Stunted?

[TRSickler]

I've had this little guy since about Nov and hes only grown about an inch and a half in length. I fed him frozen blood worm cubes until a few weeks ago I tested Rosie reds to see if he'd eat them and since then I'd buy a 10-20 per week and set them in there. I do 50% water changes twice a week. I only bring this up now because I was told before that they can grow very rapidly and I'm afraid that I may have unintentionally stunted his growth.
https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...=543779a3f811c6f5c274834592ae3926&oe=5B09FF96
https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...=543779a3f811c6f5c274834592ae3926&oe=5B09FF96

Sorry, couldn't for the life of me figure out how to embed a pic of him.

 

[tlindsey]

I've had this little guy since about Nov and hes only grown about an inch and a half in length. I fed him frozen blood worm cubes until a few weeks ago I tested Rosie reds to see if he'd eat them and since then I'd buy a 10-20 per week and set them in there. I do 50% water changes twice a week. I only bring this up now because I was told before that they can grow very rapidly and I'm afraid that I may have unintentionally stunted his growth.
https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...=543779a3f811c6f5c274834592ae3926&oe=5B09FF96

Sorry, couldn't for the life of me figure out how to embed a pic of him.

I strongly suggest getting the juvenile Oscar on pellets. Its critical to quarantine and treat live feeders prior to offering so they won't infect your Oscar with bacterial or intestinal parasites.

 

[RD.]

I agree, get your fish on some quality pellets, and lose the frozen BW and feeders.

 

[Jexnell]

Feeders are bad unless you raise your own. You don't know if those fish have diseases, worms, parasites what have you and they can pass it on to your Oscar.

I agree get him on a good pellet, things like blood worms, brine shrimp, and the like should be once a week treat, not as a main feed. I feed my Oscar Hikari Carnisticks, was raised on Hikari floating cichlid gold pellets. If you want to I have a thread on her develoment since the day I brought her home.

https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/toni-and-nemo-my-albino-oscars.690421/

Two main things I will say for Oscars, lots of water changes, and be ready now to get it at least a 6ft 125g tank.

I wasn't ready on the tank side she stayed in a 55g till a month ago, but I do 50%Water changes every other day. So I don't think I hurt her to much on her growth. I got her 9 months ago she was 1in long, and she is just under 8in now. The whole time she has been on Hikari pellets.

 

[TRSickler]

Awesome info guys. Thanks a lot.

 

[TRSickler]

If I did breed feeders, what would be the most prolific spawning one?
Also, I read that crickets are a good staple for Oscars. Opinions?
I've not read anything about Bloodworms being unhealthy for them

 

[tlindsey]

If I did breed feeders, what would be the most prolific spawning one?
Also, I read that crickets are a good staple for Oscars. Opinions?
I've not read anything about Bloodworms being unhealthy for them

Convict Cichlids or livebearer such as guppy. The Bloodworms are healthy but not very nutritional compared to a quality brand pellet. Crickets should be also offered as treats and not a staple. If you want your Oscar to grow get it on pellets and treat with Crickets and the Bloodworms.

 

[Jexnell]

I had a pair of cons, and Toni (My Oscar) got to eat one spawn, then my son and his mom stole the cons to control the population in a Platties tank that was getting over run.

Feed the fry to the Oscar when they are about 1/2in in size, much bigger and thier dorsal fins could be problematic for the O, so I have read. Also feed them one at a time, or some could hide and them bam now you have pairs breeding in your Oscar tank.

The pair I got was the biggest male in the tank at my LFS, the female had the best set of fins. Ten days later they spawned.
They were in a sectioned off part of Toni's tank.

 

[Jexnell]

I wanted to add that I will go down the Con route again. At the moment tho the tank for them is being used to grow out a wild oscar to be Toni's tank mate I hope. I plan on getting some marbled cons from Jeff if he still has them when I am ready. A 55gal for the parents and a pair of 20s for fry. Some will sell being marble cons, none in my area rest feeders for two Oscars.

 

[duanes]

Crickets, meal worms, or any other live food is only as good as the food they are fed.
If you gut load the crickets with vitamin rich food they will transfer those vitamins to the oscar. If they are fed junk, the oscar gets junk.
This is one of the reason a well made, vitamin and mineral rich pellet is so much better.
I also agree about the water changes, lots of them will do as much for growth, as food.
Imagine how healthy you would be, if you had to swim around in your own urine 24/7, so unless you regularly change your oscars water, this is what it is swimming in.