130 (us) gallon stocking question. Oscars

[outback kid]

Hi new to to the cichlids game have community tank and discus tank, I am building a custom tank 1400x600x600 holds about 500L/130gals. I want to make it an Oscar tank, what are your thoughts on 2 oscars, green terror and a gold spot pleco in a tank that size ? Thanks.

 

[Freakgecko91]

Leave the Green terror out and you're good. 2 Oscars are a high bioload and require a minimum of 125 gallons for the pair. Adding the terror will only cause issues in the long run.

Also if you have discus, you're not new to the "cichlid game" Discus are cichlids lol

 

[outback kid]

Also if you have discus, you're not new to the "cichlid game" Discus are cichlids lol[/QUOTE]


Thanks just would have been a nice fish to have the green terror even if I have a great filter to rejoice the bio load wouldn't really help ? , I really didn't no that thanks lol

 

[Jmunroe]

Tanks only big enough for 2 oscars or an oscar and the pleco. Plecos are very high bioload as well and all three is going to be quite a load. I have one wild caught oscar high bioload, 9 silver dollars low bioload and 2 honduran red points low bio load in my 125 gallon 6 foot tank and i am producing 5 ppm of nitrates a day. That's the same bio load I had when I had 2 oscars only in the tank. So I need to do 3 50-75% water changes a week to keep my water good. 2 oscars and a pleco would be more of load than that.


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[outback kid]

Yeah true, what's the smallest pleco that could go in with 2 oscars ? I want an Algae water

 

[Freakgecko91]

Anything small will be bullied or eaten, and if eaten, runs the risk of stabbing the oscar with it's spins on its pectoral fins

 

[Jmunroe]

None. You won't need an algae eater. I don't have one in my 6 foot tank and there isn't enough algae in there to feed a snail. The amount of clean water that oscars require doesn't allow enough waste or dissolved solids in the water to feed algae.


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[outback kid]

You water bill must be though the roof !!

 

[jwh0818]

To give you an idea of an Oscar bioload. I have a 4" Oscar and I change the water once a week. 50% exactly. When I change it, I test first, always. There is always 40-60ppm of nitrates. I actually need to up my water changes to a 50% and a 25%. They create a lot of waste. My Oscar is in his own 75g tank.

 

[outback kid]

So would a green terror and 2 oscars got alright in the 133 gallon tank, with 50% water changes weekly ?

 

[Jmunroe]

I don't pay for water. I'm on a well. So I don't buy conditioner either. It's what you have to do though to keep these guys healthy. And you will need to do the same, so if your not prepared to pay for some water if you have too, then I would suggest you consider smaller fish that have a smaller bioload, and maybe a smaller tank as well. You can't get this tank, fill it water and large fish and expect to not do a few large water changes a week. You won't be able to just do one partial water change a week with these guys and expect them to live healthy. Just a heads up so you know what your getting into.

 

[Jmunroe]

So would a green terror and 2 oscars got alright in the 133 gallon tank, with 50% water changes weekly ?

No. You would need to change more water than I do. You need to keep the nitrates below 20ppm or they will suffer from bad quality water and start to have issues like HITH and HLLE. Oscars and cichlids in general need pristine water. Oscars just happen to be tough and will suffer quite bad in bad water before they succumb to it. That's why you see so many oscars that look their head is rotting away due to lack of care.

 

[Jmunroe]

To give you an idea of an Oscar bioload. I have a 4" Oscar and I change the water once a week. 50% exactly. When I change it, I test first, always. There is always 40-60ppm of nitrates. I actually need to up my water changes to a 50% and a 25%. They create a lot of waste. My Oscar is in his own 75g tank.

Do 2 75% changes in 2 days to get those nitrates down to a better level. Then do your regular water changes to maintain the low level. And your oscar is only small. You'll be doing 2-3 50%+ water changes a week before long, just like me. Your fishes health is a great reward. The more clean water you give them the more lively and better looking they are.

 

[jwh0818]

Do 2 75% changes in 2 days to get those nitrates down to a better level. Then do your regular water changes to maintain the low level. And your oscar is only small. You'll be doing 2-3 50%+ water changes a week before long, just like me. Your fishes health is a great reward. The more clean water you give them the more lively and better looking they are.

Yeah I know. I went through a horrid cycle so I decided to give it some time to continue