Tiger Oscar! - Page 2

corr · 05-29-03, 05:12 AM

It's true about feeders marisa. A better diet would be beef heart and veggies like you described.

Ace makes a good point about tank size. A 50 gallon is actually better than a 55. A 55 is only 12 inches deep.

marisa · 05-29-03, 05:14 AM

Beefheart! Thats the stuff he gives him! He always gives a little tiny amount to our aquatic frogs when he does it....I just couldn't remember the name.

Marisa

XxRachxX · 05-29-03, 02:45 PM

i think i read that it was "hole in the head" disease??? .....actually is that through feeding earthworms?? ive been reading a bit about oscars and im sure ive heard it thrown around a few times?
aaah found it
http://website.lineone.net/~tiger_os...sease.htm#HITH

snakemann87 · 05-29-03, 06:16 PM

ok, well Im still gonna try and get the tank no matter what cause 25 is awesome for a 55 gallon tank!! And what happened to my pics??!!!!!!

snakemann87 · 05-29-03, 06:52 PM

Is it normal for an Oscar to be extremely shy? He basically swims around in this small area where I have a plant and stays there the whole day.

snakemann87 · 05-29-03, 07:04 PM

OK well I just turned off his lighting for the night, and he got VERY active, could this be it. Do they not like light the book I read said they appreciate a medium amount of light?

corr · 05-30-03, 05:14 AM

He's still getting used to the place. If that is the only plant, then you should put in a couple more to make him feel more comfortable. My Jack Dempsey would do that... hide all day and then when the lights when out, he'd swallow any fish that was swimming above.

Ace · 05-30-03, 05:21 PM

Corr's right, he's still figuring the place out. He'll soon establish that it's HIS tank to the rest, either by eating them or bullying them (possibly killing them). Oscars do usually prefer less lighting.
You can try adding more plants, but like I said before they USUALLY don't appreciate them and just wind up digging them up.

marisa · 05-30-03, 05:26 PM

My roomates Oscar was like that at first. He ignored the tanks other inhabitants for like a month or so and hid a lot. Then no one was left in the tank but him and he because the boss of it.

When my roomate would turn the lights on or off the Oscar would get all crazy and swim around like mad.

Marisa

Shane Tesser · 05-30-03, 07:01 PM

Yeah gradually setting off the lights is a good idea...my tanks go from full sun...to half, to a half again, to room to tv lights everyday..and the reverse process for the morning...i just make it part of my daily routine...probably over doing it, but i think its better then shocking them....you know...hard to blink without eye lids :P

snakemann87 · 05-31-03, 02:44 PM

Corr: I am going to go and buy some nice floating and plants for the tank, and ones that get buried

Shane: I had read about that. That if you turn out the lights too suddenly from light, to total dark. That they will panic like crazy for a hiding place or shelter

Herpkingdom · 06-07-03, 10:24 AM

OSCARS!

These are by far my favorite fish to keep in an aquarium.
I rasied several dozen of these over the years, one to over 22 inches. He was was is known as a velveteen oscar. Only 1 in 1000 normal oscars are this morph. He was all green with no markings other than the tail spot.

As far as feeding Oscars, they are just like frogs. They eat aything they can get their mouths around! My oscar ate goldfish, frogs, mice, mealies, crickets, some plants that I was using to decorate the tank with, and pellet food. OK< now this is important.... Oscars will overeat adn get sick. DO NOT overfeed. An oscar can and will eat so many feeder fish that his stomach will extend and his mouth will still have a fish tail hanging out!

Now about the 55 gal tank. That will be good for about 1 year. For an adult Oscar I would say no less than a 125. I had my guy ion a 400 with a big cave in one corner for him to hide in. The only thing I had in there with him was a very big Pleco. He tried only once to get it, but the spike dorsal fin in the mouth taught him to stay away

Not to be a pest, but if I remember correctly you stated you make $50 a week and have all of these herps to feed, now you have an oscar. Do you know how much it is going to cost to feed this guy as he grows? Even if you just feed him fish, an adult oscar will pound down several dozen a week. For someone on a limited budget, you just bought the most glutonous fish you can. I understand your attraction to these animals, I had the same attraction when I was your age. But you still have to consider your limitations. You have limited monies coming in, I'm sure your space it limited, and you still have the restrictions imposed by living at home with your parents. So sit back and enjoy what you have before you get too many and have no time left to enjoy them. Before you relize it, you will have too many and spend most of your time feeding and cleaning cages, and have no time to "play" with them.

snakemann87 · 06-07-03, 12:52 PM

Wow thats a big, and sweet sounding Oscar. I will be gettin a larger aquarium very soon so no worrys. I will definately try and feed him a variety. He already has one tho which consists of: mealies, betta flakes, golfish flakes, cichlid staples, and feeder guppies.