oscar food

"Dave Thompson" wrote in message
...

"Charlie Durand" wrote in message
news:HZYfc.151844$w54.1061055@attbi_s01...
Oh yeah, my Oscars will just jump at my fingers while I'm cleaning the
tank.
If they catch you off guard it's a good shock. They've associated the
hand
with food obviously.

The other large cichlids I have aren't nearly as animated when it comes
to
feedings. They have good appetites but jumping out of the tank or
taking
food from my hand only happens with the Oscars for the most part.

Anyone else notice this?

Don't you just love Oscars? I mean, really, don't you just love them? Not
to
avoid your question but really, is there a more perfect fish?

Now if only they would stay small, so you could keep them in a
reasonable-sized tank.
My oscar is my favorite too, but I wish he would be ok in something smaller
than a 40 gallon tank.

Limnophile

"Limnophile" wrote in message ...

Now if only they would stay small, so you could keep them in a
reasonable-sized tank.
My oscar is my favorite too, but I wish he would be ok in something smaller
than a 40 gallon tank.

Limnophile

Einstien tells us that all things are relative -- i guess that's true.
I picture a 200 gal tank as "reasonable", larger than that as "large"
and a mere 40 as uncomfortably small.

One thing about large aquariums, and I ain't kidding here, is that
they are *much* easier to maintain than small tanks. I think it's
because their size increases their stability -- they are less likely
to have sudden temperature and water condition changes. Once their
cycled and stocked, they're bulletproof (so to speak) with some simple
maintenance and much less likely to have problems.

--Mark

"Mark Stone" wrote in message
om...
"Limnophile" wrote in message
...

Now if only they would stay small, so you could keep them in a
reasonable-sized tank.
My oscar is my favorite too, but I wish he would be ok in something
smaller
than a 40 gallon tank.

Limnophile

Einstien tells us that all things are relative -- i guess that's true.
I picture a 200 gal tank as "reasonable", larger than that as "large"
and a mere 40 as uncomfortably small.

One thing about large aquariums, and I ain't kidding here, is that
they are *much* easier to maintain than small tanks. I think it's
because their size increases their stability -- they are less likely
to have sudden temperature and water condition changes. Once their
cycled and stocked, they're bulletproof (so to speak) with some simple
maintenance and much less likely to have problems.

--Mark

I agree in principle, but to me "large" is based on whether I can have it in
my apartment without it crashing through the floor. So 40 gallons is "large"
to me. I'm thinking of replacing the 40 with a 75, but not sure if the floor
will hold it.

Oscars are great, but it seems that having only one fish in my biggest tank
is somewhat of a waste.
My second largest tank is a 29 gallon, which has about 45 small fish. (
Overstocked, I know, but well - maintained)

Limnophile

"Limnophile" wrote in message ...

I agree in principle, but to me "large" is based on whether I can have it in
my apartment without it crashing through the floor. So 40 gallons is "large"
to me. I'm thinking of replacing the 40 with a 75, but not sure if the floor
will hold it.

Oscars are great, but it seems that having only one fish in my biggest tank
is somewhat of a waste.
My second largest tank is a 29 gallon, which has about 45 small fish. (
Overstocked, I know, but well - maintained)

Limnophile

What you need to do is hunt up some Oscar literature from the 1960s
and earlier. Oscars have been a very popular aquarium fish for a long
time, and before the advent of silicone aquarium sealant in the 60s an
aquarium larger than 30 gallons in a home was very, very expensive and
rare. So, people kept Oscars and Oscar pairs in what we consider now
to be very cramped quarters. Thing is, they did it successfully and
with healthy and happy fish. As a matter of fact, Axelrod moved his
Oscars to his "large" 30g to mate them from their smaller tanks.

How is this possible, you ask, when these days we flame people for
keping Oscar pairs in anything less than a 75? It's a complicated
procedure requiring very exacting aquarium maintenance, plus a special
way to arrange aquarium decorations and -- get this -- a special way
to arrange the furniture in the aquarium room! Apparently it is
possible to "fool" an Oscar into thinking he is in a much larger space
than he really is, thereby reducing stress. Anyhow, I wouldn't
recommend it these days with inexpensive 150s and 200s for sale down
at PetSmart, but it's interesting to look at how Oscars were kept in
them olden days. --Mark

"Mark Stone" wrote in message
om...
lots of good stuff, ending with ....
Anyhow, I wouldn't
recommend it these days with inexpensive 150s and 200s for sale down
at PetSmart, but it's interesting to look at how Oscars were kept in
them olden days. --Mark

The problem isn't really the price. I live in an older apartment building on
the second floor, and I don't want my shiny new tank paying my downstairs
neighbor an unexpected visit. :-(

I've done a little research, and according to an architect my floor "should
probably" hold 1,600 pounds. Minus safety factor = about 120 gallons. Since
I will still have the 40, The biggest tank I can really get is a 75.

Or I could sell the 40 too and just buy a 120 gallon .... hmmmm ?
Should I keep my Oscar in the 40 breeder, and have a 75 planted community
tank - or give away the Oscar and have a 120 planted tank ?
Decisions, decisions...

(either way, I'm keeping my 20 long in the kitchen for quarantine /
hospital)

Limnophile