HOW DO YOU GET OSCARS TO EAT FROM YOUR HAND

[pistonville]

I have heard Oscar are easy to train, and that they will eat right out your hand? If so, how can I train my Oscars to do so? Right now they are pretty small, maybe 3 inches.

I have to admit though, i'm kinda chicken, so I don't really like the idea of sticking my hand in the tank, but I still wanna know how in case I conquer my fear

Thanks
Pistonville

 

[Synirr]

There are two steps to training an oscar to eat from your hand:

1) Hold food between your fingers
2) Submerge food in the tank and wait

 

[freddyk]

Yup, I've never met a cichlid I couldn't hand feed, and the Oscar will be braver and more eager then most for food. Just remember that once he gets used to it he'll become very eager and often jump the gun - something to keep in mind when you have a 14" adult trying to swallow your hand lol. Just stick your hand in and they'll come checken it out, and soon they'll even take it if you dangle the food above the waters surface.

 

[Opcn]

perhaps of you are calm and polite you will get more cooperation from the fish (and us if you shut off capslock)

 

[Jamnog]

mine does this trick that waisted one auto feeder.... jumped out of the tank and knocked the autofeeder when it heard it starting up. i think it got it wet but i stick my hand in the tank and it tryed to bit me fingers off but they cant do any real damage its just the shock of it. you have to make sure you dont move too much.

 

[Fishy411]

o yeah. when you go to hand feed your O make sure you dont get bit because they have tteth and can draw blood. not too bad but wont be too pleasant

 

[-*-MicHAeL-*-]

LOL i didnt think that oscars had teeth

 

[DevilsAdvocate]

They sure do. I have a breeding pair and have found out many a time that they have a decent bite on them! . They've drawn blood a couple of times..but its nothing that stops me doing what I have to do

 

[willtang3000]

and thats why man made the glove

 

[@ombomb]

You have to PERSUADE them?

My Rams try and eat my arms when I'm doing a tank clean out, nevermind when I have food for them!

 

[juanveldez]

time is the most important part of it all. my pikes picked up on it faster than most but 2 of my pikes, my midas, and my JD all take their treats from my hand.

 

[freddyk]

Oscars teeth are in the throat.

 

[Synirr]

Oscars teeth are in the throat.

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And in their jaws
The set of teeth in their jaws are small, mainly used for gripping prey, and can't do that much damage -- but as has been mentioned, they can sometmes draw blood. I've had mine catch me right at the cuticle of my fingernail when taking food from my hand and it was quite unpleasant, let me tell you *lol*
Their pharyngeal teeth are what they use to chew up their food

 

[JackDemp528]

My Jack Dempsey tries to get my arm everytime I stick my hand in the tank. Now I have to put the net it and hold it in the middle to make sure he stays on one side. I've been thinking about trying to hand feed him. But he jumps the gun a lot. And will jump up part way out of the water when I'm getting ready to feed him. And sometimes he catches the food before it even hits the water. He also tries to eat anything that goes in the tank, like the gravel vacuum, the tube to to the water changes. He's a pig.