Big mystery need some people to help me figure out this one.

Discussion in 'General Discussions' started by larch, Sep 14, 2010.

  1. larch

    larch

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    Hi guys, recently I have notice some strange behavior from my Oscar. Well I haven't seen it but I noticed it the next day. When I go to bed or somewhere in the night while my fish is sleeping something spooks him, and sometimes so badly that he swims into stuff hurting himself and yesterday when I woke up he got a nasty gash on his head from swimming into either the heater or the canister filter inlet or outlet. During the day he is fine and does not display any jumpy behavior, it has gotten so bad that I removed my drift wood out of the tank in fear that he might just hurt himself more than he already has. Has any of you experienced this? And maybe know what is causing this?

    [Edit] While eating breakfast this morning it happened it looked like he gets a single twitch almost like when you get shocked by some static, then he goes absolutely nuts and flies around the tank hitting the glass sliders and the tank sides. This is now the 2nd time this has happened and the injuries are getting worse each and everyday.... I have checked my nitrates, ph and ammonia and they are as perfect as can be.

    I need some serious help here I dont want to wake up one morning and find him crippled to the point that I need to put him down...

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
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  3. Vis

    Vis Gerhard

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    Have you checked his gills etc very thoroughly for something that
    might be in there? Almost sounds like something is biting him causing him pain
    and he then wants to flee.
    Also try and put some water on the floor. Stand barefoot in it and put your hand in the tank to
    see if there might be some electric short somewhere.
     
  4. stormbringer101

    stormbringer101 ARO

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    have you checked that there is no electric leaks.
     
  5. Vis

    Vis Gerhard

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    Second thought: find a safer way to test for electric leak.
     
  6. OP
    larch

    larch

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    I have checked him over as thoroughly as I could without taking him out of the tank, and I cant see any type of parasites or anything else out of the ordinary he also does not act or eat any differently than he used to. I wonder if it is possible for a fish to have epileptic fits?

    Thanks tried it nothing happens so I am guessing that is not it....
     
  7. TroyFish

    TroyFish

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    Lol...Dont you like Larch or something??:p

    If you just take ur shoes off and put your hand in it show be fine. It will just feel like a 9v battery when its on your tounge, just in your arm....but accidents do happen
     
  8. Khalid

    Khalid Loricariidae

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    might be a loud noise at night, doors banging or car head lights etc
    Spend a few nights with him alone awake in the dark.
     
  9. OP
    larch

    larch

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    When he went berserk this morning there was no lights, no noise or any vibrations that would have spooked him.
     
  10. TroyFish

    TroyFish

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    By any chance are you logged on TASA when this happens? Maybe your Avatar is scaring him? Only kidding:p
     
  11. Donny

    Donny

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    LOL ,, check when the heater switches on and off.
     
  12. mydummyname

    mydummyname Balala shark

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    hi buddy, ok, i'm no expert on oscars or any fish for that matter lol, but i do think the problem is environment.. especially considering that you've checked all the other options..

    i've checked out your pics and your tank seems a bit bare.

    their are no tall plants or ornaments for him to swim around or anything that he feels he can hide behind, there's also no background on the glass either, its very possible that he's really just feeling nervous and vulnerable, as if he's got nowhere to hide, this can happen to fish when they get to a certain age.

    do you perhaps know what there habitat is like in the wild? are there normally caves or tall grass-like plants? anything like that?

    you may also consider getting some dither fish in there to make him feel a bit safer, i know its not what you want for your setup, but it may make a difference.

    simple (cheap) experiment, cover back and two sides of tanks with thick black plastic for a few days, see if there's any change in behavior. if there is, you know you need to add some hiding places to the tank.

    best of luck boet!

    +1

    lol
     
  13. riyadh

    riyadh

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    yeah, there might be a crack in the heater, those scars look like burn marks
     
  14. OP
    larch

    larch

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    Will check that maybe its the noise, but then again it has never bothered him in the past

    Plants and Oscars dont go together he destroyed all of them a week ago. And not much you can do for creating a hiding space for a 15cm long fish.

    That is not burn marks that is what a big wound on an Oscar looks like when it just happened.
     
  15. mydummyname

    mydummyname Balala shark

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    how about trying tall fake plants?

    try that test with the black plastic...?
     
  16. Firefly

    Firefly Pleco

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    I would say fake plants would be a good idea.
    Just my 2c
     
  17. OP
    larch

    larch

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    Anyone were I can get plastic plants that wont cost me an arm and a leg, month is pretty tight so I seriously dont have bucket loads of cash to spend on them...
     
  18. mydummyname

    mydummyname Balala shark

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    yep.. thats the catch! the stuff is flippin expensive!

    :(
     
  19. OP
    larch

    larch

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    He just had another funny "attack" it looks like he has some sort of "epileptic sea-sure" he goes wild for no reason and then just stops dead in his tracks and then as if nothing has happened he goes back to normal again.

    Also all of a sudden he is not looking too good....hanging around the surface seriously out of options I really doubt after seeing this 2nd "attack" that it has something to do with the tank not having enough ornaments, plants or hiding spots. And not much I can do for him water parameters is fine did a water change.
     
  20. Singularity

    Singularity

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    Check NH3, maybe some external pollutant like furniture cleaner, could also be parasites. Usually when discus show this kind of behaviour it is to late in most cases, luckily oscars are more robust.
     
    Last edited: Sep 14, 2010
  21. mattie

    mattie

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    Try a night light, maybe he's more relaxed then.
     

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