Tiger Oscar

Question
I have a 30 gallon tank with one 5' inch tiger oscar(owned 5'1/2 months bck) and two 3' silver dollar(3 weeks bck). sorry dont know my filter pump capacity! But it creates good water currents.
1. my oscar just sits in the corner but not always! and it gets irrtated when the lights are on!{as i used to keep my tank dark whn i bought this fish}
2. it just eats live foods(insects and gold fish) and sometimes it dont eat dead insects or fish! can stay hungry for 4-5 days!
....
what can i do to make my oscar so around freely in the tank with lights on & make thm eat some artificial foods???  

Answer
Hello,

Well, first of all, since your Oscar is used to the dark tank, try dimming the light. This can be done by putting a piece of colored paper over the light fixture/bulb. (make sure the paper doesn't touch the bulb itself). Then, gradually adjust the light, covering less every day. This 'gradual adaption' will make your Tiger Oscar feel much better and less stressed. Fish take time to get used to new surroundings. Putting in driftwood, rock structure, or caves will make him feel less stressed, and will make him feel more at home.

As for the artificial food, try fasting your Oscar for about 3 days (no food). Then, introduce a small quantity of artificial food, to try and get him to eat. If he doesn't, don't give up, try another brand of artificial food. What artificial food are you using? If you're using flakes, forget it. They'll never accept flakes. Over time, your Tiger will become accustomed to eating frozen/freeze-dried foods.

Good Luck, and Happy Fishkeeping!