The Oscars Are In Love & the Parrots Don't Like It!

[ScorpiosWife]

Awww. I've been watching this for a couple of days now. The Oscars rubbing all over each other, the tails twiching & slapping each other with them, the lip locking, the clearing a nice clean spot on the tank floor, they're just so lovey dovey.

The problem is the parrots are preparing to fruitlessly spawn, again, less than a foot away. They are not happy with the O's right now! Of course, the O's are not oblivious to the fact that they're annoying the parrots because the male parrot rams into the sides of the O's in an attempt to push them away from "their" spot. The O's ignore them & carry on with their rituals. I'm glad my O's are passive so far, tho. Nothing seems to irritate them... yet.

I've never sexed them before, but today I decided what the heck. I'm not even sure they're old enough to be successful. The Lutino has a gaping hole & the Tiger has what can best be described as a spike. So, they are different! Hmmm. They were about 3 months old when we got them so that makes them 13-14 months. What will come of it? Who knows? Have to wait and see.

I wonder, if they do spawn, will their temperaments change? Perhaps I need to work on a divider or something. They get along fine with their current tank mates, but if this changes there's gonna be carnage. Gonna have to keep a close eye on them till we know for sure.

[phish]

Parrots will lay eggs all by them self, if you see the tube extend, she should lay in next 3 days. I use to breed fh + bp. You definitely have a pair of oscars or else they will fight till the end. GL with the breeding!!!

[ScorpiosWife]

Thanks. The parrots lay every month to provide snacks for everyone. They'd make such great parents if he wasn't shootin blanks. I feel for them. They spend so much time nesting, protecting and fanning their eggs for nothing.

The O's have never fought each other or anyone else. They were tankmates when we bought them as babies and haven't ever had issue with one another...yet. I know enough about them to know that can change with a quickness, tho. I'll just watch them closely for a while. Nothing may come of it or they may spawn. It's just cute that they're so lovey dovey right now & the parrots are so over it!

[allysangels]

i hope my 2 Os are a pair... they get along great so far but theyre only about 9 inches right now. ironically enough, they also share a tank with a spawning BP, also apparently shooting blanks, although his girl is my biggest female convict...

[mistahoo]

Perhaps I need to work on a divider or something

I know they sell the small dividers at petsmart/petco but I doubt that'll work. You could get egg crate (light diffusers) from home depot and cut it to fit in the tank as a divider if you do happen to ever need one.

[ScorpiosWife]

Ally, that's one confused BP! My male BP spends the majority of his day, every day, herding the female & chasing off anyone who gets within fins length of her. He's a controlling little squirt!

Mistahoo, thank you. I had been thinking more like a wall of bricks, lol. I've decided to set up another 55g tank to move everyone else into to avoid the whole situation, if need be. Gonna need somewhere to raise the surviving fry if they do successfully spawn anyway. My 10g fry tank just ain't gonna cut it.

[allysangels]

i tried the egg crate divider at one point, it almost worked. the bichir was very naughty... the other fishes all respected the divider, but boris was determined, i guess the shape of his body gave him the advantage. he figured out that if he worked at a corner, he could push it back. then the others would capitalize on the weakness he created. it still amazes me how smart they can be.

[troy tucker]

Dawn. angel fish fry are raised in a 1g jar. I'm sure a 10g tank will be big einough for oscar fry. the small tank makes it easier to keep clean and easy to feed the group.

[allysangels]

I agree with troy, I have raised many types of babies in my 10g. just use a sponge filter and do lots of PWCs, use a airline tube to vaccuum the bottom.

[ScorpiosWife]

Cool beanage! However, I can always find another excuse to have another tank, lol.

[troy tucker]

Your fry tank needs to be clean. Just glass and a breeder sponge. You can cycle the sponge in the tank with the oscars. So all you have to do is put the sponge in the tank and ad water.

[ScorpiosWife]

Sounds like a plan. :)