Meet Frank

[y2blade]

My new boy

 

[talisker]

nice looking oscar

 

[mattbleasby]

I think i just fell in love, That is one stunning fish! #39####, I need a bigger tank so i can get some of these guys!!! What are they like too keep?

 

[Verminator89]

Ohhh, makes me miss mine. Sold him a few weeks ago. He/she is going to be a beaut!

@mattleasby - They are a joy to keep. Albeit mine became quite beligerent as he hit the 4" mark after 3 months of keeping him. They grow quick, and i mean rapid growth. I was knew how quick he would grow, but boy did it still take me by surprise! Greedy as hell, messy as hell, but a joy to keep. So interactive and readily came to the front of the tank when i entered the room, albeit expecting food EVERY time (greedy see). If you have a 400L+ going spare, get one. They are joyous fish to keep, IF and only if you have the room to accomodate them.

 

[y2blade]

he is a right character already. Not phased at all by our cat trying to stare him out. . He has this "I could take you, easy" look. . He gets on well with my plecy . . Yep greedy as hell, he always seems hungry. . He's on mini cichlid pellets as his main food

 

[Verminator89]

A cat won't scare him for sure. I kid you not, mine dragged one of our cats in for a quick dunk, the cat soon scrambled out as if a dog was barking below him. It certainly taught him not to atleast dangle his tail down from the Arcadia light he likes to perch himself ontop of. What with a greedy Oscar below staring at a dangling ginger tail, obviously it was too tempting to turn down. Probably an air of caution with that story lol. You'd think my cats wouldnt sit on the light, but they still do, even when the Oscar was still in their.

You will have to keep us updated as s/he grows, as it'll be rapid and they'll change so quickly! Try prawns Mine went SKIIIITTTSSSS over them.

 

[y2blade]

A cat won't scare him for sure. I kid you not, mine dragged one of our cats in for a quick dunk, the cat soon scrambled out as if a dog was barking below him. It certainly taught him not to atleast dangle his tail down from the Arcadia light he likes to perch himself ontop of. What with a greedy Oscar below staring at a dangling ginger tail, obviously it was too tempting to turn down. Probably an air of caution with that story lol. You'd think my cats wouldnt sit on the light, but they still do, even when the Oscar was still in their.

You will have to keep us updated as s/he grows, as it'll be rapid and they'll change so quickly! Try prawns Mine went SKIIIITTTSSSS over them.

I will do I do have a query as to the amount of food to give him

he is currently on "Hikari Cichlid Gold mini pellets" (floating type)

I'm giving him about 5 pellets and a pinch of flake food morning and evening....does that sound about right to you or not enough? he always seems hungry



my old one (about 20 years ago) used to love chopped up prawns and yes my old cat went in the tank with him, the cat was thrashing around trying to get out and the Oscar was trying to take chunks out of him......my old cat never went on the fish tank lid after that

 

[Verminator89]

Haha, my cat is far too stupid for that, plus after he was in the tank he just lept out and scarpered for the hills. 5 minutes later he was back chilling on the light. The oscar was just as surprised as the cat was when it hit the water and was somewhat startled itself.

I fed mine exactly the same pellet. Same brand, same size, everything. I used to feed mine a hearty handfull both morning and night, and he was always still hungry. That was when he was a 1" tiddler, to when i sold him 5 months on at nearly 6".

I found a good measure was to chuck in say 20 of those mini pellets and let him eat them, untill he stopped and left whatever was left floating at the surface. I just removed and chucked it away, then toward the end of the day i repeated this process. Within 20 minutes of feeding he was always interested in more food. At 3" he ate a male platy! Couldnt believe it haha. I fed mine Feeder/River shrimp, live ofcourse. I fed this perhaps once a fortnight as a treat. 10 shrimp for a £1, couldnt knock it really.

 

[y2blade]

thanks for the swift reply

I'll give him a few more now and keep an eye on him...it says on the back of the packet to give him as much as he'll eat in 2mins...seems like a lot to me (but then I've been used to tropical community fish and the odd special the last 20 years) hence I wanted to run it by you guys first

 

[Verminator89]

Yes, Oscars certainly eat more than most cichlids, more than most fish infact. As a general rule (more of a joke than literal meaning) i fed mine on the basis of much the filter could cope with, more than what the oscar could. As much as i fed him to fill him, he still chuffed out more from his gills than went down his actual gullit! Haha

 

[talisker]

i would have thought 5 pellets is not enough for an oscar, my 3.5" red devil eats approx 10 of those pellets morning and night

 

[england]

Now i miss my oscars, looks good mate, going to have some good colouration on him

 

[y2blade]

i would have thought 5 pellets is not enough for an oscar, my 3.5" red devil eats approx 10 of those pellets morning and night

thanks
he had 15 pellets this morning and the same again just now

 

[Verminator89]

That's far more like it On the right track now...

 

[algir]

Hi Frank!