[Jeditwin]

Now I have had my baby Oscar since Valentines day, and he is getting bigger.... Now my question is do they get more aggressive as they get more mature?

Scenario: My Oscar is about 3inches and is in a 40 gallon tank along with a Large Pleco (Which I am still trying to get out of my tank).... Before reading and knowing that giving Oscars feeder fish was dangerous, I stupidly went out and got a few from a good fish guy down the street....

Oso, my Oscar wanted nothing to do with the feeder fish, so I removed them from the tank.... Well, I missed one, and they have been swimming along just fine for the last month.... I added a piece of driftwood to add something to the tank on Sunday and this morning.....

Oso, had a tail hanging out of his mouth...... Is this common for them to get more aggressive?

 

[BigDaddyK]

LOL.. he just got big enought to eat him.... and dangerous is a really strong word in my opinion. if you are getting feeders from a quality source than it's not so much wrong. I breed platy's for my o's. i know where the fish have been and i know the water quality. and the o's love the chase!!

 

[Jeditwin]

Well, I got the feeders from a real fish guy I know... They were fed well, and bred at his local store... and no not a Chain store either....

It was just odd to see Oso, get him after quite some time without paying any attention....

 

[Potus]

Someone else on this forum talked about a feeder growing up in his tank with the oscar for a good length of time. Then one day the feeder wasn't there anymore... Maybe your oscar wanted a friend for a bit, and then later decided he preferred his previous arrangement.

 

[TheFishGuy]

Feeders are not a healthy diet for a fish that mainly eats bugs and small crustaceans. Both the bugs and crustaceans usually feed on plant matter which are important for an oscars overall health.

Feed pellets. It's what's best. If you want to see some excitement from your oscar get some crickets from the pet store and gut load them with oranges for a few days, then drop em in the tank.

 

[HONDO]

can you explain what you mean by "gut load them with oranges"
i feed my fish those nasty spider crickets people always have in their garages... no way im keeping them around long enough to feed THEM anything, but im curious for more detail on gut loading.

 

[TheFishGuy]

Gut loading is exactly what it implys. Load their gut with something healthy! So yes, you'd have to feed them.

 

[HONDO]

so as far as oranges, you put orange peels, or the actual orange in a box with the crickets?
sliced i assume?

sorry if these are dumb questions. just never heard of it before. sorry also if i am taking away from the op's thread.

 

[TheFishGuy]

I used to just put a wedge in with them. It was a good source of water for them too.