Food for Oscars

Question
QUESTION: Hello Ron, I have two oscars - they co-exist in a 67 gallon tank - I do feed them pellets, but someone told me I could give them crushed raw chicken liver and heart mixed with grond carrots. Is this a favourable meal? Your advice will be appreciated. Thanks.

ANSWER: Hi Lloyd,
  I guess you could do that, but why?   I would keep feeding your oscars with the pellets.  

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks:
These oscars are about 6 - 7 " long and about 4-5" in width. They ignore the pellets and would prefer freeze dried brine shrimp. I gave them the chopped liver once and they gouged on it.

Answer
Hi Lloyd,
 The trouble with giving them foods like chopped liver and heart is that those foods can be quite fatty and often I see oscars that are vastly overfed.  An oscar is supposed to be sleek, not chunky.  Feeding them those things is a bit like
candy, once they've had the candy, they don't want to eat their regular food for quite a while.  Brine shrimp is good.  You could try earthworms.  Earthworms are great food for oscars.
Crickets are also good.
Do NOT feed them feeder fish under ANY circumstances. Feeders often carry various diseases and every week I answer questions about oscars that are dying after eating feeder fish.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>