Help Me With My First Tiger Oscar

[CleverBs]

So iv been debating the last few weeks if I wanted to get a Oscar, I have an empty 40g and a 90g that I am in the process of finding new homes for its current inhabitants (3 African Cichlids). There is a 10" Pleco in the tank but I know he will be just fine with the oscar. Are there any other tank mates that would be ok with the oscar? im think of just wanted to have maybe one other fish thats larger and cool or are they best off alone?

Heres My Questions:
What PH water do they enjoy? Im having a hard time finding a good answer.
How often should I feed him? I was thinking twice a day

Heres the Plan:

Grow my oscar out a bit for a month or 2 in my 40g because I am going to power feed beef heart and live crickets and the 40g Is super easy to do water changes on so I can do them as much as needed. The 40g has a Fluval 405 on it and a sponge filter and has been set up for about 10 months. After 2 months I will move him to the 90g.

 

[Sharkbait54]

I think that's a fantastic idea when I buy a house in buying a 125g for just an Oscar!!!

 

[Samzter]

Great idea! I'm sure your gonna have one happy Oscar!

 

[toke_]

i feed my tiger oscar atleast twice a day but with flakes (i know im buying the cichlid pellets asap) and occasionaly feeders and hes happy. He does like a shamu jump everytime i feed him haha only thing is that oscars tend to eat themselves to death so dont overfeed them. As for the Ph my tank is a little on the acidic side and everyone is good. A good tank mate is a blood parrot, they get along so well even tho i really dont like blood parrots but my dad came home with one so i added him to the family. Hope i helped

 

[CleverBs]

Mine currently isn't feeding but I put him in the tank past night. Iv tried baby guppies, live crickets, pellets, beef heart and he won't eat any of it.

 

[Aski247]

I am going to power feed beef heart and live crickets and the 40g Is super easy to do water changes on so I can do them as much as needed.

If ya didn't know, "power feeding" is actually Un healthy for both your fish as well as tank. It promotes poor water conditions due to the amounts of waste it produces. Not to mention it dose not allow the fish to properly digest the food.

A high quality pellet food source as the staple of its diet and frequent water changes will promote better growth/color and overall health of your fish then "power feeding".

And yes, if it is a juvie I always feed mine twice a day, morning and later that night. Pellets mixed with frozen worms/shrimp, and as you stated live crickets are a great diet. Feeder fish offer no real nutritional value. So should only be done once a month.(if that, and should always be QT'ed prior to feeding).

Anyways good luck with your little guy, they make great "wet pets".

 

[HUKIT]

If ya didn't know, "power feeding" is actually Un healthy for both your fish as well as tank. It promotes poor water conditions due to the amounts of waste it produces. Not to mention it dose not allow the fish to properly digest the food.

A high quality pellet food source as the staple of its diet and frequent water changes will promote better growth/color and overall health of your fish then "power feeding

I agree, oscars do not need power feeding nor does any fish for that matter. Oscars have a phenomenal growth rate averaging around a 1" per month with a quality diet and frequent water changes. As for beefheart feed your fish what you like but there are much healthier options:

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f100/beefhearts-pros-and-cons-205877.html

 

[toke_]

so the same crickets they sell for reptile food is really nutritional for my oscar?

 

[FishFanatic88]

Dont feed store bought feeders!!! It has such a high risk or parasites and disease. Set up a 10 gallon to breed minnows or guppies. Dont take the risk with the store feeders!

 

[toke_]

crap! ive probably fed my oscar 40+ store bought feeders/ghost shrimp. Guess i have to learn to breed guppies

 

[Aski247]

so the same crickets they sell for reptile food is really nutritional for my oscar?

Yup, and are great for fish provided that's it's one of their dietary needs(protein).

I buy roughly 100+ of them a month. My RD loves themsdo did my Trimac and bichir. As well as many of the other SA cichlids I have kept over the years.

As for feeders, yes breeding guppys/Molly's are a good source of food as well because you know they are fead highly quality food. Not just flake in a over populated diseased tank.(lfs feeders).

 

[Josh1158]

You should just start with the 90. I had a jack and two fire mouths when I had mine. They all got along fine. The only thing I didnt realy like was the oscars poop is freakin huge. It was like I had a small dog in there.

 

[CleverBs]

You should just start with the 90. I had a jack and two fire mouths when I had mine. They all got along fine. The only thing I didnt realy like was the oscars poop is freakin huge. It was like I had a small dog in there.

Well I'm starting him in the 40 it will be fine I don't want him with the fish currently in the tank they are extranet aggressive and my Oscar is only about 3" if that. I am feedin mine guppies that I bread currently. He's eating those but that's it. He's a bit slow so catching the guppies is a bit of a challenge for him. He's going to have lots of water changed an that's why he's in the 40g too. I want him super healthy before he goes in the 90. Also it's basically a qt beings I got him from petsmart I don't normally do this but he was only 5$ an much more exp at my lfs.

 

[Josh1158]

Ohh i must have missed the part about the other fish. What kind is he? Mine wasnt good at catching the feeders either. He would swim at them with his mouth wide open then get em when they hit the corner. I thought it was funny, kinda reminded me of a whale lol.

 

[CleverBs]

Ohh i must have missed the part about the other fish. What kind is he? Mine wasnt good at catching the feeders either. He would swim at them with his mouth wide open then get em when they hit the corner. I thought it was funny, kinda reminded me of a whale lol.

Lol he just stocks them around all slow it's kinda sad honsetly but then he gets all wild and starts chasing them around but fails. I hope to see that he got them at some point in the day when I get home. Also do their color patterns change as they get older? I know their brightness changes with mood. Mine was grey when I got him and now he's jet black. Of course he has some red lines on him. I just see some very colorless large ones at my lfs some times. Would he be ok when he's full grown in a 90g with 2 large Africans? They are both about 7" an very aggressive. I was thinking maybe if I put him in with them when he's like 6" long he won't mess with them ever?

 

[Aski247]

Chances are as he matures, you have a 50/50 chance of him killing the Africans when he is moved.

Fish that are kept solo, then introduced to tankmates later when matured almost has never worked for me. Specially in a 4' tank.(55,75g).

 

[CleverBs]

What if I toss in a few cichlids the same size as him in the 40? Or should I just keep him in his own 55g? Or would he be better in a 40g because of the foot print? I would think a 55g would be better for him. I can pick up a 55g tomorrow for 65$ that's why I'm trying to figure this out.

 

[Aski247]

It depends on what you mean, to grow out the 40 is fine until he prolly reaches about 6-7" then will need to be moved to the 90g.

The 55 or 40 don't really matter, you want to move him over even if it's not a tight fit for him to turn around. That way you absolutely won't stunt it any.

A oscar reaches around 14" as a adult, it will need the minimum of a 4' by 18" deep tank. 75/90/110 all the same footprint.