Hello From Ipswich

[Rick-UK]

Hi All, just found your forum so decided to join up. My name is Richard (everyone calls me Rick) and I'm in Ipswich Suffolk.

I've currently got a 150 litre tank with some beautiful fancy Goldfish in. I pick up my new 240 litre tank in 2 weeks and want to keep Oscars, Silver Dollars and Clown Loaches. I'm quite new to the whole tropical scene but I've done quite a bit of research on the species I have just mentioned.

Anyway, big Hello and looking forward to getting to know everyone

 

[matt_storey]

welcome

You will need more than 240l to keep a single oscar im afraid. They can quite easily grow over a foot long at a very quick rate.

I'm sure you will receive plenty of advice regarding the other fish enjoy your stay

 

[Rick-UK]

Thanks for the heads up Matt. Do they really grow that quickly??

Please don't think I'm doubting you as I need all the advice I can get! Everywhere I look there are 8" Oscars (2 of them) in 240 litre tanks. Will my tank be too small? I was initially thinking about a community tank of Malawi Cichlids but with the vast array of colours I would want, it's cost me a small fortune to get them all!

 

[matt_storey]

i had a short experience in keeping some Oscars, they were in a 5x2x2 tank, 2 of them and they hit the 6inch mark in a couple of months (i got them as juvis)

i would go away for a weekend come back and notice a difference in size.

Also they are one of the messiest fish to have! Oscars and Pleco combo... i dont advise it lol

 

[Rick-UK]

6 inches in a couple of months??!!

Didn't realise they grew THAT quickly...... eek!

Grrr, beautiful big tank and I now have no idea how to stock it. It's going to be the main focal point in our lounge so would like some colourful fish which aren't small.

Malawi Cichlids? Gourami's?

 

[matt_storey]

you could try Elliotis, Jade eyes, rotkeil severums (although im not sure if they'll need a bigger space),

you could try some dwarf cichlids, rams, kirbs and have some community fish in with them.

Tbh im not the best person to ask, stocking isnt my forte

 

[elisew]

Hi Rick, welcome to TFF

Completely agree with matt on the Oscar score......you wouldn`t believe how many Oscars are taken back to some shops because people just have no idea on what the requirements are or how big these fish really get in such a short space of time

240L is a good enough size for some of the African mbunas, have a look in the African cichlids section as I`m sure you`ll find some great ideas in there, especially in the Journals bit.
Regarding the price issue you mention.....a lot of the malawi/mbuna don`t actually cost any more than some of the standard tropical fish do these days which is good but the real bonus is the entertainment and colour you get without having to go down the marine route

 

[colleen0309]

Good morning and welcome! Oscars are great, but, yes, they get very large very quick. My vet has 2 in a 100 gallon and they went from 2" juvies to 10" monsters in less than a year.

 

[Rick-UK]

Thanks for the advice Elise! I had a look at Ferris' tank, its stunning and thats what I was looking for!!!

 

[lil_phelpsy]

hi all im new to tff

just like to start by saying hello ive signed up as doing alot of reading up on fish online lately
and this forum seems to be extremely friendly and helpful.
im fairly new to large aquariums i have a 100g tank with 2 red tiger oscars 1 jaguar cichlid a common pleco
at about 15 inchs a small pleco and a couple of clown loach.
would like to say i completly agree oscars and plecos are extremly messy needing the poo siphoned every other day to
keep it clean and tidy.
but on the other hand my oscars are amazing fish to interact with and watch even at only a few inchs they are
basically dogs and i spend 99% of my spare time staring into my tank or at the lfs.

anyway nice to speak to you