AboutRon Coleman Expertise I am an expert on cichlid fishes, particularly New World cichlids. My broader expertise includes the behavior, ecology and reproduction of fishes in general. (I am NOT an expert on Goldfish. Please do not ask me questions about why your goldfish are sick -- they are almost always sick due to the way that they are sold). Also, please do not use abbreviations, such as "my GT has a swollen
eye" because I don't know what a "GT" is. The more clearly you can explain your question, the better chance I have of understanding what it is that you seek. Thanks.
Experience I teach at the California State University, Sacramento in the Department of Biological Sciences, and I run a website, called the Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>. I also write for many popular aquarist magazines, and I am editor of Cichlid News magazine. I am a scientist and I spend my time teaching fish biology, ecology, behavior and evolution and doing research on the reproductive biology of fishes, particularly cichlids. I do research in the laboratory and in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Mexico. My main interest is understanding the evolution of parental care in fishes. I am interested in encouraging greater public awareness, understanding and participation in science.<BR><BR><B>Organizations belong to</b><BR>American Cichlid Association, Pacific Coast Cichlid Association, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, etc<BR><BR><B>Publications</b><BR>Cichlid News, Tropical Fish Hobbyist, Freshwater and Marine Aquarium, Science, Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology, Copeia, Canadian Journal of Zoology, Trends in Ecology and Evolution, AUK, Environmental Biology of Fishes<BR><BR><B>Education/Credentials</b><BR>PhD (Toronto, 1993) MSc (Simon Fraser, 1986) BSc (British Columbia, 1983)<BR>
Expert: Ron Coleman Date: 3/25/2008 Subject: strange behavior with oscars
Question I hope you can help me, I am worried about my one oscar, we bought 2 small oscars about six months ago, since then one of them has grown to be about 10 inches or so, the other one has remained small, not real small but only about 5 inches. Lately the smaller oscar has stayed hiding in a castle we have in the tank. the tank is a 55 gallon tank. The larger oscars stares in at the other one all day. this has been going on for about a week. I am afraid the small one is not even coming out to eat. We do have 2 Plecos in the tank also. can you advise me before I lose the small oscar from not eating?
Answer Hi Sandy,
First, keep in mind that fish like oscars can go a long time without food (weeks) if they have to. Also, what was going on last week, i.e., before this started happening?
-- Ron
rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>
