Oscar condition

Question
Hi Chris,
Just want to ask you questions regarding my Oscar Fish.  First of all, he's 8 inches long, black with orange markings. He lives in a 20 gallon tank. Water is fresh water and as for the ph, ammonia and nitrite levels are, I have the slightest idea what it is.  About 5 days ago I cleaned and relocated his tank into the livingroom. He didn't eat any food that I gave him for about 3 days. I was getting really worried, and just yesterday he started eating again! Is it because he was in some kind of shock or something else? Another question, a friend of mines told me that I can feed him some live small fish like guppies and also that they eat meat (steak, bacon etc.) is this okay to feed? One more question, I have noticed that my fish has been rearranging the gravel that I have in the aquarium!  He picks up the gravel and toss it to the other side of the tank and soon there he leaves a bare spot at the bottom of the tank. Do you know what he is doing? Is he mad or just making his home comfortable?
Could you please give me answers to these questions, I would really appreciate your advise.
Thank You,
Demi  

Answer
Hi Demi;

The stress of moving will definately cause fish to stop eating. Three days sounds pretty normal.

It is not healthy to feed live feeder fish to oscars. Feeder fish are often kept in very dirty and overcrowded conditions. That's why they're cheap. It causes them to be of very little nutritional value too. The bad conditions causes many feeders to be sick and you don't want your oscar to get sick too. I've seen it happen. Oscars will also get addicted to live food and eat nothing else. They would rather starve than eat another food once that happens. Don't feed meat, steak and especially not bacon. Fish need nutritious foods with a full range of vitamins, fiber and minerals. Pure protein does not fit that requirement. I'm sure your friend meant well, but bacon? I'm still reeling over that suggestion! All those nitrates and sodium aren't good for people either. Not to mention the greasy residue that would appear around the edge of your tank. Yikes! Oscars are messy enough on their own without helping them make a mess of their tank. Just stick with healthy pelleted diets. Your fish will be healthier and the chances will be lowered of him developing diseases. In nature they eat insects and crustaceans. They get the whole creature which contains a wide range of nutrients, not just the "meat" part. They also eat plants for fiber.

The excavation he is doing is indeed just to make a home for himself. Most cichlids do it. It's a good sign that hes happy and healthy. Make a 25% water change at least once a week and vavuum the gravel too. It will help keep his tank clean and he will keep feeling as good as he is now.

You will have to get him a bigger tank soon too. Oscars get 12 to 14 inches long and he can't do that in a 20 gallon. I wouldn't recommend anything smaller than a 50 gallon for a single adult.

Have fun!

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins