Oscar Advice Please :)

[Tuck]

Hey AA, so I've just recently finished my first ever tank it's a 15g semi planted community tank, I made a full thread about it and there's a photo timeline on my profile. Anyway I had such an amazing time setting up the tank and no my fish are happy and so am I, me and my fiancée are buying a house in 6-8 months (hopefully) and I have said that once we are settled I would like an Oscar. However neither of us has any idea where to start. I've been doing some research on the Internet. The tank I buy will almost definitely be second hand either eBay or gumtree(UK version of Craigslist). So I'm looking at 8-12months before I buy an Oscar. I don't have room for a large tank at my house at the moment.

So my questions, of which they are quite a few:

Minimum tank size & ideal tank size? (For single & pair)
How do you sex oscars? (I want to know what I'm buying)
Can i keep 2 males together?
Can i keep 1 male 1 female together?
Tank mates?
Special dietary requirements?
Feeder fish?
Preferred substrate?
Plants or plastics?
Tank set up? (High/low current/flow)
Are there are common illnesses with oscars?


Also if you keep oscars could you post a picture of your tanks please?
Tanks in advance for all your help ~Tuck.

 

[Oscar98]

Hey AA, so I've just recently finished my first ever tank it's a 15g semi planted community tank, I made a full thread about it and there's a photo timeline on my profile. Anyway I had such an amazing time setting up the tank and no my fish are happy and so am I, me and my fiancée are buying a house in 6-8 months (hopefully) and I have said that once we are settled I would like an Oscar. However neither of us has any idea where to start. I've been doing some research on the Internet. The tank I buy will almost definitely be second hand either eBay or gumtree(UK version of Craigslist). So I'm looking at 8-12months before I buy an Oscar. I don't have room for a large tank at my house at the moment.

So my questions, of which they are quite a few:

Minimum tank size & ideal tank size? (For single & pair)
How do you sex oscars? (I want to know what I'm buying)
Can i keep 2 males together?
Can i keep 1 male 1 female together?
Tank mates?
Special dietary requirements?
Feeder fish?
Preferred substrate?
Plants or plastics?
Tank set up? (High/low current/flow)
Are there are common illnesses with oscars?

Also if you keep oscars could you post a picture of your tanks please?
Tanks in advance for all your help ~Tuck.

Ok. Lets see. Minimum for one oscar is 55/75. People will argue all day long between which one it is. They can grow 13" and on rare occasions more. So i would say minimum for a single is a heavily filtered 75 gallon tank. For two i would say at least a 100g but bigger is always better. There is no way to sex an oscar except for venting when they are bigger. Tank mated can be just about anything big enough not to be eaten. Oscars are highly predatory and semi-aggressive also very territorial. Common illness is HLLE ( head and lateral line erosion) caused by bad water quality and not correct food. No feeder fish. Do crickets and a staple pellet. Occasional earth worm. I had an oscar in gravel and one in sand. I would go with sand just because its easier to clean. No plants. Very high filtration. When i had an oscar i had him in a 55g for about a year before i did upgrade but sold him. I upgraded to a 150g but ended up selling him anyway. In the 55 he was in all i had was a single rock cave. And a lot of open swimming room. Here is a pic of my oscar.

 

[Tuck]

Ok thanks Oscar98 for the advice so I'm looking at:
75g tank for a single
Can't tell sex
Pellets/crickets/worms
Sand/gravel
No live plants
Any medium sized peaceful tank mate.
High filtration.

If I did buy 2 and they turned out to be both male would the semi aggressive territorial nature become an issue?

Do the like places to hide or is more open swimming water better?

Also rocks or driftwood do they have a preference?

Are they a very dirty fish?
Or just average for their size?

Do they like good lighting or subdued?

 

[Oscar98]

Ok thanks Oscar98 for the advice so I'm looking at:
75g tank for a single
Can't tell sex
Pellets/crickets/worms
Sand/gravel
No live plants
Any medium sized peaceful tank mate.
High filtration.

If I did buy 2 and they turned out to be both male would the semi aggressive territorial nature become an issue?

Do the like places to hide or is more open swimming water better?

Also rocks or driftwood do they have a preference?

Are they a very dirty fish?
Or just average for their size?

Do they like good lighting or subdued?

They produce a very high bio load. They eat a lot. Some people compare them to the pigs of the fish world. I think that when they hit 7" open swim room is better. I would think that in a 75g tank you could do a single oscar and just about any tank mate under 5-6"

 

[Tuck]

They produce a very high bio load. They eat a lot. Some people compare them to the pigs of the fish world. I think that when they hit 7" open swim room is better. I would think that in a 75g tank you could do a single oscar and just about any tank mate under 5-6"

Ok I'm hoping to do Oscar & bottom feeder either loaches/or one of the larger Cory species. Would shrimp be a nice treat for a bigger Oscar? Could do a small shrimp breeder tank just 5gal or so.

 

[Oscar98]

Ok I'm hoping to do Oscar & bottom feeder either loaches/or one of the larger Cory species. Would shrimp be a nice treat for a bigger Oscar? Could do a small shrimp breeder tank just 5gal or so.

Yes shrimp would be a very good once or twice a week treat. No cories. The oscar would eat them. Same with loaches. Maybe clown loaches but then need at least a 100g tank. I would say if you are doing the 75g the oscar and a small pleco. Some thing like a bn pleco.

 

[CalebZachary]

55/75 minimum. 110 for two. Bloodowrms beef heart and krill are good too.

 

[Freakgecko91]

I'd really recommend looking into some of the other large cichlids, like chocolates (hypselecara temporalis), where you can do one in a 75, and still maintain a few tank mates with it, especially while it's young and still growing, but that's just me. I've never been a huge Oscar fan, and most that I know say that everyone does them, but once you do one, you usually don't want to do another one

 

[Oscar98]

I'd really recommend looking into some of the other large cichlids, like chocolates (hypselecara temporalis), where you can do one in a 75, and still maintain a few tank mates with it, especially while it's young and still growing, but that's just me. I've never been a huge Oscar fan, and most that I know say that everyone does them, but once you do one, you usually don't want to do another one

X2 i had mine, sold it. And have no plans to get another one. Even if i had an extra 75g laying around and i already had every sa/ca cichlid there is. I would probably not get another oscar.

 

[CalebZachary]

I have two oscars in a 110 gallon tank. Ones 4 inches ones 3 1/2 I really love them.

 

[Oscar98]

I have two oscars in a 110 gallon tank. Ones 4 inches ones 3 1/2 I really love them.

Ya, i really loved mine when i had it too. But not to fond of them anymore. I like them. But i dont think i would get another

 

[VOZIE]

I have one Oscar in a 75g tank. They are great fish with a personality. They will eat anything and everything. If you don't believe me stick your finger in a Oscar tank lol. They are very rewarding and although they are semi aggressive they are not what I would call a bully fish. They do get use to there owner and seem to recognise people. As for being dirty well I will promise you that you will never want to show off a pic of your tank again.

My Oscar (Barry the Bastard) trashes the tank all day long. In a strange way he is a gentle giant as his size limits his flexibility. He will dig and throw sand all over the place. Splash water on the floor if he feel energetic or is spooked.

I have him in with a small jack Dempsey who he seems to get along with very well. The JD is quick and hard so Barry really does not bother with him. Although they are territorial they will give up a fight with a fish as he is a rather big fish and saves his energy for feeding.

As for being like the pig of the fish world that's not far wrong. I compare them with a silly soft dog. They will eat till they pop given half the chance.

If you want a nice pretty fish tank do not get an Oscar. If you want another member of the family then your on to a winner.

Tried to stay away from technical advise as it's so varied. So the above is from the heart.

 

[Oscar98]

I have one Oscar in a 75g tank. They are great fish with a personality. They will eat anything and everything. If you don't believe me stick your finger in a Oscar tank lol. They are very rewarding and although they are semi aggressive they are not what I would call a bully fish. They do get use to there owner and seem to recognise people. As for being dirty well I will promise you that you will never want to show off a pic of your tank again.

My Oscar (Barry the Bastard) trashes the tank all day long. In a strange way he is a gentle giant as his size limits his flexibility. He will dig and throw sand all over the place. Splash water on the floor if he feel energetic or is spooked.

I have him in with a small jack Dempsey who he seems to get along with very well. The JD is quick and hard so Barry really does not bother with him. Although they are territorial they will give up a fight with a fish as he is a rather big fish and saves his energy for feeding.

As for being like the pig of the fish world that's not far wrong. I compare them with a silly soft dog. They will eat till they pop given half the chance.

If you want a nice pretty fish tank do not get an Oscar. If you want another member of the family then your on to a winner.

Tried to stay away from technical advise as it's so varied. So the above is from the heart.

I agree with everything you said. Except one. The one i had was a big time bully. Took on a 9" red devil. Killed a firemouth, convict. Only thing that survived with it was a jack.

 

[VOZIE]

I agree with everything you said. Except one. The one i had was a big time bully. Took on a 9" red devil. Killed a firemouth, convict. Only thing that survived with it was a jack.

Lol it's ironic I have just got rid of my red devil who was the biggest bully ever seen it was small and terrorised the Oscar and the JD. I believe that the Oscar protected the JD a few times by shielding him.

Odd thing is if I put my hand in there he will go for me and won't back off unless I spook him.

Although my Oscar acts this way I would in no way dis credit your post as they do seem to have there one individual ways just like people do I guess. This is whats so rewarding and fun about keeping these oscars.

Not sure how true it is but was once told that the smaller they are the more aggressive they are. More down to being able to move faster.

COOL FISH.

 

[Oscar98]

Lol it's ironic I have just got rid of my red devil who was the biggest bully ever seen it was small and terrorised the Oscar and the JD. I believe that the Oscar protected the JD a few times by shielding him.

Odd thing is if I put my hand in there he will go for me and won't back off unless I spook him.

Although my Oscar acts this way I would in no way dis credit your post as they do seem to have there one individual ways just like people do I guess. This is whats so rewarding and fun about keeping these oscars.

Not sure how true it is but was once told that the smaller they are the more aggressive they are. More down to being able to move faster.

COOL FISH.

Very cool fish yes. My red devil eventually over powered the oscar and had to be moved. Mine never went after me. Unless i was moving his rocks around. He would always protect the jd when i was in the tank lol.

 

[VOZIE]

Very cool fish yes. My red devil eventually over powered the oscar and had to be moved. Mine never went after me. Unless i was moving his rocks around. He would always protect the jd when i was in the tank lol.

Amazing creatures.

 

[Tuck]

Ok guys, I appreciate all your advice, i have talked with my fiancee and we've decided that although we would love on still, we might consider some alternatives and if I wasn't to do an Oscar what kind of childish would you personally recommend in a 75g? And again all the previous questions apply if I'm spending the time effort and cash I want to know as much as I can.

Childish = Cichild. Autocorrect

 

[Oscar98]

Ok guys, I appreciate all your advice, i have talked with my fiancee and we've decided that although we would love on still, we might consider some alternatives and if I wasn't to do an Oscar what kind of childish would you personally recommend in a 75g? And again all the previous questions apply if I'm spending the time effort and cash I want to know as much as I can.

Childish = Cichild. Autocorrect

Female festae
Grammode pair
Chocolate cichlid
Angels
Cryptoheros community
Salvini pair with some other fish
Red devil
Trimac
Hoga
Andoniocara stalsbergi
True parrot cichlid
Geophagus
Severums

 

[mikem691]

Female festae
Grammode pair
Chocolate cichlid
Angels
Cryptoheros community
Salvini pair with some other fish
Red devil
Trimac
Hoga
Andoniocara stalsbergi
True parrot cichlid
Geophagus
Severums

Id like to add Acarichthys Heckelii to the list.

 

[Cichlid ism]

Id like to add Acarichthys Heckelii to the list.

I second that