My Oscars

[zachattack]

I need help, my oscars don't eat their food. They are tiger oscars of about 8cm length, i feed them oscar show (for adult oscars) and im not sure if they arent eating because something is wrong with them or because the food is for adults. The food does seem a little big when they try to swallow it. but then they just spit it and leave it there. WHAT TO DO?!!!!

 

[DevilsAdvocate]

Try feeding them something else.

Mealworms, Crickets, Earthworms..loads more you could try aswell.

What are you water stats? Ammonia, PH, NitrIte, NitrAte..

 

[zachattack]

I havent tested my water in a while but last time i checked everything was alright I only know that my ph level is 7.5. i havent fed them any insects i find in the backyard like worms etc. should i feed them those.

 

[DevilsAdvocate]

Well they aren't eating the stuff you are feeding now, it won't hurt to give them a try! Give them a good clean first and if you used any insecticides or anything like that lately in the 'backyard' avoid feeding them the earthworms.

You could really do with testing your water as soon as possible. When did you last do a water change? And have you been getting the food the Oscars don't eat out of the tank?

 

[zachattack]

yes i have been doing everything right. regular water changes, cleaning regularly etc. i dont use pesticides in the yard (i hope nobody else does) and ive heard of people feeding their oscars anything and they get sick very easily.

 

[Morquinn]

Try buying some frozen bloodworms or beefheart, my 2 inch oscar loves that. Make sure you thaw it out first though, I learned the hard way like 5 years ago when I had one and didnt thaw it out, he ate the whole darn thing and died like 5 minutes later, probably cuz it froze his insides. I usually put it in a warm cup of water first and use something to break it up a little bit.

 

[ringham]

My oscar quite likes prawns, bloodworm, flake food (just the standard stuff), sinkers for bottom feeders, hikari carnivore pellets. Also if I were you I would defo try to lower ph. My tap water pH is 8.4 so I have no option but to add ph adjust every water change. I don't do it dangerously because the water is already 7.0 but they tap is so high it just gets it right.

 

[Bullrock74]

When I first got my oscar he wouldn't eat all, he just spit out the cichlid pellets I was feeding him. So, I thought when he gets hungry enough he will eat. WRONG! I went about two weeks trying to feed the same foods, but he wasn't budging. Then I took ordinary ham, the kind you make sandwiches out of and he ate some, but not all of it. Then I took ordinary peeled and deveined shrimp and he ate all of it. Then about a week later, I fed him the same cichlid pellets he used to spit out and he ate that, too. I've had him now for about a year and he's grown to about 9" in length.

 

[zachattack]

Thanx everybody I have the oscars eating well now

 

[HendrixTheOscar]

Try buying some frozen bloodworms or beefheart, my 2 inch oscar loves that. Make sure you thaw it out first though, I learned the hard way like 5 years ago when I had one and didnt thaw it out, he ate the whole darn thing and died like 5 minutes later, probably cuz it froze his insides. I usually put it in a warm cup of water first and use something to break it up a little bit.

That's strange. I always feed mine bloodworm straight from the freezer. He's about 8" now and healthy as can be. He grabs it whole, sucks it in and chews it through, seems to enjoy it. My green terror swims up and gets his cube too and swims around the tank with it chewing bits off of it (he's only about 4" though).