Oscar Jr and Senior: the Cichlids

I wanted to continue with the two largest Cichlids I've ever owned. Of course I've never owned any that I can remember but I also got some small ones that are called 'Convicts' cause they wear a stripe of clothes that looks like convict clothes. It's better than watching TV for me to sit and watch their movements. I rescued them from two different households as they were too large for the tanks they were in. So I just brought them home and put them in a nice large 75 gallon. They really love to eat live insects which I pluck from the air, or spiders that are trying to live off me for free. Boy are they in for a big surprise. They get gulped in one big mouthful by one of the Oscars either Junior or Senior.

Sometimes they race to get the food and bump into one another. They are graceful as can be, but I have only pictured the Senior one here as the other likes to hide unless he's eating. There are also the very small in comparison 'Convicts' but I will shoot them at a later date. I also dig up from my backyard a weird kinda of insect called 'Jerusalem Crickets' and they are mean looking but their bite and mandibles are not poisonous. I read that somewhere. They really like those as they have big fat juicy bellies that are probably like our filet mignon to them. But they have a purpose. I have also found little white larvae that are resting in the dirt until the right time, proper temperature when they can grow into an adult.

I first encountered these creatures when I first moved here to Los Angeles in 1990 and got really startled when I found one crawling on the carpet in my house. What a shocker, I thought it had come down from the cosmos as they look like something outta Star Wars. I thought I knew about most insects, well this one got away. I had never seen anything like it, was a little scary at first even for a large size man like me.

But I really respect them especially now after finding out their name and what areas they live in. I never saw one in Chicago from whenst I came because it's too cold in the winter, makes sense. Its habitat is mostly in warmer climates with sand mixed in with the dirt. They are amazing beautiful creatures but can give a wicked sting.

I regularly dig for them in my backyard soil now with my shovel. I uncover one every 25 shovelfulls or so, by sifting through until I discover one. Then lay the shovel down, using tweezers, grab them by their creepy crawly feet, carry them over to either the turtle or fish tank and drop them smack dab in there.



You see they are perfect feeder food for turtles and larger tropical fish like Oscars. They love them, the turtles and the fish both equally as well. There is usually a feeding frenzy as I have  seen two turtles each take a hold of each end and pull until it comes apart and each gets a healthy bite. Who knew? The Oscars don’t like to share and end up with a Jerusalem cricket whole. I wonder how they would taste fried, like the shrimp or the other dried fish sticks I bought for them.

They are much easier to spot than earthworms, because of their bright shiny color. I find them best in the fall/winter because they are hibernating and laying eggs. Tried to keep one but it crawled out of the container I had him in. Nobody sells them though. You can't find them like you can worms or crickets for sale. So I am attempting to breed them myself.

Please donate when you can in any increment if even a dollar. Money goes directly for electricity, pet food, vet needs, supplies for water, tanks, filters, and all other mechanical tools. I do not accept any compensation for myself as salary as I am NOT a non-profit or profit for that matter. This is NOT a business but rather I am doing this out of the feeling I have for the animals and no other reason other than to keep my sanity in a totally unstable economy.