problem with oscar pair

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Neervana

Neervana

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Feb 11, 2008
1,319
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UK
got a pair of baby oscars a few months back. they are growing well and are very chunky already. when i got them, they were 2" now they are around 7" and from the start i fed them hikari cichlid gold so that they could retain their colour because i really liked how they were red and black. i had another wild oscar before this and as he grew up his colouring faded out slightly. but the problem is that now they won't eat anything else apart from hikari cichlid gold! i was feeding them hikari in the morning, and then two feeds or shrimp/seafood in the afternoon and evening.

now they ignore the food but go mad over the pellets. is hikari cichlid gold enough for them to grow healthy on or should i consider starving them and see what happens with the seafood and bits of fish because they are so young...im not so sure if its a good idea..:confused:
 
i would def want to get them eating other foods besides the pellets, especially since one of the theories behind HITH says that same one food all the time can play a role in Os getting this, i would cut out their morning meal of pellets or at least only feed like half the pellets you are now and then maybe try some other things like crickets or worms to gain their interest a little and then see if they take the shrimp again, oh and since they are at the 7in i would only feed them twice a day now GOOD LUCK

oh and TECHNICALLY it is a complete diet but even then its always good to feed other things besides the staple to all fish not just oscars to keep them interested
 
Most breakfast cereals have all the vitamins and minerals you need but would not be a balanced diet. Same with the prepared fish foods. Try to put the oscars on a bit of a fast, they will probably take the other food types more quickly.

My Midas can be very finicky. At times does not like Hikari Bio-Gold, Crickets, Shrimp, or fish fillets. It readily takes Omega One pellets, earthworms and feeder guppies. However after one day of fasting, that little guy changes his mind pretty fast about other foods.
 
ok well last night i didn't feed them and this morning didnt feed them either. just now i dropped a few prawns in which they tried to eat and managed to gulp a few down, but most of it sank to the bottom i guess i won't feed them again until tomorrow so we shall see if they have eaten the rest during the night as i didnt put many in. i guess starving them is the only way.
 
I think you're doing the right thing.

Don't feel too bad, since if these guys were living in the wild they would definately not be enjoying these feast like meals every day
 
HrHagel;3610827; said:
I think you're doing the right thing.

Don't feel too bad, since if these guys were living in the wild they would definately not be enjoying these feast like meals every day
Click to expand...

well it definitely worked, now they are back on shrimp but still have to get them to eat crab sticks. tried to feed it to them but they just spat it out, but its early days yet.
 
i don't think feeding your oscar fish only hikari is too bad. the hikari pellets have enough nutrition in them that can prevent any nutrient deficiency.
 
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