# I have taken the Plunge



## hawkkerw (Jan 31, 2012)

It's taken me a long time but I am now the proud owner of five young Oscars :dancing:. It started out with some have extra canister filters that I didn't know what to do with  ?? Guess What??? So as they are still young I have started them in a 125 Gallon (they are only 2" to 4" long). I have been in and out of Africans for years and I love them. I just have always found myself drawn to the Oscar Tank everytime I visit the LFS. I figure I will upgrade as they grow into whales  . Ok...joking aside these guys are awsome they are just little and each one has its own personality already its like having a litter of Great Dane Puppies very different from my other Cichlids or fish for that matter.

I have been reading articles on them so I have most of the basics. The tank is has plenty of filtration (4 in total, 2 setup as mechnical and two as Bio). I have read over and over how important water quality is with these fish. So, I guess the purpose for my post is the little stuff what pieces of extra advise can you all help me with?? My first big question is what is the very best staple diet to help these little guys and gals grow (Pellets, Frozen, etc.) but any little tid bits would be appreciated?????


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## cichlid-gal (Apr 27, 2012)

I know absolutely nothing about Oscars but just wanted to say congrats on your fish and so happy to see your enthusiasm over them!


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## Rocksor (May 12, 2012)

Get the oscars to eat a pellet as their staple diet within the first month. At 2-4", I would stick to pellets that are around 1.5mm or Hikari baby sized pellets or Aqueon mini sized pellets. After 1 month, you could introduce frozen blood worms, but feed sparingly, and not everyday. Around the 6" mark, you can go one size up in pellets. You want the fish to be able to swallow the pellets without anything coming out of their gills.


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## hawkkerw (Jan 31, 2012)

Thanks for your replies. I currently have been giving them mini pellets and they also steal some of the shrimp pellets I throw in for the Catfish at lights out. With the current 125 how long do you think I will be able to keep all five without a larger tank?


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## hawkkerw (Jan 31, 2012)

So, I have yet another question. I have two tigers and a red and two albinos. For some reason they all seem to be targeting the Albino's chasing them around etc. Is this common or just a fluke??


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## Rocksor (May 12, 2012)

The lutinos look different. It happens when you have a lot of oscars in a tank that doesn't have enough space. A 125g may seem big to you, but they are already telling you that it isn't.


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## hawkkerw (Jan 31, 2012)

I guess that was some of the reason for my post how many adult oscars with good take hygene would you keep in a 125. I have read to buy five or six babies and let them pair off which is what I've done these are still babies 3 to 4 inches long. So when you go to weed down to the fish to keep is it the most aggressive that you should weed out?


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## Rocksor (May 12, 2012)

You can take the aggressor out and see if the tank calms down.


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