OK, Their home, both about 2.5 ". Introduced them into their new home (110 gal) slowly. Kept lights off and let them settle in last night. This morning introduced a small amount of Ciclid gold mini pellets, but they haven't noticed the food floating around. Tank appears pretty big at this point. They are traveling around cautiously TOGETHER. It's a kick, one heads off in one direction and the other follows as if to say; "hey, don't leave me behind, I'm coming with you !". Any advice at this point?


George

Sounds like you have things under control. My only advice is with the feeding. I wouldn't just drop the pellets into the tank like that because I have found most goes to waste, literally. Start training your two little ones and soon they will take notice of you and swim to greet you too. Now I don't offer any food to my Oscars unless they come to the top and beg for it. Then I only offer a pellet or two at a time to make sure they eat it right down. My two eat a bit then retire immedietely to the bottom of the tank and that is the clear sign to stop putting food in the water.

So, get their attention and if they pay attention to you, open the top of the aquarium hood and give them a bit of food it they are there. If they stay on the bottom, skip this feeding. babies should be fed at least three times a day, or four even but not too much any one time. My two are about 4" long and are still being fed about 3 times daily. I have found the larger male eating and begging more then the female who sometimes skips a meal by choice. Good luck with your two, (Maybe they'll turn out to be a mated pair like mine did) what strain are they?

Also I recommend getting at least 3-4 different types of foods and vary their diet. For example, I have two types of pelletized foods, one type of tubular cichlid food, frozen blood worms, freeze dried meal worms and freeze dried crickets. I also get them live crickets about once a week as a treat, maybe 3-4 crickets each (small ones), I also have freeze dried baby shrimp (krill) and freeze dried tubifex worms too. I am probably going to raise my own crickets or feedr fish, or worms but haven't decided as I'm still researching. But I think some form of live foods are in order....

Their Red Tiger's and obviously I don't have a clue if their Male or Female at this point. I'm just hoping that I can get their attention and most importantly their trust to have them come up for food. At what point do I start to worry ?
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Considering that pet stores barely feed their fish once a day (probably not even that often) these two can survive for days without food. However I think you'll find they will quickly come to recognize you as their owner (and more important, source of food) and come out to greet you as you enter the room. These guys are beggars for sure and they learn that pretty quick. Go through the motions, open the hood, touch the water if necessay but if they dont show interest or stay on the bottom, skip the food (my opinion.) They will learn to eat quickly and will try to train YOU to overfeeding them too.

Thanks Partner, I'll let you know how I make out....

George NY

My single fish always begs for food. As soon as she sees me she goes nuts...around the clock. She's ready to eat ANYTIME. But I try to feed her just three times a day although I am guilty of having done so more often. This fish is INCREDIBLY persuasive.

My previous oscar (the one who committed suicide) didn't eat for several days after I put her in the new tank. And when she finally took her first bite, she literally SPIT IT ON MY FACE. Then would sulk. She only ate Hakairi pellets. Nothing else. She didn't even like crickets...even fresh ones. Just spiit is out with guts all over the water and not bother with it anymore. She hated blood worms, krill. You name it she hated it. Even other types of pellets (expensive brands) she would eat one bite, then completely ignore it. Literally turn her nose at it. .

I truly believe I had a mentally ill fish...but it was very affectionate too.

Oscars are true gluttons and will keep eating as long as you give them food. Overfeeding fish is not good for their health so try not to do it. They don't call them River dogs for nothing.