A question to Oscar owners regarding growth...

[FINWIN]

Brick is my first Oscar. I'm trying to determine if my not-so-baby O is unusual, a freak, or just a product of my hard work, lol. I know the party line is an inch a month, maybe 1 1/2. But tonight as everyone got dinner I reflected on how damn big he's getting and fast. Took a picture tonight of him and Boss (Parrot) squaring up. They're nose to nose and Brick is clearly longer now than Boss (5") though Boss still has him in thickness 2 to 1.

I bought Brick on 12/15/18 at a family owned pet store. I got him from a tank of baby Oscars all remarkably uniform in size at 2". No runts, no giants. A mix of red, tiger and albino.

As of today (1/27/19) he is now all of 6 inches and over an inch thick. In less than 6 weeks from 2 to 6 inches? Anyone have an O grow like this???

 

[PGJE]

dang...
Thats oscars for you

 

[tlindsey]

Brick is my first Oscar. I'm trying to determine if my not-so-baby O is unusual, a freak, or just a product of my hard work, lol. I know the party line is an inch a month, maybe 1 1/2. But tonight as everyone got dinner I reflected on how damn big he's getting and fast. Took a picture tonight of him and Boss (Parrot) squaring up. They're nose to nose and Brick is clearly longer now than Boss (5") though Boss still has him in thickness 2 to 1.

I bought Brick on 12/15/18 at a family owned pet store. I got him from a tank of baby Oscars all remarkably uniform in size at 2". No runts, no giants. A mix of red, tiger and albino.

As of today (1/27/19) he is now all of 6 inches and over an inch thick. In less than 6 weeks from 2 to 6 inches? Anyone have an O grow like this???

I'm quite sure other well educated fish hobbyist has had that growth experience.

 

[FINWIN]

I'm quite sure other well educated fish hobbyist has had that growth experience.

Makes sense...this just seems weird tho.

 

[PYRU]

Usually growth is really quick till 6 then slows down. This is outside of the norm but there's really no set standard. I'd say from 2" to 8-10" in a yr is the norm.

Jags, dovii, & a few others are the same way.

 

[crayfishlobster]

He taking drugs.

 

[FINWIN]

Usually growth is really quick till 6 then slows down. This is outside of the norm but there's really no set standard. I'd say from 2" to 8-10" in a yr is the norm.

Jags, dovii, & a few others are the same way.

I'd read some chatter on other sites about growth rates of different morphs of oscars...that reds grew fastest, then tigers, then albinos. Also something about females growing larger at the maximum size range? Don't know if that's documented or just individual experience.

 

[duanes]

It is really not that unusual for an oscar or any cichlid to have a rapid growth spurt once taken out of a LFSs tank. All cichlids are producing grown inhibiting hormones in those tiny tanks, and once taken out, and away from the others, make up for lost time once freed from that chemical soup of hormones and other fish urine.
It will continue to grow in the same manner as long as your tank doesn't end up the same way.

 

[FINWIN]

It is really not that unusual for an oscar or any cichlid to have a rapid growth spurt once taken out of a LFSs tank. All cichlids are producing grown inhibiting hormones in those tiny tanks, and once taken out, and away from the others, make up for lost time once freed from that chemical soup of hormones and other fish urine.
It will continue to grow in the same manner as long as your tank doesn't end up the same way.

Brick's currrently in a 225 with one other fish. His biggest "bursts" do seem to be after water changes. He'll get new growth edges on his fins every 2-4 days .

 

[esoxlucius]

If fed well, and water quality is maintained, then growth can be rapid in a lot of fish. Kudos to you for doing a tip top job of raising your Oscar. And it probably helps that he's in a 225 with just one other fish.