Oscar Fish Part 3 (Play Dead Fish)

 

I skipped part 2 because I think part 3 is more important to people that wants to keep Oscar or people that just got themselves an Oscar but they are sulking now and I’m telling you that’s fine, I got an Oscar last night and he is sulking now. So this is a must read article for people who wants to keep Oscar or people that is unsure.

feature image credits to Sam Hodge 🙂 and his Oscar grumpy

Do do you have problems with Oscar fish sulking?

Does your Oscar fish seemed to be laying down at the bottom of the tank like they are dead?

Does your Oscar fish pout at the corner of the tank after you did some changes in the tank?

If you have ever ask yourself these questions, we have the answer here. For beginners, it is not a cause for concern and in most cases this is perfectly normal, so please don’t say your fish is weird and ship them back to the pet store, I’ve seen these cases happen so many times before, and please do some research before getting any new fish, you don’t want your fish to suffer or you wasting a whole lot of money.

Credits to Earl Josh Von Fabian, an Oscar lover

Oscars The Sissy Fish

Oscars are known to do all sorts of weird things like playing dead, staring at the corner of the tank, obsess with a new furniture you just brought which is visible to the Oscar, disapprove the new plant that you recently place in the tank, sulking after a water change and much much more unexpected fish characteristics.

They somewhat act like a typical teenager throwing tantrum. Hormone changes haha.

Oscar fish has all of these characteristics because they are very temperamental fish.

This article is a must read article for people that wants to keep Oscar but knows nothing about Oscar sulking and doing al sorts of weird things.

Most people tend to sent their Oscar back to the pet shop after having them for a day or  so because  they don’t understand about Oscar sulking.

I got him yesterday in a 30 gallon tank with oxygen pump and he now he is sulking, playing dead, laying at the bottom of the tank without moving any part of his body, the fins are not moving, his eyes are not moving, he ignores the food and the fish, oh well…….

Why do they sulk?

Well, I can’t answer you that simply because I don’t know why, just like how we humans don’t know why we get angry, anxious, itchy, aggressive or depressed suddenly at some moments in our life. Usually, if you move something in the tank or place something new in the tank, they will sulk. It’s like they don’t approve those new things or they are upset that you moved something. And it’s also like how a child will react after getting another family member, let’s say an adopted child, in the house. At first the child will act weirdly and get upset probably, but alter they will get use to it. Same thing applies to Oscar, they are the boss of the tank but acts like a baby. And that’s also why I love them so much, their unique characteristics. But it also annoys me a bit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Picture credits to: http://aqualandpetsplus.com/Cichlids,%20More%20Oscars%20V.htm

How often?

They usually sulk once awhile, if it happens very often , check the water parameters, see if there’s any problems, because that’s an unhealthy sign .

What can I do?

Do nothing, just wait for them to stop sulking, if you take any actions, they will sulk even more,so it’s best to do nothing. And it’s fine for an Oscar to sulk because that’s what they do, it’s not like they are sick of something, the Oscar is just playing sissy.

What makes them sulk?

• moving them into a new tank

 

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  Credits to Earl Josh Von Fabian gain :0

 

Let’s say you brought an Oscar from the pet shop and place them into a well set-up tank, for the first 5 minutes they will wonder around and explore the tank, after that, they will sulk.

• being placed into a opaque tank

If the Oscar is placed in a opaque tank, they will sulk, simply because they can’t see what’s happening outside the tank. Bear in mind that Oscars are aware of what is happening outside the tank and they prefer to be in a transparent tank. That’s my opinion by the way, other fish keepers might have a different opinion.

• the food sucks

Well, food. Food is life, ghost shrimps are life for Oscars, like how pizzas are life to us.

• new furniture

There’s been a case where the Oscar was place in a tank which is facing opposite to the new door, and the owner of the house replaced the old door with a new door which is white in colour. What happen was Mr. Oscar disappoves that change and is sulking, playing dead, trying to break the glass or the tank to protest against the owner… Awwwwwww…..

• water change

after a water change, the Oscar will sulk, yes, water change, so please don’t do water changing so frequently.

How Long?

I don’t know, different Oscars have different ‘sulking routines’, how they sulk, why they sulk, how long they sulk. Generally, they will sulk about a few minutes to a few hours, or a few days, in some cases (usually after newly introduced to a new tank) they can sulk up to weeks.

 

This is Mr. Grumpy, Sam’s favorite Oscar. When Sam first got Grumpy, he sulked for weeks, 4 weeks.

So, please share this to people that is about to get an Oscar or people that doesn’t understand sulking or else they will suffer a lot with this sulking problem!!!!