oscar help

[FishAddict]

I just looked through the first 6 pages of the cichlid forum and i could not find anything about water parameters, temp, substrate, Ph, ect.... for keeping an oscar. i have never really read anything about these fish but after the recent post of people talking about how amazing these fish are i have become very interested in them. One of the other posts i read was about tank size. I am very glad i read that because i would hate to be one of those people that just go out and buy a fish and then cant take care of it. I really dont have the funds to purchase a 55 gal. but i should in the near future. Thanks for the help. i really do appreciate it.

 

[OceanMist]

Oscars are very hardy fish and will tolerate a wide range of parameters, keep them as you would most tropical fish, overfiltration is a must with oscars (very messy) ... also, although the minimum reccomended size tank for oscars is recognised as 55 gallons, they grow fast and get big, I would reccomend 70 minimum for an adult oscar to allow for the space they need to swim and to keep parameters in check. HTH

 

[Thebluyak]

go to cichlid-forum.com and search the profile..lol forget it ill do it for you lol

heres the link. you never said what kind of oscar so here is all the links. BTW a big tank will be needed for that oscar as they get big and also dont keep anything in the tank it can put in its mouth (sponge bob decor, or other random stuff) as they are notorious for breaking heaters trying to eat them lol
common oscar
http://cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=531
albino
http://cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=2430
orange
http://cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=2434
red tiger
http://cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=2440
red oscar
http://cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=2439

Im pretty sure they are have the same needs and size growth but just in case

 

[FishAddict]

thanks for the help. the reason i did not specify what kind of oscar was because i really dont know yet

 

[Mosaic]

They're all the same species. It really just comes down to what's prettiest to you.

I kept an oscar in a 55g. Coming from someone who's been there, DO NOT DO IT. It is just not big enough and you won't get all you can out of your pet. As is true for all fish, the bigger the tank, the more personality that comes out. Go for 75g at least. It may take you longer to save up for it, but your future oscar will really thank you for it, and hopefully you two can have a long happy life together.

 

[jbarr]

I'm keeping mine in a 30 gal. Blasphemous, I know.

It's about 3 in. as of now, and it's getting harder and harder eachand every day to wait for my 55 to come. He hasn't grown THAT fast, but considering he's grown probably an inch in about a month, I'd say pretty quick. I'm sure even quicker beit he were in a bigger tank.

I won't even mention the excrutiating wait for my 90 gal...

 

[evercl92]

I certainly wouldn't waste your time with a 55gal. At 12inches, it's simply not wide enough. When you upgrade, move straight to 75gal or larger (18inches wide). No point in spending all that money on a 55, just to have to upgrade in about a year. My roommates oscar, at 14inches, wasn't truely happy until he moved into his 75gal.

 

[jbarr]

Well, I talked to my ASL interpreter today, she told me her husband still wanted the tank. She was the one who was going to give me the 55.

But I'm still planning on a 90gal for x-mas.

Will a 30g until dec 24th be all right?

 

[evercl92]

If he's 3inches now, he'll be about 6 by xmas, he should be fine in a 30gal.

 

[drummerj]

my brother and i raised an albino oscar from a baby, to about 8 inches. He grew rediculiously fast. It has a great personality! You can pet him, he follows you around, etc. We usually feed him feeder fish and pellets, and ive been told they love crickets. In any event, I agree, 70 gallons would be probably the best bet for fully adult, but you can proobbaabbllyyy get away with 55 for a while.

 

[OceanMist]

ive been told they love crickets.

I do not have mine anymore, but he was in my 85 gallon, and he couldn't get enough of my Beardies' Crickets.

 

[ChileRelleno]

I just looked through the first 6 pages of the cichlid forum and i could not find anything about water parameters, temp, substrate, Ph, ect.... for keeping an oscar. i have never really read anything about these fish but after the recent post of people talking about how amazing these fish are i have become very interested in them. One of the other posts i read was about tank size. I am very glad i read that because i would hate to be one of those people that just go out and buy a fish and then cant take care of it. I really dont have the funds to purchase a 55 gal. but i should in the near future. Thanks for the help. i really do appreciate it.

Everything you wanted to know about... O's.... But were afraid to ask, http://www.oscarfish.com/cms_articles.php?cid=2

 

[drummerj]

im totally going to try crickets now!

 

[jbarr]

My oscar tears apart basically any bug that moves on the waters surface.
This includes:
Spiders
Box-Elder Beatles (These aren't toxic are they?)
Damp-Bugs (Those rolly-polly beatles)
Ants
Worms