Am I overfeeding?

**Bkay2008** · 09-25-2011, 08:44 PM

I have 2 baby oscars and 2 baby bgk fish in my tank. No worries they are in a big enough tank where they'll be happy as adults with lots of hiding places and get along fine.
I feed them bloodworms twice a day and just break off a piece and defrost it. There is always some leftover on the bottom that is gone by the next time I feed them. I heard that overfeeding is worse than underfeeding so I just want to make sure i'm not doing that. Also, should I be feeding my oscars something else as well?
I had taken in an oscar from a petsmart that had and survived a fin disease so they couldn't sell him, he was about 9 inches and 5 years old when I got him and lived for 5 more years, and I only fed him the hikari pellets, but i'm not using those this time because they make the water so dirty so quickly and that's bad for the bgk.

**Dave66** · 09-25-2011, 09:01 PM

Welcome to the forum. You are feeding them just right; lightly. I wish more did.

You might want to add a quality pelleted food (Hikari, New Life Spectrum, Dainichi) to the menu of the Oscars. I believe my how-to culture primer is stickied in the food forum. Among other creatures, there is a section with several types of worm you can culture that your black ghost knifes would deeply enjoy.

Dave

**Rollins4Miles** · 09-26-2011, 05:32 AM

You're feeding practices are fine. Feeding twice a day lightly isn't going to cause any problems. I would say this is more preferred for juvenile Oscars. The overfeeding problems come from a tank's inability to handle the extra and unnecessary waste left in the water. With that being said, if your tank filtration can handle large feedings and you upkeep the maintenance on the tank and filtration then feed away - your fish would be grateful I'm sure

You know your tank better than anyone, so if you're feeding lightly twice a day and it's working, then I would keep to that.

I would say switch to a stable pellet diet - I use Hikari Gold. It'll provide your fish with the nutrients it needs to thrive. I would save the meatier foods as a treat - perhaps once or twice a week.

Did you have a BGK with your other Oscar? I don't directly feed my BGK too often. Usually what happens is I'll feed the Oscar and company and whatever scraps fall to the bottom are picked up by either a Green Phantom or Bristlenose pleco along with my BGK. The extra waste caused by pellet feedings has been removed from my tank - just a thought. If you were having this problem before perhaps now it won't be so bad with the two BGK.

Best of luck with the fishes - and keep us posted on how those two BGKs interact. Some people are able to keep more than one in a single tank - I was not one of those people...

**Bkay2008** · 09-26-2011, 05:40 AM

This is my first time owning bgk, i've had them about a month and when I first put them in together they got into a little fight once, but get along wonderfully ever since. One has grown at a much faster rate and is now double the size of my other but so far everyone is happy. I will try the pellets, I am just worried the bgk wont eat them since all they have ever had are the blood worms, that's at least what the lady at the pet store who was feeding them with a turkey baster told me. Thank you both for the help!

**Lady Hobbs** · 09-26-2011, 05:47 AM

Oscars are also noted for Hole in the Head without proper nutrition. I'd also give them a good pellet and less meat. Hikari Gold as Rollins suggested is a good pellet.

**MCHRKiller** · 09-26-2011, 06:12 AM

I would actually feed a 2-3 different types of dried food, and add some frozen and fresh foods for variety. A good staple pellet is the core for any cichlid's diet, this should then be followed up with something like veggie sticks or carnivore preparation. Some good frozen foods are jumbo bloodworms and krill. For fresh you can pick up some seafood from your grocer and cut it into bite size pieces for your fish, I like to shove some thawed spinach inside these pieces for an extra dose of veggies.

While the fish are growing feeding 2 small meals per day is fine, once your fish are adult once per day or every other day is fine. I would also not recommend keeping 2 knives in the same tank, they can become very territorial with each other as they age. If your tank is not a minimum of a 6ft 125G...it is far too small.

In addition to what Hobbs stated, Oscars are very prone to HITH. You can avoid this with good water quality and nutrition. Soaking their food once or twice per week in a product called Selcon can actually ward off HITH, Selcon contains high levels of vitamin C and Omega 3s. Both of which have been shown to help prevent this ailment.

**free3tbz** · 11-11-2011, 03:00 AM

Originally Posted by Bkay2008

I have 2 baby oscars and 2 baby bgk fish in my tank. No worries they are in a big enough tank where they'll be happy as adults with lots of hiding places and get along fine.
I feed them bloodworms twice a day and just break off a piece and defrost it. There is always some leftover on the bottom that is gone by the next time I feed them. I heard that overfeeding is worse than underfeeding so I just want to make sure i'm not doing that. Also, should I be feeding my oscars something else as well?
I had taken in an oscar from a petsmart that had and survived a fin disease so they couldn't sell him, he was about 9 inches and 5 years old when I got him and lived for 5 more years, and I only fed him the hikari pellets, but i'm not using those this time because they make the water so dirty so quickly and that's bad for the bgk.

sometimes i only feed my oscars every other day... its all dependent on how much they are eating...sometimes they just dont need it.

**Murdochthelongfin** · 03-27-2012, 05:15 AM

After reading this I feel as though I am over feeding my albino longfin oscar... I feed him premium pellats (10-20 depending) twice a day (hand feed lol) and blood worms twice a week. Every morning and night he is waiting at the top of the tank for his food and eats it all. Am I feeding him too much? he is fully grown (32cm).

**fishguy420** · 07-21-2012, 12:29 AM

Originally Posted by Bkay2008

I have 2 baby oscars and 2 baby bgk fish in my tank. No worries they are in a big enough tank where they'll be happy as adults with lots of hiding places and get along fine.
I feed them bloodworms twice a day and just break off a piece and defrost it. There is always some leftover on the bottom that is gone by the next time I feed them. I heard that overfeeding is worse than underfeeding so I just want to make sure i'm not doing that. Also, should I be feeding my oscars something else as well?
I had taken in an oscar from a petsmart that had and survived a fin disease so they couldn't sell him, he was about 9 inches and 5 years old when I got him and lived for 5 more years, and I only fed him the hikari pellets, but i'm not using those this time because they make the water so dirty so quickly and that's bad for the bgk.

i feed my oscars night crawlers and other worms they love them and once in awhile they get fish just fead them frozen pinkys the other day toe that was cool (little mice)