Oscar tank size

[evanb]

Hello all.
I've been wanting an Oscar for a while now.
I have a 180l tank and have found a couple of young lemon/albino oscars.
Would the tank be big enough for them to happily live in until they outgrow it?
Of not. What would be a suitable tank size for a fully grown Oscar. I might have to upgrade. (please talk in litres as I'm a Brit)

 

[Wills]

Hi Oscars are a great fish but need big tanks. They grow fast, in optimal conditions an inch per month so getting them and upgrading later does not work very well.

General advice is to have 75 gallons for one and then 50 gallons for each after that. Other fish are possible in there but with limits as they often end up as food or get knocked about. It really is a case of go as big as you can as they are a really big fish when fully grown (which doesnt take long).

Also... plants in the substrate are not really possible as they dig so you are best of with things like anubias, java fern and buce tied to rocks and wood - looks like you have an anubias at the back left of your tank too btw - you might want to take out of the gravel and tie it to your wood otherwise the roots will rot.

Wills

 

[FFGuest6357]

75gallons is roughly 280L

 

[evanb]

Hi Oscars are a great fish but need big tanks. They grow fast, in optimal conditions an inch per month so getting them and upgrading later does not work very well.

General advice is to have 75 gallons for one and then 50 gallons for each after that. Other fish are possible in there but with limits as they often end up as food or get knocked about. It really is a case of go as big as you can as they are a really big fish when fully grown (which doesnt take long).

Also... plants in the substrate are not really possible as they dig so you are best of with things like anubias, java fern and buce tied to rocks and wood - looks like you have an anubias at the back left of your tank too btw - you might want to take out of the gravel and tie it to your wood otherwise the roots will rot.

Wills

Thanks for that advice.
Looks like it's gonna get expensive. might have to re think my plans.
As to the plants, that tank has completely changed in the past few months. It now has sand and a few plants well rooted. Also a large piece of bogwood.

Random question. How many silver dollars would fit in there? I have 1 at the moment and I know I should have more with him. I think oscars are out of the question.

 

[Wills]

What species of silver dollar? The spotted are the smallest but even they would out grow a 180ltr. What other fish do you have?

 

[mcordelia]

There are some gorgeous silver dollars in a 125gal (>500L) display tank at our LFS, and they look kind of cramped in that volume. They have a mix of the red tip and "regular" silver dollars. They need to be in groups of 6+, and looking at them in the 125gal, I'd personally not go that route. I think bigger is better for those fish too.

All that being said, my friends roommate has 4 oscars in a bare bottom 55gallon (apx. 220l) tank. They're okaaay, but I personally don't think I'd get a lot of enjoyment watching that tank. They just seem to kind of float around in place and spend they day bumping into each other as they move around ...

If you want slightly bigger fish, I would consider a species/individual fish only tank of one of the medium sized cichlids,maybe up to the size of a severum. If you want multiple fish, I'd probably stick with dwarf cichlids,maybe going all the way up to a firemouth or electric blue acara if you want something bigger. I know @Phalloceros keeps firemouths and also has a smaller tank in addition to his big tank,maybe he has some thoughts.

 

[Colin_T]

Minimum size tank for an adult Oscar or a pr (male and female) is 4 foot long x 2 foot wide x 18 inches high.

Oscars are messy fish and need a clean tank. Make sure you do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate at least once a week.

Make sure you clean the filter at least once a month. Wash filter media/ materials in a bucket of tank water and re-use the media.

----------------
Feed them a varied diet and avoid live feeder fish because they can introduce diseases into the tank.

 

[evanb]

Thanks for all the helpful information. I'll bare that all in mind.

Cheers.

 

[Phalloceros]

There are some gorgeous silver dollars in a 125gal (>500L) display tank at our LFS, and they look kind of cramped in that volume. They have a mix of the red tip and "regular" silver dollars. They need to be in groups of 6+, and looking at them in the 125gal, I'd personally not go that route. I think bigger is better for those fish too.

All that being said, my friends roommate has 4 oscars in a bare bottom 55gallon (apx. 220l) tank. They're okaaay, but I personally don't think I'd get a lot of enjoyment watching that tank. They just seem to kind of float around in place and spend they day bumping into each other as they move around ...

If you want slightly bigger fish, I would consider a species/individual fish only tank of one of the medium sized cichlids,maybe up to the size of a severum. If you want multiple fish, I'd probably stick with dwarf cichlids,maybe going all the way up to a firemouth or electric blue acara if you want something bigger. I know @Phalloceros keeps firemouths and also has a smaller tank in addition to his big tank,maybe he has some thoughts.

I think that firemouth, rainbow cichlid, electric blue acara, convict, jewel cichlid, hrp, sajica, would all fit in a 180 liter tank, but just for breeding purposes, so you can’t put anything else with it, besides maybe a bristlenose.

@evanb i think the biggest cichlids suitable for this size tank that can be housed together with other fish are, keyhole cichlid, laetacara, and jewel of panama.

If you keep it at only a pair of cichlids and that’s it, cichlids up to 6/7 inches can fit.

 

[Wills]

I think that firemouth, rainbow cichlid, electric blue acara, convict, jewel cichlid, hrp, sajica, would all fit in a 180 liter tank, but just for breeding purposes, so you can’t put anything else with it, besides maybe a bristlenose.

@evanb i think the biggest cichlids suitable for this size tank that can be housed together with other fish are, keyhole cichlid, laetacara, and jewel of panama.

If you keep it at only a pair of cichlids and that’s it, cichlids up to 6/7 inches can fit.

Whats a Jewel of Panama? I've not heard that common name before?

 

[Phalloceros]

Whats a Jewel of Panama? I've not heard that common name before?

Amatitlania nanolutea/Amatitlania altoflava

 

[Wills]

Amatitlania nanolutea/Amatitlania altoflava

Ah cool I thought you meant Nanolutea but not heard that name before. Good name for them too

 

[Phalloceros]

In Holland that’s what we call those “juweel van Panama” which translates to “jewel of Panama”

 

[itiwhetu]

My breeding pair lived their whole lives in a 250 liter tank. Any smaller wouldn't have worked.

 

[itiwhetu]

I know a little about Silver Dollars. They don't swim a lot but like to school . When I bred them it was in a 250 liter tank. Check out my thread " Silver dollars and their young " it was the coolest tank I think I every had.