Breeding Oscars?

[PineHill]

I have had my Oscars for about 1 year and I bought them as juveniles so I'm assuming they are about 1.5 years old.  I recently raised the temperature to 82 to induce breeding.  I know one for sure is a male since the tip of the tube coming out was shaped like the tip of a pencil.  However the other Oscar didn't display any tube at all.  I'm curious about this and the only explanation I can think of is that they're still too young, seeing that they're about 9 inches each.  Help anyone?  Thanks.

[babblefish1960]

They are still too young, give them more time until they are over 10 inches at least, they are also south american.

[StylinT]

Before my breeding pair Died they had a dozen or so spawns but being young they male an my pleco in the tank kept eating them

also try feeding them diffrent foods I give mine shrimp worms crickets good quality pellets its best to vary there diet

[PineHill]

Alright thanks a lot for the info.  I made my own food for them, basically followed the guide on the OVAS site and the Oscars love it.  Their orange is more vibrant and the batch will last for months.  So I guess all I have to do now is wait for them to mature and hope I have a breeding pair.  Also removing my pleco after eggs have been laid will probably be a must to avoid him being killed by the parent Oscars or eating the eggs.

[plecoL83]

you can also feed them peas, nuts and other roughage.

[PineHill]

Mixed within my home made food is 1lb. of peas, almost 1lb. broccoli, 1lb. whole shrimp (heads, eyes, tails, shells) and a lot of other healthy stuff so the food is ideal for them but thanks for the tips.  I'm just really anxious to breed them, haven't had fry in a while.  Although I do constantly breed Japanese & Chinese Fire Bellied Newts. (~100 of them)

[sas]

Hope this isn't a thread jack but I made this recipe too PineHill. ALL my fish go absolutely crazy over it . Good thing because it does make alot. The two legged "animals" in the family thought I was making guacamole  until they smelled it lol.
I'd recommend making it if you've got fish with big appetites and are also concerned about bloat.
Thanks to DarkDep I think? for this is his recipe? Tried to go back and check but it doesn't say?

[PineHill]

Yea I definitely got the recipe off the Do-It-Yourself section from the OVAS site but it doesn't say who submitted it so I couldn't credit them.  But yea you're right about the fish loving the home-made green paste.  It's working out well for me, I highly recommend it.

[babblefish1960]

I believe the recipe on the articles section is Darkdep's creation, and it is very good food, it even seems tempting to me sometimes when feeding the fish.

[PineHill]

Yea I had a feeling it may have been Darkdep.  Well I thank him and congratulate him on a successful cichlid food.  Hope it helps my Oscars grow to breeding size, which is what the topic was originally about lol.  Thanks everyone.

[busdriver]

When they get real friendly they will also nibble on your fingers, for two cents I would go back to oscars but I would always compare them to the two clowns I had, man I miss them.
If you want to see them go to my gallery.

[PineHill]

Yea mine are really friendly.  I'm at the point that they let me rub their heads and sides and also eat out of my hand but they know not to bite me.  Odd though they do bite whoever else sticks their fingers in the tank lol.  Last time I relocated them I picked them up in my hands instead of netting them; they absolutely hate the net.  Seem to cause less stress to them.