Oscar Cichlid Lost His Mind?

[Mighty Wizard]

Keep the fish if you really like it, as sadly to say more than likely its not going to a better home

+1

So many people just don't give a ****. So if you actually care for the fish, it's much better to keep it yourself, even if it means that he'll feel a little cramped until you find a larger tank. I don't have a lot of experience with cichlids but it seems logical that he'll calm down eventually, even if he is dissatisfied.

It also seems that money is the limiting factor, and not space, so that's a good thing. With some patience you'll find a great tank for a steal, and you'll be very happy that you didn't pass him on.

 

[Hidan]

I see where you are coming from, and I agree that oscars are indeed smart fish! Ill scour the market and see if I can find any good deals!

But in the end I am understanding that the real issue here is going to come down to tank size, so if I cant find one in a decent amount of time, I feel it would only be best to try and rehome my beloved Oscar to someone who can afford to give him the life he deserves!

Don't give him up given you and your son love him.

Look into second hand tanks and upgrade where and when possible.
Its unlikely anyone you give the fish to will develop a bond with it and if the fish throws a tantrum with the new owner, he might just get rid of it.
As many have mentioned Oscars are temperamental and he will probably adapt to the new tank shortly.

 

[Hidan]

I see where you are coming from, and I agree that oscars are indeed smart fish! Ill scour the market and see if I can find any good deals!

But in the end I am understanding that the real issue here is going to come down to tank size, so if I cant find one in a decent amount of time, I feel it would only be best to try and rehome my beloved Oscar to someone who can afford to give him the life he deserves!

Don't give him up given you and your son love him.

Look into second hand tanks and upgrade where and when possible.
Its unlikely anyone you give the fish to will develop a bond with it and if the fish throws a tantrum with the new owner, he might just get rid of it.
As many have mentioned Oscars are temperamental and he will probably adapt to the new tank shortly.

 

[justarn]

Going off food seems odd to me, as others said tank size is cramped but the ammonia is probably the main issue here.
Maybe your crashing your tank slightly every waterchange. Are you doing the filter media every time too? I would only clean the media once a month and use old tank water in a bucket as tap water will kill the beneficial bacteria, your not buying new media are you?
And you can buy a second hand tank, scrape some money together and do what he deserves, that's like keeping a dog in a crate!-)

 

[Cosmic_surfer]

I have 2 Oscars that I got about 10 months ago. They started out as little guys, but are currently in my 125 and being bosses. One has definitely taken the dominant role, but they don’t do much damage when they push their ways around. Really cool to see them change colors, their dark brown can almost become a pale white color sometimes when they are displaying anger. Right now my guys are probably in the 8-9” range, and I think their presence is a good thing, they seem to keep the smaller red terror and 2 midas cichlids in check. It won’t always be this way and I will probably need to make some decisions down the road, but Oscars are all about personality. I have noticed the substrate has been moved around more lately, but I suspect I have 2 males, and one is taking a submissive role.