Oscar Won't Eat

[Raechal]

I started feeding my Oscar when he was very small, about an inch on tropical flakes, bloodworms and brine shrimp. Then once he got a little bigger I switched him to Hikari Cichlid Gold Food and he ate those pellets if I soaked them in water first to get them softer. Once I ran out of those pellets I started feeding him prawn and peas for about a week as I didn't have the money to go out and buy more staple food. I finally went out to the fish store and they didn't have Hikari Cichlid Gold Food so I picked up Hikari Cichlid Staple Food, he ate a few pellets the first day after it sat in the tank for awhile, but now he won't eat them. He will eat tropical flakes, but they're so tiny it takes me forever to feed him on those. I have just been going back to feeding him prawn and peas because that seems like the only food he will eat.

I am going to the fish store today to take a look around and try to find a good staple he will actually eat. Or should I just go with some frozen food since that is what he loves? What about tubifex worms? What do you feed your oscars?

 

[SamUK]

i feed mine on flakes, pond pellets (he loves them and there a bit softer than normal pellets. £2 odd so cheap too), prawns and dog biscuits!


dog biscuits have to be soaked to be soft first tho.

 

[Raechal]

yeah I am thinking I should go for flakes because he enjoys eating the tropical flakes and sometimes goldfish flakes so I think he would enjoy the flakes, and maybe I'll pick up soem crickets or meal worms. he seemed to enjoy those as well last time.

 

[SamUK]

well my sev seems to prefer flakes over pellets and the silver dollars and cons eat them too so i have to put them in the tank anyway.


i kno what you mean about them being small tho. sometimes if im nearly at the end of the tub of flakes and its all crumbled then hercules jus kinda looks at it then looks bak at me. doesnt even bother trying to eat it.

 

[Raechal]

well my sev seems to prefer flakes over pellets and the silver dollars and cons eat them too so i have to put them in the tank anyway.


i kno what you mean about them being small tho. sometimes if im nearly at the end of the tub of flakes and its all crumbled then hercules jus kinda looks at it then looks bak at me. doesnt even bother trying to eat it.

Haha mine does the same.

 

[Raechal]

I went and got the red hikari gold pellets and he won't eat those either, he used to eat them perfectly fine before I introduced him to treats like shrimp, prawn, and frozen fish. I bought some frozen silver side type of fish as well and he gulps them right down. He won't even touch the pellets. I think he will eat them again if he gets hungry enough. I guess no more treats for him until he starts back on the staple again. Spoiled little brat.


It's so hard to resist giving them treats when they come right up to the glass and stare at you with those eyes.

 

[willtang3000]

starving him for 24hours wont hurt him and just feed him what you would like to feed him regulary but a treat 1-2 a week wont hurt

 

[Raechal]

starving him for 24hours wont hurt him and just feed him what you would like to feed him regulary but a treat 1-2 a week wont hurt

That's what I am going to try. It is so hard for me not to feed him though when he swims up to the glass (the tank is right next to my bed) and stares at me and gives me those big ol puppy dog eyes. Can't help but to toss a prawn or silver side in there for him.


I guess I will just have to ignore his professional begging skills. I swear he is worse than a puppy.

 

[willtang3000]

starving him for 24hours wont hurt him and just feed him what you would like to feed him regulary but a treat 1-2 a week wont hurt

That's what I am going to try. It is so hard for me not to feed him though when he swims up to the glass (the tank is right next to my bed) and stares at me and gives me those big ol puppy dog eyes. Can't help but to toss a prawn or silver side in there for him.


I guess I will just have to ignore his professional begging skills. I swear he is worse than a puppy.

resist raechal he knows what breaks you so resist

 

[Raechal]

starving him for 24hours wont hurt him and just feed him what you would like to feed him regulary but a treat 1-2 a week wont hurt

That's what I am going to try. It is so hard for me not to feed him though when he swims up to the glass (the tank is right next to my bed) and stares at me and gives me those big ol puppy dog eyes. Can't help but to toss a prawn or silver side in there for him.


I guess I will just have to ignore his professional begging skills. I swear he is worse than a puppy.

resist raechal he knows what breaks you so resist

I had thec cichlid pellets and a silver side out just earlier and I told him if he ate the pellets I would give him his treat. The pellets floated there awhile but then he started to eat them. I rewarded him with a silver side.


He is now eating the old pellets that he used to.

I also cleaned their tank today and moved a bunch of stuff around. My parrot LOVES the new setup as there are a lot more hiding spots and caves for her to lay eggs in...my oscar seems kind of bummed like he always is when I change things around.


Everything will be changed to their liking in the morning anyway. Always tearing plants up and stuff.

 

[Morquinn]

Mine like to eat frozen brine shrimp, beefheart and the occasional bloodworms. When I feed flakes they tend to only eat the red ones, other than that they take their pellets greedily. I do give them some worms though, such as pheonix worms, earthworms and the occasional waxworm as a treat.

 

[Raechal]

Mine like to eat frozen brine shrimp, beefheart and the occasional bloodworms. When I feed flakes they tend to only eat the red ones, other than that they take their pellets greedily. I do give them some worms though, such as pheonix worms, earthworms and the occasional waxworm as a treat.

I created a calendar type schedule that has what they need to be fed everyday. Staple 3 or 4 times a week. Peas and Silver sides the other days mixed with staple. I am going to try that.

Occasionally switching the silver sides with brine shrimp and stuff.