# First Oscar!



## twohuskies (Mar 1, 2008)

I didn't "go looking" for an Oscar, but saw one on Craig's List that was living in a 10G tank. :x :x Of course, they were trying to rehome it because it had "outgrown it's tank". :roll: I couldn't stand the thought of that poor fish in a 10G, so I "convinced" them to let me adopt it for $20. They wanted $70, thinking that a larger fish could command a bigger "adoption fee". Anyway...

I was moving fish from my 90G into another tank, so needed a few weeks to make the transition. Thankfully, a good friend from my local fish club offered to house Mr. O until I could ready his tank. Poor fish was skinny and lacking color. My friend gave him SUCH a good home that I swear, it looked like he had grown 2" in 2 weeks! =D> =D> =D>

Brought him home on Friday, and I am in LOVE with this fish already! I have him in with 2 tinfoil barbs and they all swim like pals. Here are some photos of my rescued O, and his transition from a 10G prison to 90G, "struttin his stuff" tank:





































I cannot describe the change in this fish in 2 weeks! And, I want to continue the excellent care he had "at the fish spa", to keep him healthy and happy. I'm feeding him NLS Jumbo pellets, some "people food" cut up shrimp, frozen variety pack (bloodworms, etc.). I know how messy they are, so I'm running AC 110 and emperor 400, and will be doing large WC's at least once a week.

I've only had him for 3 days, so I'll be learning as I go about the frequency of WC's. What else do I need to do for him?


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Sounds like getting him out of a 10 and feeding him what you're feeding him is pretty darn good! He/she is a really nice looking oscar! I just rescued three oscars friday nite, a red, an albino red and a small 7" tiger... They're in a 125 quaranteen tank... The biggest tank they've ever been in...


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## twohuskies (Mar 1, 2008)

TheFishGuy said:


> Sounds like getting him out of a 10 and feeding him what you're feeding him is pretty darn good! He/she is a really nice looking oscar! I just rescued three oscars friday nite, a red, an albino red and a small 7" tiger... They're in a 125 quaranteen tank... The biggest tank they've ever been in...


Thanks, TFG! I swear, this fish DID grow, even though my friend called it "filling out". :lol:

YIKES - 125G quarantine??? I'm soooooooo jealous! What size tank were those 3 in before?

I've been reading about O's needing Vit C to ward off HITH. Amazingly, mine didn't come with HITH from being in that TINY tank, and I'd like to keep it that way. What's a good way to increase his/her vit C?

BTW, how DO you tell the gender of these fish? Doesn't matter to me, really, because I don't have plans to get another. I do NOT want to crowd the tank, and want him/her to have as much swim room as possible. But, just for curiosity, would like to know if I have Mr. O or Ms. O! :lol:


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## Blademan (Sep 20, 2008)

Very nice Oscar, and Bravo on the rescue :thumb:


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Never heard the vitamin C thing before... The best you can do is not let waste build up and keep up on the water changes.... Sexing oscars is impossible until you watch them spawn 

BTW, here's this weekends rescues, the pacu is 20 years old 45 pounds and over 28 inches!

http://s47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/ ... 9f45d7.pbw


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## twohuskies (Mar 1, 2008)

Thanks, everyone! I don't know why this one got under my skin so much - maybe it was the picture of the poor fish in the tiny tank. :x But, thanks to the excellent care at the "Fish Spa", he/she has gone from nearly dead, ugly duckling stage, to what you see today. I was totally shocked when I went to pick him up. Looked nothing like the fish I dropped off (thank goodness)!

Silly fish almost gave me a total heart attack, though. Transported him back to my house in a bucket, and when we got here, he was laying on his side, lifeless. Didn't even move when I netted him.  So, I did a super fast acclimation (like 2 cups of tank water, 1 minute, and in ya go). When I put him in the tank, I thought I saw his eye move, then about 10 seconds later, he started to swim. I had been warned about the playing dead maneuver, but didn't scare me any less.

I've read about the vit c thing on this forum. I think there is someone that says they feed pieces of kiwi for the vit c? Speaking of feeding, how much DO you feed these fish?!?!?! He seems to be always hungry!

TFG, bless you for rescuing those fish. What in the WORLD do you do with a 45 lb. pacu?!?!??! opcorn:


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

twohuskies said:


> I've read about the vit c thing on this forum. I think there is someone that says they feed pieces of kiwi for the vit c? Speaking of feeding, how much DO you feed these fish?!?!?! He seems to be always hungry!


Only feed twice daily at this age even though they will beg and beg and beg... Then after about 8" only feed once a day.



> TFG, bless you for rescuing those fish. What in the WORLD do you do with a 45 lb. pacu?!?!??! opcorn:


I will more than likely be keeping this one forever unless I can convince a certain person to adopt him...


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## twohuskies (Mar 1, 2008)

> Only feed twice daily at this age even though they will beg and beg and beg... Then after about 8" only feed once a day.


Oh my...you are soooooooo right about the begging! I've never seen a fish beg like this one. I'll try to keep the feeding to twice a day, but I must confess - the begging has been getting an extra treat or two. 

I sure hope you can "convince" that someone to adopt the pacu. If not, what size tank (or pond!) will you have to keep him in? That is one B-I-G fish!


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Do not give in to the begging, you have the potential of the fish dieing from overfeeding...

For now he's in a 1500...


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## twohuskies (Mar 1, 2008)

TheFishGuy said:


> Do not give in to the begging, you have the potential of the fish dieing from overfeeding...
> 
> For now he's in a 1500...


YIKES! OK...no more giving in to the begging - pinky swear!  I've been dropping in some NLS pellets before work, and another feeding when I get home. I swear, those pellets are gone in the blink of an eye!  To vary the diet, I've been giving a little krill or diced salad shrimp at bedtime. Is that too much? He's sharing his tank with 2 tinfoils that are the same size, (BIG) so I want them to get some food too.

1500 gallons???????    Oh my, perchance to dream... :wink:


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Be sure to rinse the krill and shrimp before feeding


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## Morpheus (Nov 12, 2008)

TheFishGuy said:


> For now he's in a 1500...


 :lol:


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## whercafe73 (Oct 3, 2009)

How old is oscar? He is sooooooooooooo cute Peanut is 15 months old, and all he sounds just like that. You really cant quite make it out. Will peanuts speach get better? Or will it stay the same, since he is starting to mature?


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## twohuskies (Mar 1, 2008)

*Update on Oscar:*

He's doing well, and I'm really enjoying him! He's housed in a 90G with 2 tinfoil barbs that are about his same size.

But...

I went down this morning, and he was pushing the tinfoils around. :x Like, giving them a hearty shove with his big mouth! 

I know he's growing and he's probably trying to take over the entire tank. The tins are big enough in size, but they are basically peaceful fish. Is he going to eventually give one or both of them a beat-down???


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

He's just establishing dominance. The tinfoils will be able to handle it.


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## twohuskies (Mar 1, 2008)

Thanks, TFG! I really love the tins, so I didn't want to have to move them out. Eventually, I will probably move this trio into my 100G 5 ft. tank. But, I didn't want Mr. O to beat up the tins before then.


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## Ferdundra (Sep 29, 2009)

Nice Oscar!


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## twohuskies (Mar 1, 2008)

Ferdundra said:


> Nice Oscar!


Thanks! I think he's quite nice too, but I can't be impartial!

He is really growing, too. I'll try to get some new pics this weekend. Stay tuned! opcorn:


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## twohuskies (Mar 1, 2008)

Now that I've had Mr. O for a little while, thought I'd post some new pics. This fish is really GROWING!!! I wanted to keep the update in the same thread so (hopefully) everyone can see the difference.

When I first brough him home from my fish friend's "spa", he was about the same size as his tinfoil tankmates. But now? Look at him:










And, here he is strutting his stuff: 










I don't know that I would have ever gone to a store and purchased an Oscar because they get...well...so BIG. But, I'm VERY glad I rescued this fish from his 10G prison. He has soooooo much personality - I think we're both happy that I thought with my heart and not my head in the decision to get him out of that tiny tank.


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## OscarBoy (Jan 18, 2008)

Good job on the rescue hes definately come a long way!


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## twohuskies (Mar 1, 2008)

Thanks, OscarBoy. I know I can't be impartial, but I think he's a beautiful and fabulous fish!


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