# what all can i feed my oscars?



## fishtycoon11 (Apr 13, 2011)

I have been feeding my oscars pellets and ghost shrimp. can i feed them anything else?


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

The ghost shrimp should only be a treat. In fact, I would stop feeding it and feed store bought shrimp instead. Buy it fresh or frozen, if frozen then thaw first and rinse under cool water, rinse the fresh stuff too. 

Shrimp is probably the best food you could feed a cichlid besides pellets.

I personally do not like to feed live food of any kind unless it is bred in my fish room. To much of a risk of disease.

You can also feed earth worms. Ever met a fish that doesn't like em?

Crickets are another good food to feed, I would gut load them first by feeding them something healthy like orange slices for a few days... Then drop one in the tank. 

Pellets should be a staple diet and anything listed should only be a treat once a week


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## Kris1991 (Apr 3, 2011)

i fed mine tadpoles and it grew so fast


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Kris1991 said:


> i fed mine tadpoles and it grew so fast


Never a good idea. Especially wild caught ones.


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## xxbenjamminxx (Jan 22, 2011)

*TheFishGuy*

When you say shrimp is the best for cichlids, do you mean specifically SA/CA cichlids or would that work for Herbivore Mbunas as a treat too?


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

I had never tried shrimp when I had my mbuna tank set up, but they seemed to eat everything else! I fed them all sorts of different pellets that carnivors would eat so why not give it a try... Worst case you'd have to remove what's uneaten... Unless you have a pleco in the tank who would gladly clean it up!


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## WaWaZat (Dec 27, 2007)

Not to hijack but I have some old jars of Beta flakes & pellets laying around. Ok to feed a couple juvy Os this once in a while? Nothing wrong with a little extra color enhancing nutrients, no? And do fish care how old flake/pellet food is?


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

WaWaZat said:


> Not to hijack but I have some old jars of Beta flakes & pellets laying around. Ok to feed a couple juvy Os this once in a while? Nothing wrong with a little extra color enhancing nutrients, no? And do fish care how old flake/pellet food is?


If they're old they will not have much nutrition or color enhancing properties to them. I feed all my fish pond pellets bought at the feed store. $17.95 for fifty pounds. I don't have any color issues with my fish.... LOL


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## WaWaZat (Dec 27, 2007)

TheFishGuy said:


> WaWaZat said:
> 
> 
> > Not to hijack but I have some old jars of Beta flakes & pellets laying around. Ok to feed a couple juvy Os this once in a while? Nothing wrong with a little extra color enhancing nutrients, no? And do fish care how old flake/pellet food is?
> ...


Besides losing a little nutritional value, anything wrong with feeding fish 5 year old flakes or pellets... would you do it?


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

The food will not have much nutritional value or color enhancing properteries. Thus rendering it worthless.


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