Clams and oscar gish

[Mogurako]

Most of my breeders were 12" -15" with one pair being 22" & 24".

Not only one but two fish that reached double the aknowledged maximum lenght of this species can reach in the wild or captivity? I call shenanigans unless there is some sort photographic proof of this.

 

[Andy Sager]

I think you're right, but bigger fish need bigger meals, and maybe fed a bit less then 3-4 times a day?

I'm not disputing the size of the meals. They do need to grow as the fish grows. HOWEVER, the frequency doesn't need to change. (IMO ) Simply put in human terms (something I try to stay away from, comparing us to fish, BUT...) How well would you do if you only ate a HUGE breakfast in the morning and nothing for the rest of the day? That's what you are encouraging. I contend that if you eat moderate meals (whatever size "moderate" is) throughout the day, you will be happier and healthier for doing so. In this case, I believe the fish respond the same way.
Now, I'm not a scientist (and I don't play one on TV or the internet ) but I do have a number of years of experience that REALLLLLLY leans towards this being a better way. You and others can take it for what that's worth. I have nothing more to prove.

 

[Fishanatic]

I'm not disputing the size of the meals. They do need to grow as the fish grows. HOWEVER, the frequency doesn't need to change. (IMO ) Simply put in human terms (something I try to stay away from, comparing us to fish, BUT...) How well would you do if you only ate a HUGE breakfast in the morning and nothing for the rest of the day? That's what you are encouraging. I contend that if you eat moderate meals (whatever size "moderate" is) throughout the day, you will be happier and healthier for doing so. In this case, I believe the fish respond the same way.
Now, I'm not a scientist (and I don't play one on TV or the internet ) but I do have a number of years of experience that REALLLLLLY leans towards this being a better way. You and others can take it for what that's worth. I have nothing more to prove.

Try feeding an fully grown oscar moderate meals. It won't work. Mine never ate small meals, i always had to give him something big portioned.
I understand you're point, but some fish just wont eat the way you want them to. I would feed the fish 2-3 times if it's bigger, because it needs something more consisting and bigger, and not smaller but more often.

 

[Andy Sager]

Not only one but two fish that reached double the aknowledged maximum lenght of this species can reach in the wild or captivity? I call shenanigans unless there is some sort photographic proof of this.

I believe you may have seen some of the websites that others have called into questions. These were wild common Oscars, back in the 1960s. Today's fish will most likely not get to these lengths anymore because they are tank bred, inbred, other incarnations of the wild stock. Many of today's aquarium fish will not get (and in some cases not even look like) to their wild counterpart's sizes and colors. Does that mean that the wild fish don't exist? I've seen wild green swordtail males that measured 10" with the sword. I haven't seen a similar domesticated fish reach that length. Does that mean the fish I saw didn't exist?

BTW: I also saw a website that said that wild Oscars reach 30" but avg 17". I can't proof that 30" either. Should we all go to the site and ask them to take it down because we haven't seen an Oscar that big? Maybe we all need to become explorers and head on down to S. America and start hunting for them.

I don't shenanigan. I may hoolagin, maybe nare do well every once in a while but I never shenanigan.

 

[Andy Sager]

Try feeding an fully grown oscar moderate meals. It won't work. Mine never ate small meals, i always had to give him something big portioned.
I understand you're point, but some fish just wont eat the way you want them to. I would feed the fish 2-3 times if it's bigger, because it needs something more consisting and bigger, and not smaller but more often.

Hey, to each their own. I'm just stating what I did and what my results were. I had 13 pairs of these fish and flooded the markets of NJ, NY and PA with baby Reds, Red Tiger and Common Oscars back then. ( What can I say, I was young and foolish and thought that nobody would ever have enough Oscars for their stores. lol ) They all went on the same schedule I described. Feel free to do what you want. They are your fish

 

[Mogurako]

I've seen wild green swordtail males that measured 10" with the sword. I haven't seen a similar domesticated fish reach that length. Does that mean the fish I saw didn't exist?

There is a huge differnce between domesticated blood lines and wild blood lines, this is why myself and others prefer Wild caught and F1 fish to line bred domesticated strains. Xiphophorus Montezum can reach lenghts of 6-10" including sword in captive bred fish with 6-7" being the most common range.

 

[Andy Sager]

If we were truly trying to duplicate feeding conditions in their natural habitat then we'd actually feed every 2-3 days, in the wild fish will not have a reliable food source like they do in your aquarium, they will have to go looking for their food which may result in them going hungry for a day or two. In the dry season when the waters recede fish can often go without food for weeks. But who are we kidding as these types of store bought fish are so far from wild caught it's silly.

I'd agree if we were totally recreating wild conditions. If that were so, we'd not have tanks but ponds or rivers in our living rooms. lol But I think you'd agree, we are not dealing with anything close to a wild fish anymore and living under tank conditions requires us to modify what we do for our "pets". As I said, this was a schedule that resulted in massive breeding success for me so I'm just offering it as a way that others might duplicate and have the same success as I had.
But I totally get your point

 

[Andy Sager]

There is a huge differnce between domesticated blood lines and wild blood lines, this is why myself and others prefer Wild caught and F1 fish to line bred domesticated strains. Xiphophorus Montezum can reach lenghts of 6-10" including sword in captive bred fish with 6-7" being the most common range.

My point exactly. You are comparing fish from years ago to today. Even today's wild fish, in many areas, don't grow as large as their ancestors. My "Big Boys" were my Mentor's pair of wild fish that he bred for years. You cannot compare them to today's fish. (Mine would eat today's fish. ) only kidding

BUT, this thread is about using clams to filter the water of an Oscar tank. Let's get back to that. Ok?

 

[Fishanatic]

Hey, to each their own. I'm just stating what I did and what my results were. I had 13 pairs of these fish and flooded the markets of NJ, NY and PA with baby Reds, Red Tiger and Common Oscars back then. ( What can I say, I was young and foolish and thought that nobody would ever have enough Oscars for their stores. lol ) They all went on the same schedule I described. Feel free to do what you want. They are your fish

I understand!