I have an 80 Gallon tank (Was informed by the pet store that they believe it is a 90 lol). The Ph is and has been at 7 for weeks the Hardness is reading 8 currently. No Ammonia. My question is... Is it possible to have two Oscars live happily in a tank this size? I had a 55 Gallon and for several Years had two Oscars and a Pleco (about 14 inches) in it that seemed very content and healthy. I ended up taking the fish to a pet store when I moved.
My current tank is cycled and at the moment has several gold fish in it. There purpose was only for cycling. I saw a rather large Oscar at a good store near here and was wondering if I should get him or go with two of the smaller ones they carry. I just want to make sure he is content on his own as well. Although I plan on adding a Pleco soon as well. I just seem to like the Plecos. Would love to have a Green Terror tank but there are none around where I live to be had.
Well a 55 gallon tank is the absolute bare minumum for ONE oscar. For a fish that can and sometimes do grow to over 14inches they need plenty of room to roam. 75 gallons is the preferred minimum. I wouldn't stuff two oscars in a 80 gallon IMO, it's just not big enough. You could add smaller tankmates like angels(obviously large enough to not be eatin), firemouth cichlids, maybe a convict, severums, etc. Don't get a super huge species of pleco either. Oscars have a huge bioload and need tons of filteration and water changes. I don't know how long or how big your previous oscars were in that 55 but it was entirely too small. Especially with a 14in pleco.
Thank you. I will most likely go with the Single Oscar and a Smaller Pleco. Most of all I want the fish to be happy. I was always under the Impression that the Oscar would torment a smaller cichlid.
I believe I have heavy filtration. I'm using a magnum 250 with a pro 30 bio wheel and an emperor 400 as well. Once I get the tubing I will have my Turbo twist hooked up as well. Ive never used one before so I am not sure of the benefits it has. I have another Mangum I could use as well but I would need to modify the hood for it to fit.
The filteration looks solid but could you maybe give me the turnover rate? If you can't it's fine. Oscars are kind of pushovers. I don't see them as any kind of bully. Smaller cichlids should be fine with him. If you wanted a soewhat big cichlid with him a severum is a good choice and I believe you have enough room. A small bichir or catfish would make a great companion for the bottom half of the tank also.
from the sounds of things you know what your doing if you had all that in your former 55 gal, if i were you i wouldnt hesitate for what you plan to do here. just keep up on your w/c and watch for aggression if you add anything else besides oscars and plecos.
Total flow rate is about 650 per hour. Another 175 will be going through the light. The Oscar I was getting was gone so a friend is dropping one off later. (Pet Stores are at least 50 miles from here.) With my 55 I was doing quite frequent water changes but they worked out well. Thank you both for replying. I will keep you posted as to what happens.
Everything sounds great! Oh and sometimes it's not a matter of filteration it's just a matter of space. On another forum someone actually kept like 12 half grown africans in a ten gallon and thaught it was okay. He was going on and on about how he has like 1000gph and he does like 50% water changes weekly. It wasn't enough room. Sometimes people forget that fish don't just need clean water but the need room to ctually swim lol.
Lol. I Talked to an actual owner of a pet store today that has several african cichlids, two oscars, and a pleco in a fifty five gallon tank. Sounds like a concentration camp. (Not to make light of the past). I can not see how the fish survive like that. I hooked up the Twist 3X and after several leaks and 40 minutes of tube changes and trouble shooting I now am proud to say that it works. Hopefully it will be a benefit to the tank. Fish friend should be here in about an hour. Will be posting pics of the tank and my daughters turtle set up later as well.
Alright. Good news and bad news. Dear friends fail at times in following direction. She listened to the store clerk and not me. I now have Two small Oscars, A small Bala shark an Angel fish and a very very small (although cute) Pleco. The current plan is to keep said fish in my current set up until The new year at which time I will make a road trip for a larger tank. Size really is not an issue as I have more than enough room in the house. If the Oscars appear to "attach" themselves to each other I may just seperate them from the others when the larger tank is obtained. I have a friend in MD that has a 6 foot aquarium once used for Pacu. Not sure of the actual gallon size but it is conciderably bigger than the current set up I have. Again, thank you so much for the advice and help!!!!
Sounds like a plan. Hopefully you can get everything going smoothly and get that tank some occupants. There is nothing more exciting than stting up a brand new fish tank.
I love my fish tanks. In my last house I had a 30 a 90 and a 55. They were a lot of work but so fun at the same time. I have had some great fish, I miss my giant Gourami and my old Oscars the most. I used to have a green terror that had no eyes. (when she was small she was attacked and they just healed over.) She was from a pet store. Had to keep her fed with lots of feeders. She was a doll though.
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