Hi Everyone, Im brand new 2 Oscars only bought my 1st one on friday, he is 6yrs old n looks really healthy but will not eat anything i try, i've given him bloodworm, frozen fish, tatties, fruit, flakes but he will not eat any of it he sucks it in then spits it right back out. the water quality is good, PH 7, KH 100ish, GH 180, he is in a 260ltr tank with plenty of room, he has a hidy hole, plenty of oxygen and plenty of movement in the water can some one point me in the right direction plz.
thanks folks

Personally I wouldn't worry too much...

I bought my two O's about 10 days ago and for the first day or so they wouldn't eat or come out from hiding. When I inspected the tank in the morning tho...some of my danios (used for cycling) were missing...

On the second day they weren't hiding as much...but still wouldn't really eat...but more of my danios were missing...

By the third day they ate like monsters...

Think just give it some time to get used to the new surroundings. My juveniles took a few days to settle...think for a more mature fish may take longer...

That's my 2 cents anyway...

hi have you got pellets, try frozen bloodworms, or cooked peeled prawns, oscars can be fussy eaters do you know what he was feed on, if you only got him on friday i wouldnt worry as he might be just adjusting to his new surroundings, just give him one or two pellets, if he doesnt eat them within two minutes remove, leave for a couple of hours try him on a prawn, there are so many foods at the top of this page to try, dont worry they can be like this, xxxx

4 days isn't long for a new fish not eating. i wouldn't worry yet. a full grown oscar can live months without food. try earth worms. turn the lights out.

have you tested your water for ammonia/nitrite/nitrate?

your tank isn't enough room for 2 oscars. it works out to be around 60g around the size for a lone oscar with no other fish. you are likely to encounter water problems without very strict maintenance

Hi I have only 1 oscar not 2 and yes the nitrites, nitrates and amonia have all been tested and are fine i have been 2 the local fish shop and they tested for me 2day, i have also done another water change 2day.

i've tried him on blood worms he is jus sucking food in n then spitting it straight out again, i have just bought some pellets this afternoon so will try them a little later. I'm sure we will have some prawns in the freezer if the pellets fail... but other than this i'm at a bit of a loss of what to do next!!
Unfortunatley the shop i bought him from are a bit of a waste of time... they were happy 2 sell him to me but thats as far as it goes... i have been back 2 ask there advice on what he was fed on but their reply was... oh we jus chuck anything in... when i asked for a bit more info they jus sold me some gamma's. I'm tring lots of other thingsat the moment and will not be returning to the shop in question.

i think he is just scared. im 99% sure he will eat. hes in a new place.don't worry the same thing happened to my o when i first got him.

just give him a few pellets try two to start with if they are still there after 3mins remove, the place you got him from most probably gave him juck so dont stress look at the top of this forum plenty advise, just maintain good water conditions, remember they are fussy, but they will eat when hungry, better in your hands then the horrible pet shop, keep us informed, xxx

Thanks 4 all the advice ppl, i've had a bit of a break through in the last 10 mins... i got my son to dig some worms out of the garden and i have proceeded to drop 5 in to the tank and he has eaten them all up yey!!! they were only small worms and i am now wondering how many i should feed him at a time??? any idea's folk? thanks again

When it comes to a LFS they are the super market that tends to the majority of the populi. Get yourself a water test kit and do the tests urself. I got mine on ebay (no plug) and they do 100's of tests cost u about £25 but well.... worth it and it is teh back bone of keeping fish.
Do the test and put up ur results, this is the foundations to keeping these babies....

Keep in touch and let us know..... call... Me Jamie...

kie_mac wrote:

try crickets as well, mine goes ballistic for crickets and earth worms

your oscar could just be stressed out most oscars can go
good for two weeks i know when i bout my red blood parrot \he
didnt eat for at least a week and my new ob peacock
hasnt eatn much in a week but he is still getting used to the tank