Oscars????

[ruffneck]

I was wanting to set up a tank for an oscar and was wondering what the minmun size of tank that would be good for one. Also are there any fish that could live with it other then jack depnsey and convicts

 

[freddyk]

Speaking long term, a 75 gallon is the minimum size. Remember, I'm not talking about how small a tank they can survive in, I'm talking about what's best for the fish. The 18" depth of this tank will give room to manaeuver, the 4 foot length room to swim.

These cichlids are natural enemies. We can force them into a truce by bringing them up together in the same tank and overstocking, but you'd have much less stress, and less chance of problems, if you go with just the Oscar, the Oscar with some silver dollars, or a pair of Oscars.

You'll need an even bigger tank if you want to start mixing them though.

 

[ruffneck]

thanks I'll probably go with 1 oscar in a 75 gallon tank and some silver dollars. what other small fish could go with it? tinfoil barbs?

 

[CFC]

Tinfoil barbs are not small fish, full grown adults can easily reach over a foot in length and they grow very fast. Being active schooling fish tinfoil barbs need a tank of at least 5x2x2' which is about 150 gallons.

In a 75g with a oscar and 6 silver dollars you could eaily keep some kind of medium sized catfish, something like a lima shovelnose, ornate pimelodus or other medium sized Pimeloid catfish would work well.

 

[aetchell]

ive got 5 oscars in a 4 foot tank, they get on very well with all the other fish i have (hoplosternum, a red tailed catfish, plec, sucking loach, a little orange cichlid thing and a polpterus senagalus) the oscars do seem to fight amongst themselves a little but have never ever bothered the other fish, even tho they are the largest fish in the tank.

 

[canarsie11]

ive got 5 oscars in a 4 foot tank, they get on very well with all the other fish i have (hoplosternum, a red tailed catfish, plec, sucking loach, a little orange cichlid thing and a polpterus senagalus) the oscars do seem to fight amongst themselves a little but have never ever bothered the other fish, even tho they are the largest fish in the tank.

Seems overstocked to me

But I would love to see that tank, when everyone has grown up

 

[ferrikins]

ive got 5 oscars in a 4 foot tank, they get on very well with all the other fish i have (hoplosternum, a red tailed catfish, plec, sucking loach, a little orange cichlid thing and a polpterus senagalus) the oscars do seem to fight amongst themselves a little but have never ever bothered the other fish, even tho they are the largest fish in the tank.

WOW thats going to be one very over stocked, very very nasty tank.

I don't even know where to start

Oscars, from what I read need way more room than that when grown.

Red Tail Cats get HUGH, I seen full grown ones, they where almost 2ft.

Pl*c get about 1ft.

Sucking loach's can het nasty and big.

Cichlid, I have no idea without a good ID.

and the

poly, well get to about 12 - 14 inch's can be very aggressive, sould realy be in a 4ft by themselfs, are wonderful preistoric fish, and should be respected.


Sorry if I sound to harsh, but I almost choaked on my tea reading that.

 

[Dwarfs]

ive got 5 oscars in a 4 foot tank, they get on very well with all the other fish i have (hoplosternum, a red tailed catfish, plec, sucking loach, a little orange cichlid thing and a polpterus senagalus) the oscars do seem to fight amongst themselves a little but have never ever bothered the other fish, even tho they are the largest fish in the tank.

WOW thats going to be one very over stocked, very very nasty tank.

I don't even know where to start

Oscars, from what I read need way more room than that when grown.

Red Tail Cats get HUGH, I seen full grown ones, they where almost 2ft.

Pl*c get about 1ft.

Sucking loach's can het nasty and big.

Cichlid, I have no idea without a good ID.

and the

poly, well get to about 12 - 14 inch's can be very aggressive, sould realy be in a 4ft by themselfs, are wonderful preistoric fish, and should be respected.


Sorry if I sound to harsh, but I almost choaked on my tea reading that.

Actually, RTC's get over 3' long, so that 2' was still a juvenile
Polypterus aren't very aggressive to other fish, and not all plecos get to a foot long

That tank is very overstocked though, 5 oscars would need well over 200 gallons, and the RTC would need a tank somewhere in the 10-15 foot range

 

[ferrikins]

thanks dwarfs, for spotting my mistaks

at least I got the RTC bit almost right

 

[Dwarfs]

thanks dwarfs, for spotting my mistaks

at least I got the RTC bit almost right

No prob, at least you knew what was potentially wrong

 

[sevs]

RTC's can get around 6' they are best left in large ponds and public aquariums.

 

[Valyrian]

I thought RTC's to go 4'? Oh well, the point is, they get BIG.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

well, it sounds like this one should at least end up well-fed...

 

[RcketGrl]

well, it sounds like this one should at least end up well-fed...

I have 1 Oscar in a 77 gal, with a 2 Pleco's and 3 ?catfish suckers, which someone said in my pics thread was a mean chinese sucking one!

My Oscar is about 7" and I've had him since he was about 2", as he grew he killed every fish he's been with, first the barbs, then the silver dollars, then the other Oscar... so he doesn't get any more playmates.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

big scary fish!

someone (synirr i think) once posted that her oscar enjoys playing with a fishing line bouy. perhaps your oscar would enjoy that for a new toy.