Supply of feeders for oscars

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Wiksta

Wiksta

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 1, 2015
69
10
8
37
I'm looking to figure out a way to have a supply of feeders for my oscars. I stopped using them years ago due to risks. I considered buying some tropical fish that aren't meant to be feeders and keeping them for a few months quarantined to make sure they are healthy. Also throwing around idea of breeding but not sure if that's worth it.

Currently I make food out of spirulina powder, frozen, crickets and flakes are their normal diet. I like feeders because it's cool to watch the Oscars hunt but at the end of the day i can go without using them if too risky or too much effort. Thoughts?
 
  • Like
Reactions: GamerChick5567
I have a 20 long set up with some feeder guppies. I fed my cichlids all of the old guppies I used to have as pets at my parents since they overpopulated while I was moving out. Now I'm starting over. I have had guppies from the store and craigslist quarantined in there all month. Now I'm just waiting for the females to drop enough fry and for them to grow big enough for the fishy sacrifice, BAHAHAH! :D

IMO you want something that can breed fast that isn't goldfish, and easy to care for in a small tank. Try convicts or livebearers. You should also feed the feeders a varied diet. Mine get hikari algae pellets and a ground up mix of flakes and cichlid pellets and they seem to be very healthy now.

Also be aware of where you get the feeders from. I had 4 originally from petco, 2 died from god knows what and one must have genetic issues or something since he swims weird. I also had a few small feeder ones from the lfs, I lost 2 out of 5. Keep them quarantined for a few months for sure!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wiksta
Well, Oscar hunt for live feeders not really show anything interest to me, they just gulp down anything and that's it lol so no point to feed them live feeders, also if they fail to hunt down the prey you put it in tank then that feeder will become its tank mate LOL Oscar not really a true predator that everything you put in it tank MUST die like other predator speices.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Deadliestviper7, ehh, GamerChick5567 and 1 other person
GamerChick5567 said:
I have a 20 long set up with some feeder guppies. I fed my cichlids all of the old guppies I used to have as pets at my parents since they overpopulated while I was moving out. Now I'm starting over. I have had guppies from the store and craigslist quarantined in there all month. Now I'm just waiting for the females to drop enough fry and for them to grow big enough for the fishy sacrifice, BAHAHAH! :D

IMO you want something that can breed fast that isn't goldfish, and easy to care for in a small tank. Try convicts or livebearers. You should also feed the feeders a varied diet. Mine get hikari algae pellets and a ground up mix of flakes and cichlid pellets and they seem to be very healthy now.

Also be aware of where you get the feeders from. I had 4 originally from petco, 2 died from god knows what and one must have genetic issues or something since he swims weird. I also had a few small feeder ones from the lfs, I lost 2 out of 5. Keep them quarantined for a few months for sure!
Click to expand...

I'm thinking about setting up my 40 long to breed. So convicts are good? I had Molly's breed in the past but i think they grow too slow.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GamerChick5567
Convicts are definitely a good choice. My female lays eggs in the 90 at least every month, and I usually only have a few survivors out of a batch of like 100. If the parents are big maybe you can keep some with the oscars?

The 40 is also a good size tank. make sure you have a sponge filter or some way to modify your filter intakes though. Fry get sucked in all the time otherwise.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wiksta
GamerChick5567 said:
Convicts are definitely a good choice. My female lays eggs in the 90 at least every month, and I usually only have a few survivors out of a batch of like 100. If the parents are big maybe you can keep some with the oscars?

The 40 is also a good size tank. make sure you have a sponge filter or some way to modify your filter intakes though. Fry get sucked in all the time otherwise.
Click to expand...

Good info. Im thinking i would want to keep the tank in my garage. But i live in Florida and it gets hot. Do you know if there is a fish that i can use for this that doesn't mind the warmer water?
 
If the temp is very high in there all the time (like over 84) I would pull the heater and run a fan over the top to keep it down a bit. Run an airstone too, the hotter it is the less oxygen there is.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wiksta
dan518 said:
There's been studies into the gut content of wild Astronotus ocellatus, and the results, 70 to 80% insects, fish about 10%, molluscs, veg, make up the remaining %.
Click to expand...

I have been thinking I want to do more crickets period maybe I'll just convert 240 gallon to hold a bunch of crickets and keep them healthy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GamerChick5567
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom