Some experts can tell

Question
QUESTION: hello,ive asked someone is there a way to tell the male oscar from the female....Is this a true statement? I wish to start breeding ,what are your tips & all the things i will need...From beginning to end...PLZ

ANSWER: You know, as young Oscars, it's hard to tell, but for those of us who have cichlids primarily, we can usually tell.

It's difficult to tell by eye, but experts can sometimes do so.  The best way to find a pair is to have a community of Oscars together.  The pair who pairs up is a pair.  Plain and simple.

In this image http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/ss92/NOLAGT/pair4.jpg you see a pair of Oscars together.  I can tell you that the female is on the left.  

Almost every time, the female is larger, but it's not a 100% guarantee.  They must be fully grown to use this method and even then, sometimes we get a big bull male and he's the same size or larger.  :)

Sometimes, the anal fin on a male is a hair longer and pointier, but not like in other cichlids.  The anal fins in a female may be rounder also.  Less straight on the way down.

The heads may also have a different shape.  The male's head just a hair shorter, and angled straighter, the female's bulging wider at the top and maybe a little rounder.  Again, this would be an adult pair's features.  This image, shows a head comparison.  http://s565.photobucket.com/albums/ss92/NOLAGT/?action=view¤t=fight1.jpg  Look at the female, on the left.  Notice the head's shape?  This pair is a full grown pair.  The male also shows a slight difference between gills and tail, in length/width.  

Found some fantastic breeding images, of someone's Oscars.  Their album is set to public, so I would like to share their images with you.  http://s565.photobucket.com/albums/ss92/NOLAGT/?action=view¤t=fight1.jpg

I know that many will say there is no way to tell.  You know, for the average fishkeeper this is very true.  For the average breeder, even, this may be true, but you can go to some oldschool fish stores who can tell you the differences in adult pairs.  Still, the very best method is the schooling method. :)

You need at least a 100 gallon aquarium for a pair of full-grown Oscars. Anything less is sub-standard to their happiness.  Many will remove them and house them in a small tank during breeding.  I don't.  

Heat it to 78 degrees to 80 degrees.  Some people raise the temperature higher.  I don't.  You can condition their moods by a water change every full moon of 25%.  You can give them live food and beef hearts.  The aquarium needs to be in a quiet place, without people walking by constantly and light is of the utmost importance during breeding.  Heavy lighting, for longer hours helps the fish to go into spawn.  

Typical cichlid mouth locking and tumbling will occur.  You can see this behavior in the photos on the link above.

You might also consider not decorating this tank.  Soon as they get into the brood mood, they are going to destroy anything you put into it during the rennovation.

When she begins moving gravel to reveal the bottom of the tank, don't put the gravel back.  She is nesting.  But, you should put in a sheet of slate.  Lots of people use flower pots.  I don't.  I like natural surfaces and to give the fish more room, as they are a type of fish who requires room to breed.

She will clean the surface she wants to lay on, and she will spend countless hours darting out at anyone walking past, who she sees as a threat.  She will become extremely territorial at this time and if you put your hand into your tank, you may be bitten.  My female bit me every time lol.  Didn't kill me, but it's quite scary if you don't expect it.

I don't suggest messing around in the tank at this time, either.  

Filtration is very important when the eggs are laid, in order to keep water quality crystal clear.

Happy fish-keeping.
Renee

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: hello,i have a question.I have 2 blood parrots,3 fire mouths,2 african jewels & 1 green terra.All are sm,no more than a inch or 2....But 1 of the parrots looks like it has ick....Now i also have a 10gal hospital tank,i put melafix in the water had it circulate for 12hrs,no filter...ut the fish in this morning about 8am and about 10am the fish was on the bottom of the tank...Took him out put him back in the big tank and now hes swimming around again....The problen is i dont want the other fish to get sick..I noticed the ick about a week ago.Its bad enough the 2 parrots hide in the top of the tank behind the pumps,sideways making me think they are dying...What should i do....1 other question,i have a 20gal long with a tiger oscar 12inches and a jack 7inches..now what im beginning to see is the oscar is always getting the jack in the corner blocking him in with its body...like using its tail and head and keeping the jack in the corner but they are not fighting the jack just stays there,till i hit the tank and the oscar moves....HELP ME OUT PLZ..

Answer
Hi Jay,

I'll try to address questions each separately.

For the Oscar issue...separate the two.  No bones about it, the Oscar will eventually bully the other fish to death or until it jumps out.  Oscars are very territorial.

Melafix is worthless.  Please, instead, put 3 teaspoons of aquarium salt or marine salt into that tank per gallon and dissolve it.  Treat the Ich using that and it will die, guaranteed.

The directions to you are:
Add 3 teaspoons of marine salt per gallon.  The tank is 10 gallons.  Dissolve 30 teaspoons of salt.  Treat fish four days in that tank.  Make sure temperatures are at 80F.

In fact, the only way you will ever get rid of Ich in the main tank (it will survive even after you cure the fish and it will return over and over again) is to either clean the tank it originated in, or to leave it standing for a month without any fish so the ich die.

The other fish may not get sick now, but later they will.  

I hope this helps in time.  Please feel free to write back.

Happy fish-keeping.

Renee