Tiger Oscar Food Suggestions

[SWerner13]

Hi,

I have a young 3" tiger oscar in a 55 gallon tank. As of now he has only been fed cichlid pellets. I have read they will eat all kinds of things including fish, shrimp, fruits, vegitables and even mice.

Do any of you have any healthy suggestions for what to feed him now? and what is a good source of food when he reaches maturity? Also, just out of curiosity, has anyone actually fed their oscar mice or animals and fish of comparible size?

Thanks,
Sean

 

[kribensis12]

They will eat anything you throw at them. If you feed your's on a diet of high protien, he should grow over a inch a month. Just do frequent water changes, as Oscars are messy eaters. Is he the only fish in the tank? He can eat mice once is full grown. But i would feed him hairless pinky mice ( you buy them in hugh frozen packs for real cheap).

 

[SWerner13]

Yes he is by himself. Also I have read that buying fish from most fish stores specifically some sort of feeder fish can carry disease. If I put them in my smaller tank for a while first will that help to ensure they are ok for my oscar to eat?

Thanks

 

[kribensis12]

I woudnt mess with feeder fish. They are almost always full of diseases. If you want to feed him other fish, wait till he is at 5 inches, and buy platies. They dont usually get sick. Plus whatever fry they have , you can grow up and feed him.

 

[Tank2379]

I would have to disagree with feeding feeder fish. As a former Oscar keeper 10 years over. My diets always contain feeder fish once a month I would keep feeding him the pellets as they provide a high source of vitamins and other goodies to keep them healthy. I would forgo ever feeding them mice as they don't digest very well and can have them believe it or not constipated. Feeder fish are there source for growth and it brings out there natural colors and beauty. I would suggest feeder guppies or Small minnows Since he is only 3". Once he becomes adult large feeder Gold fish... JMO

 

[kribensis12]

^ That isnt very good advice. Just because he is getting fed all kinds of nutrients dosent meanhe cant get sick. I mean, shoot, people take their vitamen's, get flu shot's, and still get the flu.

I wouldnt risk it.

 

[Tank2379]

I was just stating from past experiences. He can take the advice or leave it. All fish can get sick for no apparent reason. Especially from Mice they carry all sorts or diseases. And your right you can get the Flu with taking a Flu shot, but a Flu shot does contain flu symptoms so obviously you can get sick regardless just how your body reacts to it. But then again it's JMO.

 

[kribensis12]

The mice wont be diseased. They are Flash Frozen as pinkies ( about 3 days old), so if they were sick they would have died already because they didnt have a immune system, and the freezing process will kill whatever the mouse had. I dont know if you have realized how bad a shape most feeders are when you buy them. Many have parasites ( just waitignt o take ahold of your oscar), and many have infections ect. that your oscar may catch.

 

[Tank2379]

That still does not matter the parents that make those babies my have diseases and still can past down even frozen it can stay dormant inside of the mice. Either way you put it there still chance for disease frozen or not. Just like when your taking a frozen chicken and unfreeze it you still have to wash your hands because of salmonella poisoning. As for Feeder fish your right some can be diseased even the healthy ones. But it's that persons preference on what they want to do. We are here to give advice you can take it or leave it, it's up to you. Then again it's JMO...

 

[SWerner13]

Thanks all! I will take everything into consideration. Currently I am going to try some frozen krill as I have read that shrimp are much less likely to carry any disease. I also have some blood worms. I think I may avoid live food at least for now mostly due to the fact that my oscar will more than likely beat the crap out of himself attempting to eat the fish! lol anyway thanks again everyone.

 

[Idealconcepts]

If you do feeders quarantine them for at least a week, 2 weeks is better.

There is also a study that I can't recall the name of, it dealt with fish eating mammal meat and how fish feed mammal meat have deposits that end up in the liver because their digestive system isn't designed for it. Personally I would skip pinkies.

Shrimp you get from the grocery store with the shell, pinchers, tail and head removed, and un-cooked works great. I feed most of my fish pellets and use shrimp and tilapia fillets to supplement their feedings. I have mainly Cichlids (P-bass, Midas/RD, Chocolate, Sevs) Arowanas, Bichirs, some catfish, etc.

You can also just grow your own feeders, convicts and jewels I heard are easy breed.

FYI - My wife, before we met and she use to have a 2-2.5ft silver arowana that she feed feeders too, she never quarrantined the feeders. She feed feeders one day and found it dead a day later. Not worth the risk if its a fish you are fond of.

 

[Dano01]

As an after thought: Feeder fish do not ALL carry disease......Healthy fish that eat feeder fish usually have strong immune systems that ward off disease............Feeding feeder fish and other nutritious foods plus good water quality promotes healthy immune systems.

 

[kribensis12]

^ Uhhh, the feeder's you get havent been fed very good food ( you are what you eat). And who wants to take the chance of getting a sick one?

 

[GhostKnife]

I would say if you want to feed him feeder fish ... Raise your own. You can never tell if a fish is going to get your oscar sick from a store. This we you can tell. All I know is I have seen the feeder fish at pet stores and they are so crammed into whatever tank they are in its almost comical. Raise your own platy feeder farm I suppose. However friends who have had oscars and jacks never fed feeders only frozen and pellet some freeze dried I think and it was as colorful as pictures and healthy and ended up giving it away due to moving. Had the fish for a long time.