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FAQs on Oscar Selection
Related Articles: Oscars, Neotropical
Cichlids, African Cichlids, Dwarf
South American Cichlids, Cichlid Fishes in
General,
Related FAQs: Oscars 1, Oscars 2,
Oscar Identification,
Oscar Compatibility,
Oscar Behavior,
Oscar Systems,
Oscar Feeding, Oscar Disease/Health,
Oscar Reproduction,
Neotropical Cichlids 1, Cichlids
of the World, Cichlid Systems,
Cichlid Identification,
Cichlid Behavior,
Cichlid Compatibility, Cichlid Selection,
Cichlid Feeding,
Cichlid Disease, Cichlid
Reproduction,
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Albino Oscar Not Growing - 03/12/2006
My albino Oscar jumped out of the tank when I was feeding it. Since this he
does not seem to be growing. It has a spot on it's side but
that has healed. I have a tiger Oscar also that was bought at the same time. It
is almost three times the size of the albino. The albino also
buried it's head in the gravel about a week after I got it. I thought it was
dead when I got him out of the gravel but he started swimming
around just fine. The albino seems to be swimming fine and is also eating it
just is not growing. Any suggestions?
< Typically albino fish are weaker and less aggressive than non albino fish. I
think that the tiger is more aggressive and intimidating and pushing the albino
around to the point that he will not aggressively eat. So he will not grow as
fast until he is separated and allowed to feed without being hassled. If you
place him in a second tank increase the water temp to 83, feed heavily and keep
the water very clean you can increase the grow rate and maybe catch up with the
tiger.-Chuck>
Getting An Oscar - 01/09/2006
I am interested in getting an Oscar. I've never had one before. I have tried
to research them but, not having much luck on figuring out how to tell the males
apart from the females. I also am confused on what to feed them. Some sites say
to feed them smaller feeder fish, and other say not to. What do you suggest?? I
am confused....... Can you help??? Jess
<Oscars get up around 12+ inches so you will need a big tank of at least 75
gallons when it is full grown. They are messy cichlids so you will need a very
good filter too. Get one that pumps the volume of the tank at least 3 to 5 times
per hour. I would recommend an outside power filter. Water should be around 80
F. When small feed flakes and small pellets. Larger fish could be fed
earthworms, pellets and frozen foods. Feeders are not recommended because they
are living fish that can carry diseases into your tank. Treating a large tank is
not any fun. It is expensive, time consuming and difficult on your fish.-Chuck>
Wild About Oscars 8/2/05
Hi there, We are currently setting my husband's 110 gallon aquarium back up
after five
years or so of disuse. We are hoping to populate it with a breeding pair of
Oscars, which is what the tank originally housed. We're in the process of
fishless cycling the tank (I've got a 1ppm and rising ammonia spike using my
KISS approach--strips of white bread in the filter), so we are starting to
look for somewhere to purchase fish (we live in a fairly rural area, so it's
either PetSmart, a two hour drive to the closest aquarium specialty store,
or mail order). The catch is, he is really hoping for wild caught fish if at
all possible. Which brings me finally to my question--do you know of any
suppliers possibly still importing Oscars into the US? Thank you in advance for
any help you can offer! Laura Lawrence
< Wild Oscars are too expenses for most
importers to bring in. Oliver Lucanus does occasionally get them in but he is in
Canada. Contact him at his website at: Oliver@belowwater.com.-Chuck>
Wild About Oscars II 8/3/05
Hi Chuck, Thank you so much for your help! I will get in touch with him and
see what I can work out. Just to clarify for the archives, this is a custom tank
with a 60x18 footprint, not a standard 110XH with a 48x18 footprint (which in my
opinion would be quite cramped for two full-grown Oscars).
WetWebMedia.com and Fenner's CMA have been invaluable resources for us in our
aquatic ventures--please keep up the good work!
Laura Lawrence
< Bob and the WWM Crew thank you for your kind words. I hope you get your wild
Oscars. I have seen some sporadically over the years and they truly are very
cool fish.-Chuck>
Re: Wild About Oscars 9/1/05
Hi Chuck (or whoever is on duty today),
It took some time and lots of looking, but I got my fish! I originally contacted
Oliver Lucanus at Below Water like you suggested and he was very
nice and helpful, but he has a minimum order for importing into the US, and
of course since he's in Canada we'd have to get a permit and have them flown
into the nearest airport. I had some time since the tank was cycling so I
kept looking, and I found a couple of suppliers in the US that get them in
seasonally. I watched stock lists, and finally Jeff Rapps of Tangled Up in
Cichlids got some Astronotus sp. "Venezuela" in with his most recent
shipment. I placed my order Monday and got six 2" Oscars (and two 2" F1
Heros sp. "Rotkeil") yesterday morning. They are shy (of course), but
healthy, active, and feeding. Our tank is dark blackwater so it's just about
impossible to get a pic of shy fish, but I've attached a whole tank shot and
a pic of one of the severums. Thanks for letting me share my excitement! I'm so
glad we had patience and didn't give up on finding the fish we REALLY wanted.
Take care, Laura Lawrence
< Glad you got you Oscars. Jeff usually doesn't advertise Oscars with the
American Cichlid Association's Trading Post publication but I think you will be
very happy with your new fish.-Chuck>
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Finally managed to snap a pic of babies . . .
Hope you guys are having a great day!
Laura Lawrence |
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