Oscar fish are native to the tropical and subtropical waters of South America. Highly popular in the aquarist trade, this species grows to be quite large and has very specific feeding requirements. If you’re thinking of adding Oscars to your home aquarium, you may be wondering what food is best?
Oscar fish are omnivores by nature. Therefore, they require a balanced diet of both plant- and meat-based foods. Foods rich in protein will help them grow to their full potential. Consider edibles like live or frozen brine shrimp and bloodworms, fish flakes and pellets, and boiled or blanched vegetables.
Now that you know what types of foods are best for Oscar fish, let’s explore this topic further and in more detail. Together we’ll learn what Oscar fish eat in the wild, if they can eat human foods, which foods are most nutritious, and how often to feed them. We’ll also explore dried food options like fish flakes or pellets and discover how food is linked to their growth rate and temperament.
So, if you’re ready to learn all you need to know about keeping Oscar fish healthy and well-fed in captivity, then let’s begin!
What do Oscar Fish Eat in the Wild?
Oscar fish are omnivorous but prefer a meat-based diet. In the wild, they typically feast on live prey like small fish, tiny crustaceans (snails, crabs, shrimp), insects as well as plant matter. Predatory by nature, this species will hunt for its meals in the wild or scavenge for detritus along the Amazon riverbed.
Can Oscar Fish Eat Superworms?
Superworms are a great food option for Oscar fish in captivity. In fact, a single superworm contains the same amount of protein as 20 crickets! Superworms are comprised of 50% protein and rich in nutrients, enzymes, and hormones. That said, superworms should offered sparingly – two at a time, twice a week.
Can Oscar Fish Eat Mice?
Oscar fish can eat a wide range of meaty foods, including mice. However, it’s best to feed them aquatic creatures since their stomachs aren’t meant to digest land animals. Their teeth are designed for catching and crushing small fish, not rodent bones. Mice also carry diseases which can be transferred to fish.
Can Oscar Fish Eat Roaches?
Though Oscar fish can eat cockroaches, it’s not recommended. This type of land insect is known to carry a variety of intestinal diseases and can transmit life-threatening bacteria to your fish. Instead, opt for aquatic insects like mosquitos and flies – they prove nutrition with less risk of pesticide-induced illness.
Can Oscar Fish Eat Snails?
Oscar fish can eat a variety of crustaceans including snails, shrimps, and crabs, and crayfish. All types of aquarium snails including apple, bladder, mystery, nerite, ramshorn, trumpet, and turbo are considered potential prey for captive Oscars. In fact, Oscars will go so far as to eat the hatchlings of breeding snails.
Can Oscar Fish Eat Grasshoppers?
Oscar fish are carnivorous so they can eat land insects like grasshoppers. That said, grasshoppers are more expensive and can contain harmful pesticides which may infect your fish. Since grasshoppers can provide both exercise and mental stimulation for Oscars, offer them as a rare treat instead of a staple.
Is it Okay to Feed Oscar Fish Crickets?
It’s okay for Oscar fish to be fed crickets. In fact, their diet in the wild is made up largely of aquatic insects and insect larvae, especially during the rainy season in the Amazon when fish are more scattered. Just don’t overdo it – offer them just two crickets per week as a ‘treat’ rather than a staple.
Is Okay to Feed Oscar Fish Flaked or Pellet Foods?
It’s okay to feed Oscar fish high-quality cichlid flakes and pellets. As omnivores, they require a balanced and diverse diet of both meat- and plant-based foods.
Cichlid Flakes and pellets are affordable and readily available both in-store at your local pet shop or online through aquarium retailers like Amazon.
To ensure optimal health and growth of your Oscars, alternate between live and dry food. This provides fish with the high-protein, low-fat diet they need to thrive in captivity. Check the label on the can of fish flakes/pellets to ensure its not overly processed – avoid ones that contain artificial colors and/or flavors.
Is Live Food Better for Oscar Fish than Dry Food?
Live, meaty edibles are always the better choice for Oscar fish since they closely represent the same types of foods this species eats in the wild. Small feeder fish, insects, insect larvae, and crustaceans are highly nutritious and will help keep your pet fish healthy and active.
If choosing live foods over frozen or freeze-fried option, make sure they’re free of parasites and harmful bacteria. It’s recommended you purchase your live fish foods from a pet shop as opposed to catching it yourself. This way, you have of a chance of inadvertently infecting your Oscars with harmful microbes.
What Human Food can Oscar Fish Eat?
Oscar fish can eat human food like vegetables. Boiled, canned, or frozen peas and blanched spinach are great options. You can also chop up lettuce, cucumbers and zucchini into tiny pieces and offer them as a ‘treat.’ They’ll even munch on shelled nuts or seafood like mussels, tilapia (cut to size), and clams.
If you choose to feed your Oscars human food, make sure each piece is clean and bite sized. If too big, you run the risk of your pet fish choking and possibly dying. Vegetables should be pre-washed and peeled, if necessary. If the veggies are frozen, ensure they’re thawed out prior to serving.
What to Feed Oscar Fish to Make them Grow?
A high-quality, well-balanced, protein-rich diet is essential to Oscar fish health. Without it, their growth will be stunted and their energy level low. The ‘best’ food for Oscar fish includes live, meaty options with the occasional plant or vegetable supplement and steady supply of fish flakes or pellets.
Healthy Oscar fish can reach adult lengths of 12 to 14 inches in captivity. To ensure they reach their full growth potential, feed them twice a day with a variety of meat- and plant-based edibles. Switching up their food options will keep them from getting bored and possibly feasting on smaller tankmates.
How Often to Feed Oscar Fish?
Oscar fish are large and highly active. To ensure their energy level doesn’t drop, feed them once or twice per day with enough food to be consumed in a two- to three-minute period. Their aggression is often linked to their feeding habits so offering food two times a day will help keep them peaceful in captivity.
As with any aquarium fish, you don’t want to overfeed. In fact, overfeeding is more likely to cause death in captivity than starvation. Overfeeding can result in a multitude of health issues, including poor digestion, fatty liver, and fin rot. It also negatively affects the water parameters by increasing toxins.
Final Thoughts
To sum-up, Oscar fish are omnivorous and require a diverse diet of both plant- and meat-based foods. High-quality, protein-rich options like live or frozen brine shrimp and bloodworms are recommended along with flaked or pellet foods and some greens including boiled peas and blanched spinach.
I trust this article has provided insight into feeding and caring for Oscar fish in captivity. Thanks for reading and good luck with your aquarist hobby!
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