[duvalboy]

I was thinking about starting a tank with two Oscars and one common pleco ....now i know its gotta be big .....i was thinking 75 or maybe 100 gallons will this be suitable for two tiger oscars and one common pleco

 

[keepsmiling]

I would skip the pleco. They just make a mess and outgrow all tanks. They poop a lot, and oscars are messy eaters so they do not need the extra waste in their tank.

 

[rsskylight04]

I would want at least 90 gallons for two oscars, or better with a 125 for the oscars plus a group of 5-7 pictus catfish to clean up their scraps.
Good luck!

 

[buzz4520]

A 5 or 6 foot tank will work out better if your wanting 2 oscars...IMHO. A 75g will be ok for 1 oscar.

 

[duvalboy]

Thanks for the input i think i will go with the 100 gallon for the Oscar but i already have the pleco he's only 3 or 4 inches right know he is in my 20 gallon community tank i was hopeing he would fit in there also .....what do u think... Every one keeps telling me to git rid of it but its ben to long to take him back to petsmart and i dont know any one to take him .....i would like to keep him if i could.....

 

[rsskylight04]

Just my opinion, but I think you'll be ok with the pleco in a 100. Just be aware that he will get huge... bigger than the oscars possibly. I've seen plecos 2' long that must have weighed at least 10 pounds, but for a 100 gal with good filtration, might be ok

 

[duvalboy]

Have any of u kept jack dempsy's ive read they dont get as big as the Oscars do how do they do together with the cat fish like u suggested earlier with the pleco in a 100 gallon.... I was planing on a canister filter rated for a 150 gallon ...... Would sand or gravel be better

 

[jaysee]

Have any of u kept jack dempsy's ive read they dont get as big as the Oscars do how do they do together with the cat fish like u suggested earlier with the pleco in a 100 gallon.... I was planing on a canister filter rated for a 150 gallon ...... Would sand or gravel be better

Instead of thinking in terms of gallons, start thinking in terms of dimensions. 100 gallons doesn't mean a thing (nor is it a size tank that's even available generally). People often will throw around specific size tanks because they are standard sizes that correspond to specific dimensions. For example, a 55 is a 4 foot by 1 foot base. A 75 is also 4 feet, but 1.5 feet wide which is a 50% larger footprint than the 55. So when someone suggests a 75 instead of a 55, they are REALLY suggesting a wider tank - the 20 gallons by themselves don't matter. Another good example is 20 gallon tanks. They can be either 30, 24 or 20 inches long - makes a big difference for a lot of fish so just because you have a 20 gallon tank doesn't mean you can duplicate the stock of someone else's, because they may have a 20 long and you may have a 20 extra high.

My 90 came with a full grown oscar and a JD. The oscar was too big for the tank in my opinion, and the JD was pretty beaten up. I whole heatedly agree that a 6 foot long tank would be best.

You have and want to keep some BIG fish, so you need to get a BIG tank. The oscar will grow FAST - 10 inches within the first year, just to give you an idea. I would not waste money on a tank that you will have to upgrade in a year unless you intended on keeping it.

Canister filter is definitely the way to go, unless you want to do a sump or wet/dry. I have 2 on the 90 and 125 and 3 on the other 125 (the "big fish" tank). I would have only 2 on that one as well, except that I have 2 smaller filters from a tank I tore down that I am using instead of buying a second large filter. On the one 125 I run a sunsun 304 (525 GPH) and an xp4 (450 GPH). On the 90 a sunsun 304 (525) and an xp3 (350). On the other 125 is an xp3 (350), a sunsun 303 (370) and a sunsun 302 (265).

Sand is great.





Show tanks 125, 125, 90, 10, 5, 2.5
QTs 2x29, 2x20

 

[duvalboy]

Thanks for the input .... I would want the longer tank....and yes i know they are big fish i wish i had the room for a realy big one but a 6 foot is the biggest i have room for ....is this big enough for the oscars or the jd's or should just go for a large tropical community tank

 

[jaysee]

A 125 (6 foot) would be good for oscars, JD, your pleco and the pictus cats mentioned. You could add more fish too.


Show tanks 125, 125, 90, 10, 5, 2.5
QTs 2x29, 2x20

 

[buzz4520]

If your able to get a 6 footer(125g +), that would be best if your going to go with the larger fish.
If it were me, and it's not, I wouldn't put pictus cat fish in with oscars or jd's. They will most likely become a meal. I've got 3 - 6yr old oscars (about 14" nose to tail) in a 6 foot 150g and they can eat a fish the size of a 5" pictus cat.
For 5 yrs there was a jd (RIP...got a rock lodged in his throat) in with my oscars with no problems, got them all at the same time and size so they grew up together. Just keep in mind, that my set up has work out for me (so far), dosen't mean that it'll work out for others. Each fish are different.

 

[libbysdad]

I was thinking about starting a tank with two Oscars and one common pleco ....now i know its gotta be big .....i was thinking 75 or maybe 100 gallons will this be suitable for two tiger oscars and one common pleco

75 plenty big, are you getting 2 to 3 inch fish or bigger ?

 

[rsskylight04]

I have a 75 gal with a large male jd and pictus cats. There is also a small female convict cichlid in the tank. There is no aggression except at feeding time as the fish compete to see who can hog down the most food. I was surprised by how aggressive the pictus cats become at feeding time. They will pull food out of the jds mouth if the piece of food is too large for him to immediatly engulf. Far from becoming a meal, they definitely hold their own in the tank, to the extent of actually being the aggressors. Amazingly, everyone leaves the little convict alone.
I love the pictus cats because not only are they attractive fish- bright silver with bold black spots-but they also do a wonderful job keeping the tank clean of food scraps. They are some of the most active fish possible and never rest; constantly probing every inch of the tank. For a big tank, I highly recommend pictus catfish as cleaners. I wouldn't keep them in anything less than a 4' tank because they are very hyperactive and athletic swimmers that need considerable open space. They are not very large fish, but they have lots and lots of attitude and energy, and they are armed with very sharp spines to fend off big fish that might try to eat them. I guess a very large and hungry oscar might TRY to eat a pictus, but I seriously doubt that he would be successful!

 

[jaysee]

I wish mine used more of the 125. They pretty much exist in one corner of the tank. They are super food aggressive though, I agree. I'm getting an oscar for my tank - I'm not worried.


Show tanks 125, 125, 90, 10, 5, 2.5
QTs 2x29, 2x20

 

[duvalboy]

Ive found five foot tank with a hood for 150 $ in a couple months after i clean and cycle i am going to buy two jd s and some pictus cats....and i found s pet store that said they would rehome my pleco i will update with pics when i get it set up this weekend maube you could tell me.what you think ..... Thanks for your input