healthiest feeder fish for oscars?

[oscar fish lover2000]

Hi guys, my oscar has grown a lot over the past month, i want to start feeding him live fish now.
I wanted to know what the healthiest feeder fish for oscars are, the fish guy at the pet store recommended neon teras and rosy barbs
he wasn't trying to rip me off, cause those are two of the cheapest fish that they have, they are well cared for and don't have any diseases.

 

[MN Fish]

Everyone is going to tell you not to feed feeder fish unless you Qt them for a couple of weeks. Or dont feed him feeders unless you have raised hem yourselve....

 

[oscar fish lover2000]

i will quarantine them.

 

[exoticaquaria]

earthworms work better IMO

 

[oscar fish lover2000]

i've used earthworms, i will only give him fish about once a month, i don't want him to get bored so i want to feed him live fish

 

[Hot Slime]

Breed convicts or other prolific fishes. Though I wouldn't stray to far from pellets, it's a almost guarantee you will run into health problems feeding feeders only.


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[Red Devil]

Theres not near enough nutrition in feeder fish... and if your on pellets you should just add other types of healhy food to give him a varied diet.. the chance of HITH is great if not fed a very nutritional diet..Also there is a risk you take feeding feeder fish to the oscar.. the oscar not knowing what is best for him may decide he does not like pellets anymore.. now you have an oscar who will only eat feeders.. this happens alot.

 

[MN_Rebel]

I believe that have varied diet is healthiest diet for most fish, especially oscars. Isn't neon tetras a little unsafe feeder for most fish because of the neon disease? Your best bet is raising some livebearers (guppies, platies, gambusia and endlers), crayfish, cherry shrimp or convicts as you said you will feed him live fish once a month.

 

[MonsterMinis]

Avoid Caprids ( carp ) Oscars imo get HLLE more often then any other species I've delt with when fed rosy minnows or goldfish and are one of the few fish I strongly agree to never feed live fish to.. as suggested earthworms are excellent live foods, and small crayfish would give him a good work-out ( my puffer has a field day when he gets his) guppies/mollies, ect aren't going to give him much of a work-out and can be a pita to raise more then a few a month to feed out, unless you have a large breeding colony. I'm not fond of useing cons as feeders as all it takes is a few to be smart enough to avoid the Oscar until to big to eat.. and you then have more cons... and neons or rosy barbs are both just as likely to have diseases ect as feeder types, and should be QTed just as you would goldfish or minnows. I would check out the live feeder sticky... it gives a good run-down on whats healthy and not.

Any Red devil also brings up a very good point..some fish get spoiled on live and it can ruin their eating habits.

 

[oscar fish lover2000]

thanks, i'll go for gambusia, they're an invasive species in australia and i'll set a fish trap at the local lake. I'll only give them to him as a special treat, once a month or so.