Fat Oscar

Question
Hello
 I have 2 oscars in a 125 gal tank. One is a red oscar the other a tiger.  The best I can recall I beleave the fish are about 3 yr old.  The pair are very lazy hunters so I feed mostly Cichlid Gold Color Enhancer dry food. The fish have been fine and happy up untill yesterday when I noticed my Red was much larger in the belly area then normal.  Infact the fish is twice as large in diameter then normal and is looking very stressed.  It seems to be even unable to close its own mouth. I don't know much about fish illness but to my untrained eye I would say it was either having very bad case of indigestion or maybe about to lay eggs.
 Are Reds and Tigers compatable in this way?  Do you think this is the case or do you have another idea.  Any help you can offer in this case is greatly appreciated.  

Answer
Hi Shawn,
   I doubt if it is about to lay eggs -- it sounds like it has serious intenstinal blockage.  Sadly I don't know what you can do about that.

  Red and tiger oscars are actually just color varieties of the same species so there is no problem with keeping them together or even with them breeding together.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
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