Feeding An Oscar

[micko]

Ok, I've been offered two small (3inch) tiger oscars from my girlfriends uncle who recently bought them not knowing what size they get to. I have always liked oscars but was a wee bit wary because their feeding seems to baffle me. Different sites are so conflicting as are people. Some say its O.K to feed shrimp, fresh/frozen prawns and some say ham, bacon, beef and some suggest normal flake foods.

I'd really like to know what they can/cannot eat. I don't wish to accept them and not have a clue how to look after them, I'd rather see them go into a lfs. I understand they get very big, I have two tanks, one of which is an empty 350ltr (I understand that probably wouldn't be their home for too long due to the rate they grow at.


All help is appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[drufly]

I recently bought a red and an albino Oscar, I have been told on here beef and other mammals aren't good, only as a treat maybe once a month. My 2 love cooked prawns, white fish, peas. Mainly they are fed on cichlid pellets and catfish pellets, they are lovely fish to watch.

I find mine like live food, small guppys, neons, but generally they ain't too fussy

 

[micko]

I'm really not keen on the idea of live feeding to be honest drufly, nor is my girlfriend. There's of course an argument for and against it but my personal opinion is no.

the prawns your on about, are they just the bought ones out of a supermarket? I feed my severums cichlid gold, they love them, angels do too. Would these be ok for an oscar?

Thanks for your advice

 

[roadmaster]

Cichlid gold, chopped earthworms, cricket's,Krill,shrimp,New life spectrum pellet's for large fish would be safe nutrition.
Would not offer feeder fish for once they make the menu,,some cichlids will then refuse other more nutritious foods.Store bought feeder's are a very good way to introduce disease to your Oscar's.
Only takes one sick feeder fish in a store tank full of them, to infect the whole tank of feeder's, and then your fish as well should you purchase sick ones.

 

[micko]

Cichlid gold, chopped earthworms, cricket's,Krill,shrimp,New life spectrum pellet's for large fish would be safe nutrition.
Would not offer feeder fish for once they make the menu,,some cichlids will then refuse other more nutritious foods.Store bought feeder's are a very good way to introduce disease to your Oscar's.
Only takes one sick feeder fish in a store tank full of them, to infect the whole tank of feeder's, and then your fish as well should you purchase sick ones.

Thanks roadmaster,

That sounds a bit easier. I really don't think I could put a fish into the tank knowing it was going to be food.

I think I might accept them. They're still small and haven't been feed any live food as yet so I'd like to keep it that way too.

Thanks for your help.

 

[drufly]

Any feeders I have fed have all came from a tank I have setup at home, that's the only reason I feed them. I do make the mistake of feeding prawns and white fish 1st, such a job it was to get him on to pellets. Although the 2nd o was a help, bit of competition lol.

Enjoy your new fishes, they are wonderful. Mine come and great me every mornin swimming up and dwn the glass goin mad.

Ps. They can be trained to take food from hand, very cool. Interacting with them.

 

[micko]

Thanks drufly. Aye, I've heard you can hand feed them. Interesting.

Still only in the pipe line as yet though, would like to get all the food and everything for them before I actually get them.

Thanks