# Growth



## hunter99 (Dec 16, 2007)

Hey guys I've had my Oscar for about 5 months
and he doesn't seem to be growing wats wrong? Ps it's a 75 g with 70% wc every week


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## Blademan (Sep 20, 2008)

What size tank, filtration, food?


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## Blademan (Sep 20, 2008)

Also, tankmates?


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## hunter99 (Dec 16, 2007)

75 gallon 
1 oscar ,1 jack dempsey
hikari 
emporer 350 (2)


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## hunter99 (Dec 16, 2007)

can anybody tell me what is going on?


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## adam79 (Jun 27, 2007)

How often are you feeding? How big was the oscar when you got it and how big is it now?


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## adam79 (Jun 27, 2007)

How big is the Jack?


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## hunter99 (Dec 16, 2007)

he started out at 3" and 9 months later hes 4.5"
jack is 4"
how much should i be feeding them?


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## adam79 (Jun 27, 2007)

You should feed 2-3 times daily until they are adults and then cut down to once a day, 2 on occasion. Do you notice any aggression from the Jack or the jack out competing the oscar for food? Maybe try introducing high protein foods. No feeder goldfish, but prawns, earthworms, or occasional beefheart may induce a growth spurt.


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## oscars4me (Feb 22, 2009)

What are your water readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? Something more than just food and amount is wrong. Your O should be about 10".


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## steelers fan (Jun 26, 2009)

temp as well...sorry


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## twohuskies (Mar 1, 2008)

oscars4me said:


> What are your water readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? Something more than just food and amount is wrong. Your O should be about 10".


I agree. I've had my rescued O for about 4-5 months, and he's nearly doubled in size. :-?


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## Blademan (Sep 20, 2008)

In your original post, you said you had it for 5 months, then you say nine. Which is it?
How is his attitude, especially after thos major water changes. Is it pouting? Why the big wc's?
I agree that Hikari is not the best for growth. For growth, I add real shrimp and krill.


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## hunter99 (Dec 16, 2007)

sorry its 9 i realized how long ago it was,he is happy not pouting


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## hunter99 (Dec 16, 2007)

hey guys is it good for my oscar to have shrimp bought from a grocery store do u think that will help him hit a growth spurt


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

You have me curious as well hunter99? I may have to try the krill as well. Right now I'm only feeding him Oscar growth pellets and he has gotten bigger since I first bought him.


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## srook23 (Feb 21, 2009)

I would try mixing up the food. Mine I would feed pellets, shrimp, brine shrimp, bloodworms, crickets, etc...something different all the time and lots of variety. I would feed him 3 times a day all the time until he got about 10" or so. I would do about 50% water change at least once a week. Within 1 year my O went from about 1.5" to about 10.5". Now I've had him for 2 years and he's about 12.5".


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

Sweet Srook I appreciate the advice and I will follow your guidance. I'm going to pick up some shrimp today and stick with the pellets and maybe some crickets to. About to head to my LFS.


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## adam79 (Jun 27, 2007)

Make sure you pay attention to you water quality and keep your temperature close to 80. Cooler temps will suppress it's appetite.


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

I do. I do weekly 50% water changes and my temp is constantly at 80 to 82. He's always hungry lol and he's around 3 inches so far. I'm going to be switching him to my 60 gallon very soon!


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## hunter99 (Dec 16, 2007)

thanksfor the advice guys ill tell u how all ur advice works


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

Just bought some of the Krill, blood worms, and larger Hikari pellets. I saw the 75 gallon tank at the store again ugh! What do I do? lol. Should I lose the demasoni's and put my O in the 60 gallon? Or buy the 75 gallon put the O in there and keep the 60 gallon for the demasoni's the weight issue just has me concerned. :lol:


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## srook23 (Feb 21, 2009)

What size tank is he in now? It really shouldn't matter that much with an O as I've heard they grow the size they are gonna grow regardless of tank size; although I have seen different.

I had a buddy that kept an O in a little Beta/Goldfish tank and he had it for months and it never grew even though it ate a lot. Then again mine got real sick at one point and I had to confine him to a 15g hospital tank for months before I could get all his problems sorted out and he grew regardless. By the time I took him out and put him back in the 75g he was about 8". He was about 4-5" when I put him in the hospital tank.

I have however seen something similar in my JD. He is a very slow grower. I have had him for over 2 years now and he is only about 5" or maybe 6" if I was being generous. For some reason he grows, but just really slow.


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

He's in a 20 gallon right now at 3 inches. I'm moving into my 60 gallon tank over the weekend I just have to make some final preparations and remove the demasoni's. I hope your guys grow out quick!


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## hunter99 (Dec 16, 2007)

soo guys do you think my oscar will ever grow to be 10,12 inches if hes still 6 inches at 9 months old


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## srook23 (Feb 21, 2009)

Sure, why not. It's possible he's just a slow grower. My fish hit a slow spot for a while and then all of a sudden hit a growth spirt and got big. Had him for almost 2 years and he's a little over 12" long and very thick.


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## hunter99 (Dec 16, 2007)

So how long do you think it'll be before he back to the size he is supposed to be


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## srook23 (Feb 21, 2009)

Hard to say. If he's just a slow grower it might take a while. If changing the food takes effect he should start growing at the normal rate of 1" per month. Given that he has grown rather slow in the past you might be waiting a while to get a full grown O though. Just stick with it and wait it out.


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

My O is taking off! He's growing what seems like bigger each day. Keep your head up hunter things will work out brother! Just give it some time go with what you know and I'm sure your O will take off like he is supposed to.


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## hunter99 (Dec 16, 2007)

thanks for all the help guys


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

I'm making to switch in the next 2 days and I'm my O will have a nice big tank all to himself. I'm switching up the substrate and then he will go in there hopefully by tomorrow. Good luck again Hunter and new changes?


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## hunter99 (Dec 16, 2007)

i have a question though since most Os stop growing @ 10-12 months and my O is only 5" and 10 months wont he be done growing


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## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

Hunter, who told you oscars stop growing at 10-12 months? The first 12 months is when the oscar shoul have it's growth spurt but it will continue to grow to its max size for a few years after that. Your oscar isn't hitting its growth spurt for some reason. That reason may relate to why it's getting a HITH. You should focus on treating the HITH and your oscar will reach full size.

Can you get a test kit and post up some water parameter so we can help you figure out what is wrong?


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## oscars4me (Feb 22, 2009)

As posted before very early in this thread there is something wrong with the setup. hunter99's O should be 9 to 10" long. It is probably because of bad water conditions but we have yet to get any water readings for ammonia, nitrite or nitrate. There is no such thing as a slow growing Oscar they grow at a rate of 1" per month for the first year or so.

If I read this right he now has hith if that's correct then that is probably due to bad water and bad diet as well. It's a shame that people don't accept the help that is offered and ignore suggestions from more experienced fish keepers.


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## oscars4me (Feb 22, 2009)

Sorry double posted. Site is very slow tonight.


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

Yeah it's been acting strange lately oscars4me. How are you?


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## Chicklette (Mar 4, 2010)

Maybe add some more variety to their diet. Mealworms, crickets, Blood worms, black worms, krill, shrimp (raw), ect. What I do sometimes is I order just food from Big AlÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s online. Maybe you should give that a try. But we do need to know your water parameters. Sometimes parasites can affect growth, is he flashing at all? Rubbing on rocks?

Yes, raw shrimp from the grocery store is excellent, you can also get prawns. I give this to my guys every few days and they go bananas over it.


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## oscars4me (Feb 22, 2009)

Dj823cichild said:


> Yeah it's been acting strange lately oscars4me. How are you?


 :-? :-? :-? :-? Who started this thread?


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

oscars4me said:


> Dj823cichild said:
> 
> 
> > Yeah it's been acting strange lately oscars4me. How are you?
> ...


I was agreeing with your statement and I haven't talked to you in a while. Sorry I was being friendly! I won't say hi next time


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## oscars4me (Feb 22, 2009)

Sorry didn't mean to offend just didn't understand? :-?


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## hunter99 (Dec 16, 2007)

okay some of my water parameters
ph7.2
amm. .10ppm
still have yet to test the others ( gotta buy new kits)
and to oscars4me i really dont appreciate you assuming that i am not using all the suggestions i am 15 yrs old and it is very hard to fit all the water changes and care into my schedule by i do not want to give the immpression i dont take care of my fish .i want to give him the best possible care i can


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## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

ammonia need to be 0.

If it's .10 then it must have been in that level for a long time (or even worst) and that might be why it got the HITH. Other level probably are bad too. You need to do 30-40% water change every 2-3 days.

How often do you feed it now?

Take a look at those filter to see if they are working properly. (water is flowing through and the media is in good/decent shape) You might have to add a canister filter to your tank.

I think you said you do 70% wc every week in the original post. I don't think that's such a good idea because it might harm the beneficial bacteria.


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