posted 02-12-2004 09:08 AM         

Secondly, Cycle is completely worthless, so don't waste your money on it. It is supposed to be nitrifying bacteria in a bottle. However, it is not refrigerated so by the time you buy it, all that bacteria is dead.

Also, Stop giving them feeder fish. That is the #1 way of introducing diseases into your tank. They also provide very little nutritional value for oscars. And, they can't be digested properly so parts of the fish are simply spit out and add to the mess on the bottom of the tank. A MUCH better diet for oscars is a good quality staple food like Hikari Staple & Gold, New Life Spectrum, or HBH Oscar Show.

Your filtration is inadequate. Normally a Penguin 170 would be great for a 10 gallon, however, yours is WAY overstocked with VERY messy fish. And the only thing an undergravel filter will do is trap the mess on the bottom of the tank in the gravel. They're also no recommended for oscars because oscars like to dig and will render it useless.

Vacuuming the gravel will help, but the tank is still overstocked and you're just going to run into more problems (and possibly the death of your fish) if you don't get a bigger tank now. A 10 gallon or even 30 gallon tank is much too small for 2 fish that are going to get 14+ inches.

posted 02-12-2004 02:26 PM         

The only way to remove nitrAte is by doing water changes. Normally in a tank that is large enough, there is enough water to dilute the nitrAtes so it will take about a week for them to get up to 20ppm (ie, you can get buy with weekly water changes). A 10 gallon tank is over 7 times smaller than those fish require, so you're going to have to do large water changes AT LEAST every day in order to keep the nitrAtes at a safe level.

And that doesn't even account for territory. It is normal for young oscars to get along (just like most elementary school aged kids get along). But once they start maturing (at about 6" - assuming they live that long in a 10 gallon, which isn't likely) the chances of them getting along will greatly decrease and it is highly possible that they will kill eachother. And you stated that they are already locking lips and thrashing around all the time wich is a good sign that they are already not liking eachother.

So, I'm going to say it again, you need AT LEAST a 75 gallon tank ASAP. If you can't get one within the next couple of weeks, I suggest that you get rid of the fish and find something more suitable for your tank sizes. I know this sounds harsh, but it's the best thing for the fish. When you bought them, you accepted the responsibility that it takes to provide them with the proper environment and keep them healthy and happy. They are living creatures that depend on you and deserve to be treated well. Trying to keep them in that tank is cruel and by doing so, you are signing their death sentences.

posted 02-12-2004 07:56 PM         

Well, to put it bluntly, you should have done more research and picked a fish that was more appropriate for your tank.

And yes, trying to keep 2 oscars in a 10 gallon tank is cruel. And if fish were covered under animal welfare laws (for some stupid reason, they're not ), that would be considered abuse. It is the same as trying to keep a german shepard locked in a closet.

Out of curiosity, what are your water parameters (ammonia, nitrIte, and nitrAte)? I can almost guarantee they are not within acceptable levels.

Like I said before, your only choices are to get a bigger tank or get rid of the fish. You can try putting an ad in the paper and give them away. Or if you can't afford an actualy aquarium, you can always get a 50 gallon rubbermaid storage bin (something like THIS) and turn it into a makshift aquarium. It won't look pretty, but it will provide a better environment for the fish and buy you another 3 or 4 months.