Tiger oscar question

[Popplefish]

Oscars

I have my oscar whose currently tiny in a 20 gallon - i'll move him as he gets bigger, but right now he's great. He can see me the whole time I'm in the living room and I've taught him how to accept food from my hands.

 

[Newman]

you can also teach him cool tricks! Oscars are very smart fish and can be conditioned with food to do just about anything

 

[sushi*roll]

apparently the oscar in that vid got angry that the lights in the room were turned off...maybe the oscar just wanted to see his owner...

I hope mine doesn't become one of those prick Oscars (like my friends that would break heater after heater)

 

[Newman]

I'm sure he wont become a prick if you don't touch and pet him, like many oscar owners tend to do on occasion.

teach him to do tricks at a young age so he's more entertained(with the food he gets ;P)
YouTube - Trained Oscar Fish Playing Soccer!

I'm just rambling man. Your oscar will live a happy life if you don't make him do any tricks

 

[sushi*roll]

Oh I would totally pet him.. haha, and I'm trying to get him to take food outta my hand (which isnt hard because theyre pigs) If i throw a frozen chunk of bloodworms in the tank my Oscar will eat them before they even thaw so I have to be careful, im sure thats not good for him.

 

[Newman]

might not be, but opinions differ on the bloodworms

I dont suggest you pet him...i doubt he'll like you for that. he'll take some of it but sometimes he's just gonna do this:
YouTube - Oscar Fish Attack It's Owner

 

[brian1973]

I throw the frozen cubes in the tank, oscar eats it as soon as it hits the water, no ill effects as of yet. They do thaw out very quickly because within a few seconds bloodworms are coming out around his gills (if you have ever watched an oscar eat this is normal).

 

[Newman]

rofl, i hear you on the blood worms out of the gills. my SAEs are pigs with bloodworms. they often exhibit the same worms trailing out of the gills. gunny when the fish tries to eat it while it's still attached in the gill-flap xD. They ARE SAEs and not FF or false SAE lol. they just like their worms

 

[Allen David]

Hi guys,
Recently i bought a 7 inch tiger oscar from my friend.
It seems that he has fed it with feeder fishes.
Now it doesnt eat anything except for fishes....
Plz help...

 

[FishDad]

You've got to ween him. Feed a mix of pellets and fish to get him to associate pellets with feeding time. Gradually add more pellets.

 

[Newman]

yes and don't actually buy him feeder fish, just get some other type of fish from a store or as frozen food from local fish store or local pet store. silversides, etc.

 

[FreshyFresh]

I would get the oscar acclimated to quality pellet food.

As said, water quality issues may be the reason he's not eating.