Oscars

[Insom1982]

Yes I use liquid test kits

 

[Karatepig]

Update: Filters are here! I'll brace the floor and move the other tank this weekend along with cleaning the 55g. I think I'll be getting my oscar from my teacher (her's is in a 20g - juvenile).

 

[Karatepig]

Hello everyone, I've got an update! I've been doing a little bit of research and I've read in a couple of places that senegal bichirs can live in a 55g tank. I've got a big sponge filter running in my grandfather's overstocked 90g. I've also got one of the penguin 400s running on that tank. There will be plenty of seeded material. I was considering putting a senegal bichir with the oscar instead of a pleco. I assume that the three filters I have would support these fish? I know that some people think that oscars need a bigger tank, and some that think that senegals need a bigger tank but most of what I've read says that they should be comfortable, and I agree. They both would be small. Any thoughts?

 

[xwing]

They would work for a while until they get bigger. So in about 8 months you would need a bigger tank. It's not impossible but not recommended to keep an oscar in a 55g with a tank mate. Your filters looks good but you would need to do a 50% wc weekly and later when he gets bigger another 2 wc 25% every other day you not doing a 50% wc and hope you can keep up so in all you would be looking at 3 wc per week

 

[Jmunroe]

Not in a 55 gallon. You will have your hands full trying to keep the water good with any of those kept single in a tank that's only 55 gallons. If you've never raised oscars before, they grow fasssst. It needs to be seen first hand to understand how fast they do grow. Even as juvi the oscar will be high bioload. You will need to change 50% of the water twice a week while the oscar is growing and 75% or more 2 or 3 times a week when it is adult. The others require the same when kept single in that size tank, so it just doesn't work. I would suggest not reading at those places that are giving the incorrect info simply because it's what you want to hear and listen rather to other 90% of the world that will tell you that a 55 gallon is the bare minimum for just an oscar OR a pleco OR a bichir. And that's bare minimum. If you've ever seen a full grown oscar in a 55 you'd see that it is really to small as well. The oscar will hardly have room to turn without his nose hitting the front glass and tail hitting the back glass. A common pleco and bichir get even longer. Stick with just one or the other to keep your tank healthy and not end in disaster. I have 1 oscar in a 125 with some silver dollars. The silver dollars are low bio load fish and the oscar is only 7-8 inches and I have to do 2-3 water changes a week of 50% or more.

 

[Jmunroe]

And that's the key to healthy oscars and other cichlids large and small for that matter.... lots of clean water, you can never change enough, and proper diet.

 

[xwing]

Not in a 55 gallon. You will have your hands full trying to keep the water good with any of those kept single in a tank that's only 55 gallons. If you've never raised oscars before, they grow fasssst. It needs to be seen first hand to understand how fast they do grow. Even as juvi the oscar will be high bioload. You will need to change 50% of the water twice a week while the oscar is growing and 75% or more 2 or 3 times a week when it is adult. The others require the same when kept single in that size tank, so it just doesn't work. I would suggest not reading at those places that are giving the incorrect info simply because it's what you want to hear and listen rather to other 90% of the world that will tell you that a 55 gallon is the bare minimum for just an oscar OR a pleco OR a bichir. And that's bare minimum. If you've ever seen a full grown oscar in a 55 you'd see that it is really to small as well. The oscar will hardly have room to turn without his nose hitting the front glass and tail hitting the back glass. A common pleco and bichir get even longer. Stick with just one or the other to keep your tank healthy and not end in disaster. I have 1 oscar in a 125 with some silver dollars. The silver dollars are low bio load fish and the oscar is only 7-8 inches and I have to do 2-3 water changes a week of 50% or more.

In a more detailed response but yes I agree I think it's too small 55g so pick one or the other if you get both you will be overwhelmed or wind up with two dead fish

 

[Karatepig]

Not in a 55 gallon. You will have your hands full trying to keep the water good with any of those kept single in a tank that's only 55 gallons. If you've never raised oscars before, they grow fasssst. It needs to be seen first hand to understand how fast they do grow. Even as juvi the oscar will be high bioload. You will need to change 50% of the water twice a week while the oscar is growing and 75% or more 2 or 3 times a week when it is adult. The others require the same when kept single in that size tank, so it just doesn't work. I would suggest not reading at those places that are giving the incorrect info simply because it's what you want to hear and listen rather to other 90% of the world that will tell you that a 55 gallon is the bare minimum for just an oscar OR a pleco OR a bichir. And that's bare minimum. If you've ever seen a full grown oscar in a 55 you'd see that it is really to small as well. The oscar will hardly have room to turn without his nose hitting the front glass and tail hitting the back glass. A common pleco and bichir get even longer. Stick with just one or the other to keep your tank healthy and not end in disaster. I have 1 oscar in a 125 with some silver dollars. The silver dollars are low bio load fish and the oscar is only 7-8 inches and I have to do 2-3 water changes a week of 50% or more.

Alright. I still think that I would like a senegal bichir eventually. What tank size would we be looking at for the two? Probably about 100 gallons?

 

[xwing]

Those two get big 125g you would need a six foot tank