Oscar Fish Growth

My oscar is around a year and a half old and only about 8.5 inches. I do enough water changes to keep the nitrates around 20 or lower my ph stays right around 7. Ammonia and nitrite is always zero. I keep the temperature at 27 degrees Celsius. I have an aqua clear 110 for filtration. The oscar lives on its own in a 75 gallon aquarium. I would give my oscar pellets but it’ll go several days without eating them and even when it does it’ll only be a couple. Therefore I give it a mixture of vegetables such as broccolI and cauliflower as well as omega one foods such as blood worms, shrimp, brine shrimp, and tubifex. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

Recommend tank size is 100 gallons or more, the 75 gallon could technically stunt the growth rate. Oscars get large. In the wild can get up to 18 inches max size and in a 100+ gallon aquarium your looking at 10-12”.

 

Ive seen that the minimum tank size for an Oscar is a 55 by itself which is why I went with a 75. I’ve seen other keepers personally with a 55 but with oscars that have grown better than mine which is why I’m confused. I also feed it a pretty appropriate amount of food Imo. Maybe I can look into bigger tanks I’ll have to see.

 

Welcome to Fishlore. Oscars need HUGE tanks. I keep my Big Boy in a 125. He is a little over 12 inches. I also do 50% water changes every week. Pristine water is VERY important for them. I feed him HikarI Bio-Gold Pellets, HikarI Cichlid Excel Pellets, NLS Float Pellets,and DainichI Ultima Krill.

 

I thought that I may as well post a picture. I’d like to feed it pellets I just don’t want to be inhuman by starving it into eating them. Is the diet I’m giving it ok or should I try to get it on pellets?

The diet you’re giving your oscar looks great which is why I’m wondering.

 

Is your Oscar an albino? He's far away in the picture and I can't see him that well. Are you doing weekly water changes? What's your feeding schedule for him?

 

Yes it’s an albino oscar it kind of reminds me of a lemon oscar though because it has stripes of yellow. The top fin is a bit messed up. I think it’s from when it was a baby I noticed it when the oscar got to around three inches. I got it when it was about an inch long in February of 2017. It was bullied by the tiger oscars which were about twice its size which is why I picked it at the pet store. I do about a 30% water change each week. I feed it 2 twice a day

 

Albino Oscars are so pretty!!! You should do 50% water changes every week. He is producing a lot of waste in the tank. If you can get a bigger tank for him he will do much better in it!!! He will have lots of room to grow and swim in. They like to rearrange the tank & play with things.It keep them busy so they don't get bored!!! 2- 3 times a day is good. That's how much I feed Big Boy and I give him so much at each feeding. If you can get some of the foods I feed him that would be great. You see how good Big Boy looks.

 

The 30% water changes keep the nitrates at 20 or below but I know what you mean it definitely wouldn’t hurt. As far as getting a bigger tank I’ll have to look into it I can definitely afford to I’m just not sure if I’ll be allowed to or not. I’d like to feed it the pellets you feed yours I’m just hesitant because my oscar just really hasn’t liked them in the past. The oscar would just spit them out for about five days before eating a couple. Please let me know what you think.

 

I just saw the close up of your Oscar. He's GORGEOUS!!! You have done a GREAT job with him!!! If your allowed to get a bigger tank that would be great!!! Your Oscar would be so much happier with more room. As he gets bigger he will produce more waste and it will be easier for you to maintain the water. Does your Oscar like to eat off the bottom or from the top?

 

Thank you ya it does have great color. My oscar really likes to eat food on the surface.

 

Thank you ya it does have great color. My oscar really likes to eat food on the surface.

I have a 55 gallon Cichlid tank and I feed them Premium Cichlid Flakes & Spirulina Flakes from Kens Fish Food. It's his own food he makes. They do FANTASTIC on it!!! Great color an lots of growth!!! IM thinking since your Oscar likes to eat from the surface he might like this food.

 

That’s sounds pretty good. Thank you for your advice. I’ll see if I can look into a 125 that would be a great tank for it.

 

That’s sounds pretty good. Thank you for your advice. I’ll see if I can look into a 125 that would be a great tank for it.

A 125 would be GREAT!!! If you can get some of the food I mentioned for him he will do really well on it. Keep me posted.

Here's the link for the food.
Kensfish.com

 

The food looks great thank you. I’ll look into ordering some.

 

The food looks great thank you. I’ll look into ordering some.

I hope he likes the food!!! If I can help you any more just let me know!!!

 

Y’all are making me jealous with your Oscars. I hope to have one in a few years Anyways, your albino looks great! He is handsome

 

Y’all are making me jealous with your Oscars. I hope to have one in a few years Anyways, your albino looks great! He is handsome

Hope you can get one!!! They are GREAT!!! You will LOVE them!!!

 

Thank you when I got my Oscar it was a almost shiny white color so I thought it was a true albino Oscar instead of a lutino but I’m pretty pleased with how it turned out.