Tiger Oscar

[3new0guy5]

My Tiger Oscar is about a foot long and is 110% healthy. However he will NOT eat live feeder fish only pellets.... whats wrong with my fish! He was abused when we got him from a store here in Miami from a Red Devil but he is a beautiful fish again. Why wont he eat the comet feeder fish? In fact he killed our smaller Oscar by not allowing it to eat. Anyone please help?

[Brhino]

oscars can be finnicky about food. If they've got one kind they like it can be difficult to switch them to another kind.

A high-quality pellet is going to be a much more nutritious meal for an oscar than a feeder goldfish anyhow. I say don't fix what isn't broken.

[3new0guy5]

True, thanks for the reply, I've been just feeding his fish to my turtle! :) He eats anything and everything.

[Aeonflame]

Feeder fish are not very nutritious as stated. In the wild, an oscar would need to eat a lot more to survive. Also, most feeders are raised and kept in poor conditions which induces parasitic infection that can be transmitted to your fish.

[chronic]

Yep, nearly every time I fed my oscars feeders they got sick. And to keep a tank specifically for qaurantine feeders felt like a little too much work for something that made my fish more aggressive.
Pellets for the win

[Lady Hobbs]

He is far better off not eating the feeders. Feeders bring disease, anchor worms, etc, to your tank. The pellets are made for the fish and have the nutrients they need. Feeders are not healthy for them.

You should make sure your Oscar has been wormed, too. Internal worms cause Heximita resulting in HITH. Best to take the precaution before than later.

[Rue]

You're lucky you have a healthy fish on pellets! Feeders are totally unneccessary and can cause more problems then anything else...

[MCHRKiller]

If you want to switch up his diet some try some frozen Krill, chopped fresh seafood and try some different pellets, sticks and such. Cut up some pieces of whitefish and stuff a little bit of frozen spinach inside...the extra dose of vegatation will be benefitial to the fish. To attract fish to new foods try soaking them in garlic extract :22: