Natural Oscar diet?

[Shane templar]

Hi guys as a previous post from me about my oscars being fussy and not eating the hikari gold pellets that was their staple diet I was wondering could you replicate their staple diet with insects and fruit/veg instead of the pellets?
ie locusts crickets mealworms and garden worms!
I’ve been advised to try and “starve” the oscars back on to the pellets and have been doing this for just over a week but at the mo they just crush them up and spit them all back out!!!
They’re in a 6x2x2 tank with a royal pleco and a Delhezi bichir!
many thanks
Shaner

 

[Rocksor]

Not really, since the insects you feed won't generally have the right stomach contents. 1 week is not enough of a starvation period for pellet training.

Oscar stomach contents in the wild

http://uakari.mamiraua.org.br/UAKARI/article/viewFile/109/170

 

[lp85253]

just feed the oscars good flake or pellets until they take them ,, you don't really need to "starve them", they'll eat .. it happens eventually , every time.. you just have to be more patient than the oscars are stubborn..

 

[Shane templar]

Thanks guys I’m still going with the pellets just wondered about the insects really! Just fed them the ocean nutrition new range and they chewed that up and spat it back out again!! Back to the hikari tomorrow ??‍?

 

[lp85253]

insects are fine if they aren't gathered from outside .. pesticide worries...

 

[Shane templar]

It was only going to be worms from my own compost bin and the insects you get from normal pet shop for reptiles! Was thinking of feeding the insects fresh veg and salad so I would know they would full of goodness for the oscars! Thanks for your reply

 

[lp85253]

It was only going to be worms from my own compost bin and the insects you get from normal pet shop for reptiles! Was thinking of feeding the insects fresh veg and salad so I would know they would full of goodness for the oscars! Thanks for your reply

that will be fine .. freeze dried is ok too.. anything from *known sources* are fine...

 

[The Silvs]

I have two Oscar's that love hikari gold. I have one that doesn't. I have a flower horn that wont touch the stuff but seemed to enjoy it at first. Get some pure garlic spray. It's a natural dewormer and great for stimulating hunger reactions. I got my two Oscars on hikari with garlic sprays. Best of luck !!

 

[Shane templar]

I’m guessing they do eat a few pellets I put in but they don’t attack it like they used to! It’s almost like a “can’t be arsed but got to” kind of feeding!!!

 

[Shane templar]

Thanks again for the replies