Single oscar in a 90 gallon

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

cichlidthinker

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Mar 13, 2014
Messages
364
The dimensions are 47" length 20" width and 26" height , i have a canister rated at 320 gallons per hour , if i can have more fish could i throw some firemouths in there ?
Thanks in advance !

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
 
The firemouth will probably die at some some point. Oscar will be totally fine

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app
 
What tank mates would you reccomend ?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
 
How many silver dollars with the oscar with that filtration ?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
 
No tank mates, maybe a larger variety pleco?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app
 
I have to partly disagree with Brookster. I do agree that firemouths or silver dollars would be a bad idea. I also agree that a single pleco would do well, provided it isn't a common or sailfin pleco, or any type that grows as large as they do. IMO however, you could add one more oscar, or a couple Jack Dempseys, and be fine as long as you keep up on your maintenance schedule.
 
I have to partly disagree with Brookster. I do agree that firemouths or silver dollars would be a bad idea. I also agree that a single pleco would do well, provided it isn't a common or sailfin pleco, or any type that grows as large as they do. IMO however, you could add one more oscar, or a couple Jack Dempseys, and be fine as long as you keep up on your maintenance schedule.

This is a recipe for HITH. A 90 with a full grown un stunted Oscar will need at least 2 50% water changes a week to keep nitrates under control. Let them hover over 40 for to long and health issues will happen. Add a second fish and upkeep will become daily.
 
Funny how i see many posts that having silver dollars with oscars is the perfect tankmates but now im so confused , people also say that a mininum of 55 gallons will hold a full grown oscar but some say that is wrong, me also , i thought having a couple of silver dollars in there wouldnt have such a big impact on nitrates ? Guess i am wrong, i do want an oscar but having only 1 oscar in that tank will leave it so empty imo

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
 
People say alot of things. People say that Sds eat oscar poo therefor minimizing burden of tank maintenance. Few people.around here that have actually kept and grown an oscar to its full potential would have you believing that a single.oscar in a 90 gallon tank is a responsible decision. A decision that will allow you to enjoy the tank without constantly battling parameters. If you want more action than get different fish. Lots of cool sa/ca cichlids out there that get to a decent size. Geophagus (earth eaters) are pretty nifty.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app
 
Funny how i see many posts that having silver dollars with oscars is the perfect tankmates but now im so confused , people also say that a mininum of 55 gallons will hold a full grown oscar but some say that is wrong, me also , i thought having a couple of silver dollars in there wouldnt have such a big impact on nitrates ? Guess i am wrong, i do want an oscar but having only 1 oscar in that tank will leave it so empty imo

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Give it a try. Just test often as the O grows and remove the SD if needed. The one thing you cant test for is growth inhibiting hormones. This is where the frequent water changes come in so you don't stunt him.
 
Silver dollars get fairly large, about 6" if memory serves, and require small schools of 4-5 fish in order to thrive. I still maintain, however (as someone who has kept oscars for over 25 years) that 2 oscars in a 90g, with double capacity filtration, should be fine. I have 3 oscars, as well as 3 red-eared sliders, bichirs, and eclipse cats in a 220g water garden. I do a 30% water change weekly, clean the substrate every other water change, and have never had nitrates over 40 ppm. To be fair, the oscars aren't yet fully grown at about 7-8" each, but the turtles alone probably have double the bio-load of all the fish together. But, your pet's health and welfare should be your first priority, and many of the people in the forums live and breathe fish, so their advice is not to be taken e grano salis. I love my fish, but have too many other irons in the fire to study as much as I should.
 
The thing is that i wont be upgrading my filtration cant afford it and there is no room , but thanks everyone for the advice !

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
 
If you have 7 to 10 x turnover rate and enough bio media to keep ammonia and nitrite at 0 then your good. Nothing will control the Nitrates except water changes. 1 filter or 10 filters will produce the same nitrate.
If you vacuum out the solids with every water change needed to keep the nitrates down 1 proper sized filter will do the job.
 
Back
Top Bottom