oscar around 12" whom I've owned for about a year and a half now. Like many other New fish keepers, I wasn't aware of the quick growth of Oscars, soI have been playing lots of catch up in that regard.
Recently I purchased a new tank for my Oscar, he upgraded from a 45 gallon to a 60 gallon (long) tank. I've never had aggression issues with him before, but now that he is settled in his new tank (about a month has passed) he has stopped eating, and 3-5 times a day thrashes violently against the walls and lid of the tank. My main concern is the scales and chunks of flesh that he is losing! The only other tank mate is an 11" bichir, but they have little to no interaction with each other and have been tank mates since they were both only a coiple inches. I do biweekly water changes (25 to 30 gallons) and use a gravel vacuum to pick up any excess food (which is all of it at the moment). I'm running a Marineland Penguin Power Filter (350 gph) with dual biowheels as well as a Penn Plax Cascade 600 internal submersible filter (175 gph). I recently tested my water with the API master test kit thinking it might be a water condition issue, but my results were fine!
PH: 6.8
Ammonia .25 ppm
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate 20 ppm.

His first week in the new tank he ate like normal (Cichlid gold) once on the morning and once in the evening, but after the first week, I haven't really seen him eat much of anything.

As for lighting in the tank (if it matters) I run white LED's during the day and a minimal blue LED at night. I have a dual pump bubbler if that makes a difference as well.

Posting here is my last resort, as I have spent hours browsing forums on here as well as other sites trying to find anyone else who was experiencing similar issues but in every case I read there were different parameters that seemed to cause the upset.

I'm most confused because I was under the impression that a bigger tank would make him happy, but it seems to have done the opposite! I NEVER had these issues when he was in his 45 gallon tank... please help! I love my Oscar, and so does my 1 year old son, and I dont want to lose a member of the family!

 

[philipraposo1982]

pictures of the fish could help alot here. in the meantime increase amount and freq of water changes

 

[Doctorrussell]

pictures of the fish could help alot here. in the meantime increase amount and freq of water changes

My apologies Philipraposo1982, when i said biweekly, i meant twice weekly (long day at work)

 

[Jexnell]

With the new tank, was there new ornaments like the boat in the background or other things put onto the tank? If so are they fish safe items. Some thing that may seem fish safe can leech toxins into the water. Is the bichir acting weird as well?

Also what are the dimensions of the tank? How wide is it?
My little Toni was doing the same thing after I put some manzanita branches in her tank, making it harder for her to swim about how SHE wanted to. I took them out and she went back to normal.

The tank with the branches.

This is how it is now. A lot easier for her to get around .


I ask about the width specifically because at 12inches it may be hard for him to turn around.
I am sure you know by now, after having your Oscar 1.5 years already, that they indeed do have personalities. And at times will get mad, sad, scared and such. He may be like my Toni getting mad and trying to move the stuff out of his way or simply trowing a temper tantrum that the stuff is in his space.
In the bottom pic, you see the piece of driftwood on the left side. It's been in there a few months now, but she will still bite down onto it and swim with all her might trying to move it. Do you see you Oscar doing that to the stuff in the tank?

 

[duanes]

In nature most cichlids the size of an oscar will have an area about the size of a football field to spend the day in.
A 60 gal tank is the equivalent of a puddle, maybe a prison cell (in human terms),and we all have an idea how a prison cell effects us in those terms.
To me most cichlid aggression or behavioral problems I read about here have to do with cramped quarters.
I believe cichlids need (minimally) at least 10 gallons per inch to be even remotely comfortable.
And if I was being realistic, add the inches of the fishes width, and height to gauge proper tank size.

 

[james99]

I would definitely increase the water changes to get that ammonia down to zero.

 

[Covetous]

I would have to agree with dunes a 60 just isn’t big enough

 

[kewpiefishypewpie]

Do you have any prime? Could temporarily help with the ammonia along with water changes. I still think it's too small but a 75 gallon tank would be a bit more adequate than a 60.

 

[Doctorrussell]

With the new tank, was there new ornaments like the boat in the background or other things put onto the tank? If so are they fish safe items. Some thing that may seem fish safe can leech toxins into the water. Is the bichir acting weird as well?

Also what are the dimensions of the tank? How wide is it?
My little Toni was doing the same thing after I put some manzanita branches in her tank, making it harder for her to swim about how SHE wanted to. I took them out and she went back to normal.

The tank with the branches.
View attachment 1289567
This is how it is now. A lot easier for her to get around .
View attachment 1289569

I ask about the width specifically because at 12inches it may be hard for him to turn around.
I am sure you know by now, after having your Oscar 1.5 years already, that they indeed do have personalities. And at times will get mad, sad, scared and such. He may be like my Toni getting mad and trying to move the stuff out of his way or simply trowing a temper tantrum that the stuff is in his space.
In the bottom pic, you see the piece of driftwood on the left side. It's been in there a few months now, but she will still bite down onto it and swim with all her might trying to move it. Do you see you Oscar doing that to the stuff in the tank?

I did add new ornaments, the pirate ship is new. It was purchased as a fish tank ornament and i did clean it with boiling water before hand in hopes of sterilization. Initially the ship was more centered in the tank and he hated it, I would always find it knocked over, or I would see him biting it, so I moved it to the far end of the tank, the only space behind it is filled by the submersible filter. With it in the corner he seems less bothered by it? And my bichir (Slim Shady) is acting normal, he's eating fine and swimming his normal laps. My oscar (who I will sheepishly admit I named Oscar) does have a very vivid personality, and has always been playful, but this almost seems like another fish.

And the dimensions are 48" x 12" x 24"
I realise the width is equivalent to his length, but fortunately ive never deen him hit this glass durimg casual swimming, knly during his thrashes.

Btw your tank is gorgeous!

 

[Doctorrussell]

I would have to agree with dunes a 60 just isn’t big enough

Duanes and Covetous i agree with you whole-heartedly that the tank isnt an ideal size, if I could have my way, Oscar would have a 100 gallon all to himself, but I unfortunately cant afford that at the time. To be honest with you, the only reason I was able to get him the 60 gallon was due to a phenomenal black froday sale that only applied to that tank :/ Im saving for a bigger tank (simultaneously hoping that i can come into a tank by luck) but it will be at least a few months before I can afford one.