Oscar will only eat shrimp pellets

[PSU21Reef]

My oscar has recently stopped eating anything I feed it except crickets and shrimp pellets. I have tons of Hikari gold and staple which is what I liked to feed him. The shrimp pellets were just for bottom feeders but the oscar has acquired a taste for them.

Any ideas on how I can get him to eat his pellets without starving my bottom feeders? I'd hate to only feed him one type of food, and I'd also hate for all of the cichlid pellets to go to waste. Thanks.

 

[Gruff Master]

If the bottom feeders are smaller than the Oscar, you could place their food in something that only they can fit in like a pvc pipe or under a low piece of deco. The best way to get the Oscar to eat a staple food is to hold off feeding. It may take a few days but it will not starve itself. Once it starts feeding again keep the live food to a minimum or it will pick up its bad habits again. You have to keep Oscars on a good diet and regular water changes or they will succumb to HITH. I hope this helps. Good luck!

 

[PSU21Reef]

He's really healthy. I do at least 2 waterchanges per week. I think I'll try the PVC idea and put the food in a hollow log. I just hope my pleco gets some. He's sooo slow at getting to the food and pictus cats, well, aren't.
Thanks for the advice.

 

[Gruff Master]

Drop in some food about an hour after you turn out the tank lights. That will make sure that the cats get enough food.