My Tiger Oscar is not developing colours

[shailesh.khaire]

Dear All,

I have a pair of tiger Oscar, It is not developing its colour

just a few questions regarding the same

1.) By when does the oscar retrieve its colours ( mine is only 3" ) ?

2.) I am currently feeding it with the pellets regularly and chicken Heart Occasionally, Am I wrong with the feedings ?

3.) I am also planning to breed Guppies as the feeder fish at home, As the Guppies are Available here in Plenty, Is this a good idea or shall i just go on with some thing else

Please do let me know if i have to do anything other than the above

Suggesions are always welcome


Thanks
Shailesh

[Northernguy]

Some pics of the fish and the tank may help.
How often are the water changes?
How big is the tank? What filters?
3" is small but their colors should have started coming out a while ago.
Guppies are a good live feeders.

[shailesh.khaire]

Dear NG

I have the water changes every fortnight
i have a 132 G tank ( 5'x2'x2') with an internal power filter

The colours are a combination of black and orange strips the black colour is developed well but the orange strips are very light to be visible, i contacted the LFS also but he says that it will catch the true colours once they are more than 4 inches long,

Also is breeding guppies easier at home Shall i try this or should i regularly buy them from the LFS,

Thanks
Shailesh

[Northernguy]

By all means breed your own,they will be a lot healthier.

[Aeonflame]

Don't expect it to color up that much till its about twice that size. The reason you see young oscars with brilliant orange coloration is that they are treated with hormones at the fish farms to make them easier to sell.

[Lady Hobbs]

It says 4 Oscars in your signature. Do you have two or four? And is the koi and pleco also with the Oscars?

[shailesh.khaire]

Dear Lady

I have two pairs of OSCARS ( one Pink Pair with orange strips and one Black with orange strips and the Koi are in a pair and one pleco. All in the same tank
till now they are all comfortable and non agressive towards each other.

Also i am planning to get rid of the Koi Pairs soon to a friend of mine.

are they sick or not comfortable in the tank, Should i feed them with anything else to keep them healthy, Also i do have the water contents cleared every couple of weeks.

The pink ones are in great shape and good coloration, unlike the black ones

then what may be the problem with the black ones. is it that they are cross bred or something like that

Thanks
Shailesh

[Ocellatus]

In my experience, many tiger Oscars do not develop their final pattern and coloration until they are mature. I mean they gradually color up as they are a few inches long till they get quite big. For instance, who believes this ugly duckling may turn into this beauty when the time comes. However, it does not mean that every tiger Oscar will develop much of a coloration, it is a matter of genetics.

[jparachutist357]

Wow. That guy did turn out nice. Quite a difference a few inches makes for Oscars. Mine is just now starting to get good coloration and he/she is 2 years old.

[Vinay Singh]

its absolutly alright with your black tiger oscars and maybe your blackone not showing their true colors due to prensence of koi's and oscars show vivd colorations to show their nature just remove the koi's and maintain distance frm feeders as they are diseASE carriers and nutritionless and+ it will make ur oscars aggeresive and it will spoil their eating habits....