Just got some Oscars...

[Punkymom]

Hello. It's been a long time since I've posted but I got some Oscars today! They are about 4-5 inches long and one is Albino and the other one is a Red Tiger. I'm going to get a Pleco to go in the tank next week. I took my old fish and the guy at the fish store traded me all my fish for one of them and I bought the other one. I traded my 3 Angels, an Albino Rainbow Shark, 2 Rubberlipped Plecos and 2 Skunk Loaches. I think it was a pretty good deal considering he wanted $12.50 for the Oscars. What is the best way to feed these guys? I know they need several small meals a day. Should I vary their diet all day or should I feed them flakes one day, frozen the next and so on? What about live food? I've heard to avoid Goldfish because of disease. Any other advice for me? I plan on doing weekly 50% water changes like I've been doing until they get really big and then I'll probably start doing 2 times a week. All suggestions are welcome. They're in a 55 gal btw.

 

[krap101]

and the goldfish are fatty.

here oscars are only like 5$. and the angels should be about 20$ each once their mature. the plecos are like 3.50$ skunks here are 6$ each

i dont know how much the sharks are but here this is how much it would be like 75$ for all those fish.

 

[ferret]

Grab some Hakari Cichlid pellets, Gold if you can spare the extra buck or two. Get the large sized pellets. They'll also like beefheart and bloodworm treats. You can feed them guppy fry or convict cichlid fry with no worry, but you're right on the money about the goldfish, avoid them. The possibility of disease is secondary to the fact that they're very fatty and the oscars can't really deal with it. Its one of the causes of Hole in the Head disease.

If you could get a 20 gallon or so you could breed your own convicts. I used to, but as you can see by the sig they now live WITH the oscars.

I only feed mine once a day, as well.

 

[Punkymom]

I originally paid only like $9.00 for the 2 larger Angels and the smaller one was free when I traded in my other fish for them a long time ago. The shark I paid like $3 for at PetSmart and the Skunks were only $2 a piece. The Plecos were about $3 a piece so in all that's about $31 for the fish. I can't see getting back what I paid for the fish it's kinda like used goods. The only one who has really grown since I got it was the shark I had him for almost a year and he's put on about 2 inches since I got him. What about other frozen foods? I have bloodworms and brine shrimp and a couple others can they eat those? What about snails? I have some snails in my 10 gal that I'd like to get rid of...can the Oscars eat those no problem?

 

[Punkymom]

Is it normal for them to lay on their sides sometimes?

 

[Menagerie]

Is it normal for them to lay on their sides sometimes?

Not that I know of.

I have some snails in my 10 gal that I'd like to get rid of...can the Oscars eat those no problem?

If you crush the snail shell, the oscar will eat the snail.

What about other frozen foods? I have bloodworms and brine shrimp and a couple others can they eat those?

They should be very happy with those foods and pellets. Feeding once a day or once every other day will be fine.

I plan on doing weekly 50% water changes like I've been doing until they get really big and then I'll probably start doing 2 times a week. All suggestions are welcome. They're in a 55 gal btw.

A 50% water change is extreme unless there is an ammonia or nitrite problem. I would stick to 25% changes weekly. That's all that is needed for my African cichild tank with 14 Mbuna, pleco, and 2 Synodontis sp.

No one has commented on the size of the tank. 55 gals for 3 oscars is too small and will limit their movement as they get bigger. A smaller tank space can lead to aggression.

 

[ferret]

Jumping back in!

They WILL lie on their side occasionally. Its similar to someone pouting, for all I can tell, or being nervous. Let them get used to the tank and get a feeding routine going and you should see it a lot less often.

55 gallons IS too small for 3 oscars. I wouldn't attempt it in less than 75, and preferably 100 gallons.

 

[jaowl]

Would 4 convict cichlids work in a 50 gal tank? I was thinking about getting an oscar to go with them to 'take care of' any hatchings. I don't want more convicts!!

 

[krap101]

the convicts will eat their own fry. dont put oscars in with them theyll fight and the oscars will probally win and eat them

 

[ferret]

the convicts will eat their own fry. dont put oscars in with them theyll fight and the oscars will probally win and eat them

Please stop posting stuff you have no idea or experience concerning.

Convicts, like all cichlids, make great parents and will fiercely protect their fry. While breeding, they can be aggressive enough to kill larger cichlids including Oscars, GDs, etc.

Four convicts is a bit much for a 55 gallon, not due to size but due to aggression and territorial disputes, I would look more at 1 male and two females. One oscar should be able to fit into that situation, but remember convicts get to a decent size as well, around 4-5 inches. Its also possible that the male and one female will 'team' up and kill the second female, and maybe even the oscar.

I've had at least 3 cases where one of my male convicts and the female would 'hook up' and take over half of the tank as their territory. No fry have existed since they moved in with the oscars, but while they're trying to breed they will keep the oscars and pleco completely out of their side of the tank. The oscars are two or three times as large, so that should give you an idea of their fierceness. So far it seems every time they tried to breed, the pleco ended up getting the eggs at some point.

In a fight, a breeding pair of convicts will devastate a single oscar easily. The oscars have hard bluntish teeth meant for chewing, while the convicts have much sharper teeth that can do some serious damage. I've been bitten by both species, and convicts are far far far sharper.

 

[jaowl]

So I guess if I don't want 'little convicts' I would be better off taking the female out of that tank!! In that case what would be suitable tankmates?

 

[krap101]

i do have exp. my teacher had convicts. it ate them every time. he had to take them out of the tank and put them in a breeding net.

 

[krap101]

i do have exp. my teacher had convicts. it ate them every time. he had to take them out of the tank and put them in a breeding net.

 

[ferret]

Then that doesn't sound like convicts. I raised over 20 batches of fry, never once did the parents (2 sets) harm the fry, in fact it made cleaning the tank a nightmare because they'd attack the syphon and my hand. I kept the fry with the parents for upwards to two months to let them get fat before I'd move them or give them to the oscars as food.

jaowl: Convicts are suitable mates for oscars, just make sure there's enough room for territory. Common plecos are another fish often seen with oscars. But in a 55 gallon, you're really limited. If you've already got a few convicts, 1 oscar and 1 male convict might work out nicely.

 

[jaowl]

I adopted the convicts in December. I can tell the one is a female and 1 is a male. I am suspecting there is a second male. But the 4th one is not a big and not showing any orange coloring yet. So I believe maybe 3 males & 1 female. The one male & female have paired off. That is why is said maybe I'd be better off seperating the female out.

 

[ferret]

The orange shows up very early. I could tell the sex of the fry from my batches within 3-4 weeks of birth. Its amazing how fast these guys grow. The orange blotch of the females appears pretty early. Anything older than a month you should be able to tell, though it is faint sometimes.

 

[Punkymom]

I only have the 2 Oscars. I'm getting the Pleco tomorrow and it's already about 7 inches long. By the time they've all grown considerably, I plan on buying a 70 gal to put them in but until then the 55 will just have to do. BTW, just how fast do these guys grow? I've been feeding them 3 small meals a day doing Hiarki (sp?) in the morning, freezdried krill in the afternoon and Cichlid sticks before I turn the lights off at night. I'll probably go down to just 2 times a day, but for now I'm just making sure they eat well. I plan on doing the 50% once a week because that's what I've always done with the 55 gal. It seems to make the fish a whole lot happier and makes it stay cleaner longer so just in case I get too busy to change the water one week I don't really have to worry because I do such massive water changes. None of my fish have ever shown ill effects to this cleaning schedule.

 

[ferret]

Oscars will reach 8 inches within a year, maybe larger. They grow very quickly.

 

[Punkymom]

They are just so cute! I bought the Pleco today he's about 5" long already. I acclimated him and put him in the tank and the Oscars swam up to him as if to say "are you dinner?" It was so cute. The Albino one already recognizes me and swims to the front of the tank when I come in the room. Then procedes to ask to be fed of course. They're little buddies and hopefully will continue to get along. Currently the Albino is my favorite because he's so outgoing and brave for a little baby fishy.

 

[ferret]

Yep, I managed to measure my pleco the other day when he was up against the glass, little bugger has reached a foot in length