kamakazi5815

why aren't my oscars eating? they're just like sitting in one corner and appear not to notice when i put flake food in. are they being piack or do i just need to feed them something else

Lucy

I'm sorry your Oscars are giving you problems.

I believe the answers can be found in a previous thread of yours.
Some advice on my new bought oscars??
As Mathas said, Oscars produce way too much waste for your size tank and they're probably feeling the effects of a cycling tank.

Have you gotten the test kit?
What are your readings for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates
A liquid kit is much more accurate than strips and less costly in the long run.

mathas

It's hard to say for sure, there are several reasons that they might not be eating.

It could be stress from poor water conditions... as you know from your other thread, your tank is not cycled. The exposure to ammonia and nitrites during the cycling process is very hard on fish, and can easily stress them enough that they lose their appetite.

It could also be that they're still getting used to their surroundings. How long have they been in the tank?

Or it could be that they're just being picky, and you're either feeding them something they don't like or aren't used to, and haven't gotten hungry enough to eat it anyway yet. Given how much juvenile oscars can eat, I find this unlikely, but it's possible. Oscarfishlover.com has a good article on feeding oscars here, which should give you a lot of information (both what to do and what not to do) on how and what to feed them.

kamakazi5815

no i haven't gotten my test kit yet for the pH level but my tanks been running for about what 2 years now with frequent water changes i'm stilll waiting to go to the pet store tody to see how mush the tanks are worth and buy a few test kits, and prime, maybe some other types of food. i'm just trying to keep them alive till i can get a 70 gallon tank up running and cycled

Lucy

Mathas....
Gotcha with your own advice. lol

kamakazi5815

lol he did well yeah this will be there second day in the tank so they could just be getting used to there souroudings well in the place i went to get them, i always saw them feeding them these small goldfish, and they easily take one of these small fishes and devour it instanly so maybe these small gold fish??

mathas

It's risky. I mentioned in my last post that the oscarfishlover.com article gave advice on what to do and what not to do... feeders were part of that

kamakazi5815

so i should rasie my own feeders? that take time so i should find something else they will eat rite? like river shrimp, brine shrimp?