Oscar borderline tank size

[sinibotia]

So, my fiance and I have fallen in love with a poor neglected male oscar that came with a tank that was donated to the university. Because he's not a research animal, a teaching animal or a display animal, he's sort of fallen through the cracks and doesn't get enough attention (although now I take care of him myself when I can). We've got permission to take him home.

My professor offered me what I believe is a 50 gallon tank- about 37*19*20 (rough estimate). I know the general consensus is a 55 gallon/4 foot tank for an oscar, but a 50 gallon tank has a larger footprint. That said, the maximum distance between walls of the tank is still about 8 inches shorter in the 50 gallon (42 inches from corner to corner vs 50 inches in the 55 gallon).

I'm wondering what you all think about if this would be an acceptable tank or not. Personally I'm really on the fence about it, especially since I've never kept an oscar before so have no experience to go on.

Obviously this tank will be ridiculously overfiltered, scarcely decorated or barebottom, and the oscar will be kept by himself. He's already about 10 inches long and has been for the past 6 months or so, so I imagine he won't grow much more.

 

[HUKIT]

Simply keep the nitrate concentration below 15ppm and don't worry what the general consensus says.

 

[Brookster123]

Better footprint for him imo, like a 40b but 5 inches taller I believe. As HUKIT stated it's really the water quality that counts. Simple providing him a better situation asap is paramount. You can always upgrade later.. saving a life is saving a life.

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[sinibotia]

I'm not worried about water quality maintenance, I can do that in my sleep Just want to make sure he has enough room. I don't think we'll be able to upgrade him in his lifetime, we're gonna have 8 tanks in our little apartment as is. If we decided against the 50 gallon, we'd just get a 55 gallon in the $/gallon sale; that's the biggest we can afford.

 

[HUKIT]

Honestly the footprint is fine. I've kept some larger fish than that in 40 breeders for many years.

 

[Brookster123]

Honestly the footprint is fine. I've kept some larger fish than that in 40 breeders for many years.

I'd be more likely to house an oscar in a 50 vs. 55.. the extra floor space makes a big difference.

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[TMRC Exotics]

So an Oscar is acceptable in a taller 40B? This is news to me(on this forum) after all the mongering that a single Oscar requires 55 gallons (or 75) and bi weekly water changes to keep nitrates down. I'm not disagreeing, just stating that it flies in the face of all the advice given here.

Regardless it will at least work for a while, and is beneficial to the neglected Oscar.

 

[Brookster123]

So an Oscar is acceptable in a taller 40B? This is news to me(on this forum) after all the mongering that a single Oscar requires 55 gallons (or 75) and bi weekly water changes to keep nitrates down. I'm not disagreeing, just stating that it flies in the face of all the advice given here.

Regardless it will at least work for a while, and is beneficial to the neglected Oscar.

Not what I said at all.. i said if the oscar is going to suffer and die in its current situation than taking into proper care will surely be better. I'd never set up a new 50 for a oscar nor condone doing so.. 75g.min4lyfe.

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[sinibotia]

So then a 50 gallon is too small after all.... I suppose it is better than the poor guy in the dirty tank he's in now. I was always under the impression that a 55 was the minimum for a single oscar.

Also, @TRMC, a 50 does have a larger footprint and almost the same volume as a 55 gallon. So I hope you can see why I think it might be reasonable.

Again, I don't think we can upgrade this fish. As is we're gonna have a 55 gallon, a 29, two 20s, two 10s, and a 5 gallon in a 2 bedroom apartment. Now that I think about it we could swap the plans for the 55 and the 50, if that would be any better.

 

[TMRC Exotics]

Thanks for your clarification. I'm not trying to argue at all, just thought an asterisk was necessary. These threads do indeed pop up in google, AA is almost always front page.

 

[mikem691]

Simply keep the nitrate concentration below 15ppm and don't worry what the general consensus says.

Honestly the footprint is fine. I've kept some larger fish than that in 40 breeders for many years.

So an Oscar is acceptable in a taller 40B? This is news to me(on this forum) after all the mongering that a single Oscar requires 55 gallons (or 75) and bi weekly water changes to keep nitrates down. I'm not disagreeing, just stating that it flies in the face of all the advice given here.

Regardless it will at least work for a while, and is beneficial to the neglected Oscar.

NOTE what was said in red. This is the most important answer to all the questions. It may take 2 75% water changes a week or it may take 4. The key is to do what it takes. Either the 50 or the 55 will work there just is no room for laziness with water changes.

 

[joshuad5839]

I'd say the 55 would be the smallest tank you could use to avoid stunting, 75 being ideal.

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[coralbandit]

If the 50 B is better then what fish is in then it is BETTER.(period)
Appropriate,moral,pleasing ,the right color..... can all be debated.
I would take the fish and 50b whether I was putting the fish in that tank or not.
Call it a "fee".
Put him in a 55 if you please,I think width would be important for a 10 inch fish and would go with the B.
You are Rescuing a fish not buying one to keep for ever.
You are offering shelter.
As people we all to often confuse what is appropriate and what is needed IMO.

I do agree with Brook that if you were purchasing a juvi I would say 75 g also.

Would the 50B be all that bad if he was in a 20 long now?
Hukit cut it to the quick IMO!

 

[sinibotia]

I just wanted to make sure that it was even worth it. I think that if I only had, say, a 29 gallon tank, the oscar would be better off where he is. We want to give him a good home, even if it's not a perfect home.

 

[Freakgecko91]

I've fit a 120, 100, 75, 40 breeder, 3x 20l, and a 10 (and soon an eco terra who's dimension I am yet to measure) into a 2-bedroom, 1-bath apartment. There's always room for more tanks! Lol just kidding around

I would keep him in the 50b rather than a 55. I'm not sure why everyone loves 55's so much, it's one of my most hated tank sizes really. I would rather have the added footprint any day


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[sinibotia]

I've fit a 120, 100, 75, 40 breeder, 3x 20l, and a 10 (and soon an eco terra who's dimension I am yet to measure) into a 2-bedroom, 1-bath apartment. There's always room for more tanks! Lol just kidding around

I would keep him in the 50b rather than a 55. I'm not sure why everyone loves 55's so much, it's one of my most hated tank sizes really. I would rather have the added footprint any day


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I would love to do that but they have a 100 gallon limit and I need to eat and have time to go to school, I can only get this 50 because it's a gift I really like the 55 as a community tank size. 4ft length is nice, depth is good for deep bodied fish like angels, and it's not so wide that I have trouble seeing into the back of it.

 

[Freakgecko91]

I would love to do that but they have a 100 gallon limit and I need to eat and have time to go to school, I can only get this 50 because it's a gift I really like the 55 as a community tank size. 4ft length is nice, depth is good for deep bodied fish like angels, and it's not so wide that I have trouble seeing into the back of it.

Mine aren't all fish tanks (a few reptiles) but luckily my place doesn't have a limit


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