(Adult) oscar will eat feeders but not small tank mate?

I have a large oscar he will eat any feeder, i know there not recomended but he ate a goldfish bigger than one of his tank mates... which is a small silver shark (bala) he was in the tank before the oscar. Would the oscar respect that for any reason? Theyv been together for a good few month. & not ONCE is he aggresive or even semi to any of his tank mates. But as soon as a new fish goes in that will fit in his mouth he chases them and eats?
Im glad he doesnt attack my bala shark as i want to GROW him to the titans they become. But why does he not

Fish + bala

 

Oscars will eat anything in their mouth, given time he will likely eat any smaller tankmates.

 

Fish + bala

I like your setup.

 

I bet that bala is a whole lot harder to catch than the plump goldfish but if he catches it napping....

 

Yep feeder goldfish are nice and slow, a bit different to your shark you have.. I had an Oscar grow up with swordtails and never ate them when he got bigger.

 

Please stop using feeder fish.

 

Yer some people are really against using feeder fish but that's just their opinion, and really their not diseased or sick fish like some people say, some are breed specifically for feeders, others are uncolored individuals such as goldfish wild throwbacks, and others are excess stock breeders need to get rid off.

 

Yer some people are really against using feeder fish but that's just their opinion, and really their not diseased or sick fish like some people say, some are breed specifically for feeders, others are uncolored individuals such as goldfish wild throwbacks, and others are excess stock breeders need to get rid off.

Imo it's still the unnecessary killing of an animal. That's why I'm against it even if they're not diseased.

 

Imo it's still the unnecessary killing of an animal. That's why I'm against it even if they're not diseased.

There is nothing wrong with your opinion either.

 

I wouldn't discount the distinct possibility that if he catches him napping that he might have a go at him, but oscars can be funny. I was given some surplus black mollies once for feeders and our oscars ate most of them, but they left one male molly alive and let me tell you, that molly was the king of the tank. He kept them in line for several years.