I’ve read that the hardest part about keeping an aquaponics system is in tending to the fish.  After three die-offs of feeder fish in our system, we have decided to change our fish strategy.  Without further ado, please meet our new fish, Oscar !!!

What kind of fish is Oscar?  Well, he is an oscar.  Yes, the girls and I got very creating during our naming process for our new aquatic friend.  Oscar is a meat eater and a type of cichlid. Now we can combine our vermiculture hobby with our aquaponic hobby.  Thus far, Oscar has had his hunger satisfied by a single red wiggler earthworm in the morning, and a single pellet of Cichlid Gold.  In a little while we will introduce a little lettuce green into his diet.

Because Oscar prefers his water at a warm 78 degrees F, we have added a heater to the fish tank system.  The feeder fish tend to prefer cooler water so we did not have a heater at that time.  Of course, we couldn’t keep the feeder fish alive past a few weeks anyway, so please don’t take our fish husbandry tips as gospel yet.

The girls are fascinated by Oscar and said they think it looks like he has cursive writing on his sides (and I didn’t know the girls even know what cursive writing looked like).  They’ve been taking turns feeding him, and I hope that as he grows, so too does the love for plants and animals grow within the girls of HublevilleUSA.

GOD BLESS !!!

Matthew 4:18     Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.