Can't We All Just Get Along?

[sad_rocc]

A friend of mine wants to get rid of her 6"+ oscar because it's abusing the smaller fish. I have a 29gal tank that would suit it well, however I hate to have 1 lone fish in a tank that size. I was thinking of 'dressing' up the tank a bit with 6-10 purdy snails, maybe a pleco or catfish type of bottomfeeder and possibly some crabs.

The problem is is that I don't really know anything about the above things and I don't know how a large oscar would get along with them. Someone fill me in with some info here. Thanks!

 

[Durbkat]

A single oscar needs a minium size tank of 75 gallons and you can't put anything with the single oscar in the 75 gallon. Have you set the tank up yet? Have you cycled the tank? A 29 gallon is to small for a oscar so ask your friend if they can find someone else that has a big enough tank or return the fish to a fish store and they will resell it. There are only a few plecos that can live in a 29 gallon tank with out out growing it and they are a bristlenose, clown pleco, and something else not sure what it is. I just saw your topic about how you just got a 55 gallon tank you might be able to put the oscar in there until you can find a 75 gallon tank or you can return it to the pet store or give it to a friend that has a 75 gallon tank.

 

[Ethos]

Not really. A lone oscer can happily live its life in a 50G, if all alone.

 

[Durbkat]

Oh I thought it was a 75g like I said earlier I saw his other topic about how he got a 55g so why don't you put the oscar in there once you cycle it. If you need info on cycing just ask away.

 

[sad_rocc]

I don't want to put him in the 55gal because that just seems like kind of a waste of a monster tank. The 55gal is a main decoration of my living room so I want it to be something fun to watch.

I had no idea oscars needed so much space! Wow! I don't have the fish yet, it's still in my friend's tank doing it's thing. I just told her I would probably take it once I got my tank set up.

Well damn, I was really set on that idea for the tank. I think from the responses on my other topic, I'm pretty sold on community tank for the 55gal. I guess the 29gal will just hang out for awhile until I come across something good for it. Thanks for the info!

Seconds later, of course something comes to me. I've always thought puffer fish were cool as hell and I've gotten a couple of the green/black spotted freshwater ones (forget the name) but never had good luck with them and no one I could find knew how to properly care for them. Can someone fill me in on freshwater puffers, like care requirements, temperment, how well they get along with other fish, etc? Thanks!

 

[Durbkat]

Yeah if your friend can't return the oscar to the pet store to be re sold then the only approiate size tank for a oscar is a 55 gallon tank with no other fish in it. For your 29 gallon tank you can put some harqulien rasboras (sorry not sure how to correct spell that) or some black tetras and if you can find one 1 bristlenose pleco or 2 clown plecos. They can get about this big http/www.mine-engineer.com/hobby/fish/Oscar1.jpg

 

[MegTheFish]

I don't want to put him in the 55gal because that just seems like kind of a waste of a monster tank.

It won't be a waste once the oscar is more then twice the size it is right now, which it will get too. Personally I wouldn't put an oscar in a 55 gallon, a 55 gallon is too narrow and would be very cramped for an oscar. A 75 gallon SHOULD be the minimum tank size as Durbkat said.


Edit: The width of a 55 gallon is 12", and an oscar will grow between 12-16 inches. So it won't work.