Oscars Food

[adamgreen240]

hi , apatr from flakes and smaller fish , what is an ideal diet for a 3inch oscar for optimum growth? what shold should they be fed and how ofter . anything i can vary their diet with?

Thanks in advance for any help posted.

Adam

 

[shroob]

They pretty much eat anything, shrimp, prawns, pellet food, muscle, crickets and worms. A diet of feeders may not be the best (especially if they are store bought ones). Flake food doesn't offer much nutrition to larger fish, so it would probably be better to switch to a good quality pellet for the base of the diet.

The ideal diet would be a staple of high quality pellet (hikari, NLS, etc). With the occasional treat of shrimp, worms, etc.

 

[andyourblueblood]

They pretty much eat anything, shrimp, prawns, pellet food, muscle, crickets and worms. A diet of feeders may not be the best (especially if they are store bought ones). Flake food doesn't offer much nutrition to larger fish, so it would probably be better to switch to a good quality pellet for the base of the diet.

The ideal diet would be a staple of high quality pellet (hikari, NLS, etc). With the occasional treat of shrimp, worms, etc.

agreed.

 

[adamgreen240]

thanks

 

[blue acara]

They love earthworms, if you have a garden you have free food.

 

[adamgreen240]

lol ok thanks

 

[FeroX]

Free food ridden with pesticides. If you know they use pesticides or insecticides in your area, don't even bother collecting anything wild to feed your fish. Feed your little guy small amounts about 3-4 times a day too, since he's only a baby.

 

[the biffster]

mine used to love wholemeal pond pellets
and spuralina pellets as well as well as chopped squid [baby ones]
oh and white bait whole

good luck biff

 

[adamgreen240]

cheers guys , i ordered some ciclid pellets from ebay and will try them on them and see how they go.

 

[blue acara]

Free food ridden with pesticides. If you know they use pesticides or insecticides in your area, don't even bother collecting anything wild to feed your fish. Feed your little guy small amounts about 3-4 times a day too, since he's only a baby.

I said from your garden! 'They' cant put any chemicals if it is your property. Pesticides are not used where I live. The only chemical I have seen the council use is some kind of fungus spore killer. Don't collect worms where this may be used.

 

[FeroX]

Well usually your garden is outside, in your yard, where I live, and that's where the weed guys spray. Obviously different where you live, but the point still stands, make sure it's a pesticide-free area you're collecting from.

 

[fry_lover]

i personally wouldnt go down the "small fish" route (EDIT: not that you said you are), i really dont see the need. Its not the ethics so much, i just think the risks outweigh the benefits, and i think there are some pretty strong arguments that its not nutritionally required in the vast majority (although i am too lazy to support this view with links etc, sorry!)

I also dont buy the "fish like to chase" argument. Not that anyones bought it up

I like the thread, i think working on a fish's diet and considering all your options is good fish keeping practice.

What fish are they in with? This can influence the feeding routine somewhat.