Fighting Oscars

[Oscar1]

I have two Tiger Oscars that I bought at the same time and have since been raising together. I've had them since they were about 2 inches in length. My Oscars were raised with a Pleco, so the three of them all grew up together. I had them in a 55 gal. tank until they were about six inches long, then I moved all three fish onto a 90 gal. tank. The Oscars have since grown to about eight inches long, but now they fight all the time. At first I letf them alone assuming that this was just a phase and it would soon pass but it hasn't stopped. At one time it was so bad I had to seperate them because one was badly injured, after healing that one, and putting him back in the tank, they continue to fight. I have since seperated them two more times, but every time I try to put them back together they just fight again. I don't want to get rid of either one, but what do I do??

By the way, neither one of my Oscars ever bothers the Pleco. Is it because he has grown to a size that is slightly bigger than they are?

[vjvl51]

It sounds like you have done all the right things. :) My best guess would be that you have two male oscars that have reached adulthood and they are trying to establish the "pecking order." The best thing to do would be to find a new home for one (new tank, friend that wants an oscar, fish store, etc) because they will probably always fight until one is dead.

The only possibility that MAY work (and probably not) would be if you don't have any hiding spots. Add large, stable rock caves with other rocks/plants kind of dividing the tank. They may settle down, if they have a place to call home without the other seeing them all the time.

Good luck

Vickie

[Paidbychrist0825]

Vickies right, they are almost certainly two male, and tyou can tell by the shape of their heads. ONe sex has a more gently slopig head, the other has a few anlges to it. If their heads are both very similar in shape, get them separated, one or bopth will end up dead, and i know no true hobbyist wants his/her livestock dead. I do not think the thing vickie suggested will work either,:( they are used to rivers, where if they are defeated, the have billions of gallons to run to. you definatly want them separate.