ahaha actually i would like u do these experiments please. Also yes, i would also like to see the working. looool i get the point tho, i am defo over thinking it! il just feed him on instinct.I was gonna get out my calipers and a kernel of corn and my calculator to do some precision measurin' and cipherin'...but then I realized that since the corn is not completely spherical I would need to do some volumetric measurements to address this with accuracy. But then it occurred to me that I don't know if the pellets you are using are completely spherical so analyzing the corn was pretty futile; hell, I don't even know what variety of corn you have on hand, and the kernel size might vary considerably, not only from variety to variety but even from ear to ear, and also based upon the exact area on the ear from which the kernel originated. I thought briefly about measuring a few different brands of pellets I had on hand and then taking an average, but that also seemed pretty haphazard especially in the light of kernel size uncertainty.
I figured that even if I had done all the mental and arithmetical gymnastics, you were likely to ask me to show my work...which would require documentation and further testing to ensure repeatability...so I figured "Aaaah...screw it! He'll probably check my work; I'll just let him actually do it!"
I cranked the footrest on my recliner up one click...took a sip of coffee... and here's what I came up with: I think a single average kernel of average corn would...on average...have a volume equivalent to many, many more than merely 2 average 1mm pellets. Looking at the two objects, I'm guessing it would be dozens.
In order to really do this justice, we would need to also determine the elasticity of the stomach itself; surely, the corn kernel comparison holds true only if the stomach is distended to maximum, jam packed with yummy pellets. Do we really want the fish so stuffed that it can't swim for the next couple hours? Or...can the stomach extend much further, so that a single kernel of corn is just a nice comfortable feed? And don't forget that Oscars are pretty messy eaters; only a portion of what goes into the mouth actually continues down the gullet. Much of the food gets blown out in too-tiny-to-eat particles through the gill openings, because the Oscar sees the next pellet in front of him and is already planning his attack on that and he won't waste time chewing the ones stuffed into his mouth. How do we measure that?
Is this starting to sound silly? I sure hope so...
You don't need spreadsheets and charts and measuring equipment and math to feed a fish correctly. Ask the keepers listed above; they know what they fed their fish, but I'd bet folding money that they never counted pellets or weighed food. Feed the little guy a couple or three times daily, enough so that you start to see a bit of a tummy bulge but not so much that he looks distorted into a sphere with fins. Slip the occasional meal, or even the odd day here and there. Change his water...lots and often.
Ooooh, the math that can go into water changes can be mind-boggling, you'll love it!
Your fish will grow into the beauty you desire. Now, if only there were an easy way to calculate the percentage of his body that develops the red colour, since that changes drastically throughout an Oscar's life...
Please help me sort out a feeding regiment for my new oscar from 1 inch to adult!
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yeah the tank is cycled, i have another tank a 55 gallon communty tank. I moved some of the bio media across, and one of the sponges from it is now in the fx6, then i ghost fed the tank for a month.
thankyou, he comes tommorow morning i will come back with pics!You are going to do just fine.
I've been reading this thread with interest, and although there have been some partial answers to the OP, 4 days later the thread still seems a bit incomplete wrt to the original Qs. This stirred up some discussion last time I did this, but I went ahead and put the opening post into AI (ChatGPT specifically) and got a direct and complete response. I'm posting it here not to suggest it's better than what others have said based on their knowledge and experience--most or all of this is very consistent with the things others have already said--but perhaps to fill in some gaps. Take it for what it's worth, and if you're not a fan of AI please just move on and ignore it:
Hey and congrats on the new Oscar! They're such fun fish—intelligent, interactive, and grow like crazy when cared for right. Sounds like you're well on your way to giving him a great start. I’ll break down your questions into sections:
Oscars grow fast their first year—6 to 8 inches in the first 6–8 months is typical with ideal care. The key is variety, high-quality food, and not overfeeding in one sitting. Here's a rough guideline:
Tip: Feed only what he’ll eat in 1–2 minutes. Oscars are messy eaters, so scoop out leftovers!
I took a look at your image. For a 1-inch Oscar? That’s plenty of cover—looks like you've got some mid-height and floating plants in there, and that’ll give him a sense of safety. Juvenile Oscars do like to dart and hide when startled, so cover is important. As he gets bigger and bolder, he’ll be more out in the open.
Just make sure:
Hey and congrats on the new Oscar! They're such fun fish—intelligent, interactive, and grow like crazy when cared for right. Sounds like you're well on your way to giving him a great start. I’ll break down your questions into sections:
Feeding Routine for Maximum Growth
Oscars grow fast their first year—6 to 8 inches in the first 6–8 months is typical with ideal care. The key is variety, high-quality food, and not overfeeding in one sitting. Here's a rough guideline:Feeding Schedule by Size (first year)
| Size | Feedings/day | Amount & Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2" | 3–4x | 2mm pellets, tiny krill, crushed 3mm pellets |
| 2–4" | 3x | 2–3mm pellets, chopped frozen krill, small prawn |
| 4–6" | 2–3x | 3mm Northfin, occasional 5mm if chewed, frozen krill/prawn pieces |
| 6–8" | 2x | 5mm pellets, whole krill, chopped mussels/prawn |
| 8–12" | 1–2x | Larger portions, mix of pellets and meaty foods |
- Pellets should be your staple—Hikari and Northfin are both excellent.
- Frozen krill/prawns/mussels are great 2–3x/week, but not daily. Variety helps avoid nutritional gaps.
- Freeze-dried krill is a decent treat, especially if soaked in vitamins as you said. Not a daily food.
- Vitamins: Soaking freeze-dried or thawed frozen foods once or twice a week is a smart move.
- Don’t overdo fatty or protein-heavy treats daily or you risk fatty liver down the line.
Tip: Feed only what he’ll eat in 1–2 minutes. Oscars are messy eaters, so scoop out leftovers!
Decor & Cover
I took a look at your image. For a 1-inch Oscar? That’s plenty of cover—looks like you've got some mid-height and floating plants in there, and that’ll give him a sense of safety. Juvenile Oscars do like to dart and hide when startled, so cover is important. As he gets bigger and bolder, he’ll be more out in the open.Just make sure:
- The plants are secured well. Oscars like to redecorate!
- The tank isn’t too bright. Diffused or indirect lighting helps new fish feel safe.
- If your tank is over 3ft, consider placing more structure in the middle or center—like a driftwood arch or rock pile—as they don’t like too much open space when they’re tiny.
Final Tips
- Monitor water quality closely—Oscars produce a lot of waste. Ammonia and nitrite must stay at 0.
- Keep the water temp around 26–28°C, and do 25–50% water changes weekly.
- Growth rate will also depend on genetics, but with your plan, you’ll easily exceed 9" in a year.
Nice! AI didn't regurgitate anything stupid...this time... And it didn't even use the word "crucial" once! Impressive!
Two comments: first, that synopsis makes it sound like 25-50% water changes are a lot higher than is typical for most fish. I'd say that for a growing Oscar, a weekly 50% change might be borderline acceptable or even unacceptable, depending upon tank size and feeding. They. Are. Pigs.
I'd also throw in a comment about size of food items. I like to feed fish in general with items that are small enough to be seized and swallowed whole, with little or no chewing or other mouthing. Smaller pellets go down the hatch quickly, easily and without getting masticated into a cloud of tiny particles that gets ejected during feeding, and Oscars are among the worst fish in that regard. Freeze-dried and/or frozen krill are terrible for creating a mess in the water that cannot be eaten or utilized by the fish; frozen, if fed without being thawed and rinsed a couple of times in clean water, is equivalent to pouring liquified meat into your tank along with the actual food. Pure pollution.
In terms of polluting your tank, the actual poop coming out of your fish is the least problematic. Ammonia being excreted from the gills is more of a concern, but uneaten organic material that is just rotting in the warm tank water is the biggie; it's pretty much the equivalent of a dead fish rotting unseen. Feeding the fish foods that minimize that goes a long way towards keeping your water clean and healthy.
The old adage about "no more than the fish can eat in X minutes" is actually pretty good. Some fish take forever to find and eat offered food; they drive me crazy! An Oscar won't do that, he'll eat enthusiastically and immediately. Feedings shouldn't be so large that the fish starts to slow down or get picky near the end; he should grab the last piece just as enthusiastically as the previous one, and still be a little hungry when you're done. If he isn't...decrease the portion size. That's just another step towards a clean tank. Remember that three (or more!) small feedings a day can comprise way more food than one single large one, but fed that way it will be eaten more completely with less mess.
And it didn't even use the word "crucial" once! Impressive! Two comments: first, that synopsis makes it sound like 25-50% water changes are a lot higher than is typical for most fish. I'd say that for a growing Oscar, a weekly 50% change might be borderline acceptable or even unacceptable, depending upon tank size and feeding. They. Are. Pigs.
I'd also throw in a comment about size of food items. I like to feed fish in general with items that are small enough to be seized and swallowed whole, with little or no chewing or other mouthing. Smaller pellets go down the hatch quickly, easily and without getting masticated into a cloud of tiny particles that gets ejected during feeding, and Oscars are among the worst fish in that regard. Freeze-dried and/or frozen krill are terrible for creating a mess in the water that cannot be eaten or utilized by the fish; frozen, if fed without being thawed and rinsed a couple of times in clean water, is equivalent to pouring liquified meat into your tank along with the actual food. Pure pollution.
In terms of polluting your tank, the actual poop coming out of your fish is the least problematic. Ammonia being excreted from the gills is more of a concern, but uneaten organic material that is just rotting in the warm tank water is the biggie; it's pretty much the equivalent of a dead fish rotting unseen. Feeding the fish foods that minimize that goes a long way towards keeping your water clean and healthy.
The old adage about "no more than the fish can eat in X minutes" is actually pretty good. Some fish take forever to find and eat offered food; they drive me crazy! An Oscar won't do that, he'll eat enthusiastically and immediately. Feedings shouldn't be so large that the fish starts to slow down or get picky near the end; he should grab the last piece just as enthusiastically as the previous one, and still be a little hungry when you're done. If he isn't...decrease the portion size. That's just another step towards a clean tank. Remember that three (or more!) small feedings a day can comprise way more food than one single large one, but fed that way it will be eaten more completely with less mess.
