I need advice on Tank size and oscars.

[SeanPilgrim]

Ok, let me get started!

My birthday is only a month away and I need your advice on oscars and tank sizes.

Here are my questions:

1. How many oscars will safely fit in a 55 and 80 gallon tank?

2. What heater(s) do you recommend?

3. What Filter(s) do you recommend?

4. What plants, ornaments, decor, should I place in the tank?

5. When oscars breed are they tempted to eat their fry? I can not seem to find a straight answer to this one.

I am sorry for sounding like a newbie. I have somewhat moderate experience with aquariums.

I have a 50 gallon tank with 30 + or - goldfish varieties including: 3 Calico Fantails, 1 Common Fantail, 2 Orandas, 6 Minnows, 13 Common Goldfish, and 2 Koi (I know they get big. I am growing them for a friend with a pond). I know its not impressive but its the largest fish community I have ever had in my life.

I also have some swordtails (3 males, 6 females) in a 10 gallon aquarium and they are about to breed!!! I am so happy! And I really would like to get in on the world of Cichlids!

 

[Guest]

1. How many oscars will safely fit in a 55 and 80 gallon tank?

In a 55? One. In a 80? maybe two.

 

[CRaZeeeBiTcHisH]

oscars take care of their young--young or inexperienced oscars do sometimes eat them, thought to be out of anxiety--this is a general rule--from your post it doesn't sound like you have read much information on them so you need to do a lot of research on oscars if you plan on keeping them successfully, and btw--you don't get to pick the oscar's mate--they pick --i put a very long post up not too long ago about oscars, crammed with as much info as i could fit in there, you should read it before you decide on oscars--they are messy, huge, high waste producers, very smart, easily bored, can be destructive, can be mean, etc...well worth it if you know what you are getting into ahead of time, but you need an oscar proof tank or your are headed for problems--i wouldn't suggest them unless you have a good understanding of aquarium chemistry, cichlids and their behavior, fish disease, hole in the head disease---they do require more work than your average fish.....

this is the old post's link if you are interested....
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=480&start=0

 

[Jacob Morgan]

Well...

My dad got into oscars a while back he has one LARGE one in his 55.. It breaks every heater we put in it.. so his water stays damn chilli.. Also he WILL rearrange the tank to suit his need

Also it seems if you add fish to a older oscars tank it will kill it/eat it..FYI

some saying was..

Keepe 1 oscar. Never keep 2 But you can keep many.. or sumtni.. most of us keep 1 cause if you keep many u need like 500 galons for them when they grow 8O

he got some smaller ones and it seems once they get so large they break the heaters.. he lost 1 yestardaya nd prolly another one last night. not sure why we think they broke there heater and it got too chilli for them.. not sure their his tanks not mine.. I suggested a large sump (do u guys use sumps for F/W? lol i only know S/W) so he could put heaters there etc but he doesn't wanan spend that money on 3 dollar fish.. eh its his fish.


Jacob

 

[fishfreek]

there are heater guards you can get. Not sure how effective they are but I have heard of them mentioned in the same message along with ocsars.

 

[CRaZeeeBiTcHisH]

man, fish must be cheap in arkansas! oscars aren't the most expensive fish by far, but my 5-6 inch babes were worth 7 dollars a piece on trade in at the lfs....i have my heater in my power filter, seems to work just fine, it's made by tetratec--there are heater guards, but short of putting it in the filter, i think you would probably be better off to use a sump, and yes, they will work with freshwater! lol --i have the setup for my big tank, so far haven't used it, but eventually it will probably come to that--they just keep getting bigger and messier! i got my my fingers crossed, i want oscar babies... 8)

 

[Jacob Morgan]

well well. I'll tell him bout them after we make the move.. this thing is huge and moves everytrhing.. like if u put the lil end on the filter it knocks it off... it rips the air lnies out the gravel it moves ne decorations in teh tank.. very very picky...


but yea i will tell him bout those he might wat one after looosing 2 oscars he had growing for months..




Jacob

 

[CRaZeeeBiTcHisH]

out of curiousity, how big and how old is your dad's oscar?

 

[loganj]

Tank size/filter

In regard to the tank size for the Oscar...as mentioned in other posts, they are big fish. They have a high ratio of total body mass to length as compared to most other fish also. An adult Oscar can reach up to 12" in length. A 55 gal is 12" front to back thus the adult Oscar barely has room to turn around in this size tank. They are also the aquatic version of a D-8 Caterpillar bulldozer. If they don't like the tank, they will destroy it. I have heard stories of Oscars (and other large cichlids) throwing large rocks through the front glass. I realize you are probably not married yet, but, for future reference, wives become most unhappy and difficult to deal with when there is a dead fish and 55 gal of water in the living room floor . IMO, for one adult Oscar: 75 gallons; for two: 125 gallons minimum. Both of these tanks are 18" front to back. I have used the Emperor 400 filters by Marineland for a long time and find them to be very good filters. Better than any of the others...I can't say. Very good...definitely. The Bio-Wheels will handle biological filtration very efficiently and you do not disturb the bio filter when you change cartridges. Just my opinion.
Logan J

 

[Jacob Morgan]

its gettin pretty damn large.. lol I will measure it next time i have time.. looks just like the one in teh banner. prolly could use a 75 gal tank. but my dad is not gonna spend the money on a fish that only cost a few buck..


hiis words not mine..




Jacob

 

[loganj]

tank size/cost

Well, I confess , I work at a LFS as a second job cause I just love fooling with the fish. Cost (store) on a 75 is about $30.00 more than a 55. Not a lot of difference and you can DIY the stand and canopy. Check out www.ozreef.com (DIY section). I think they have some plans for stands and such posted there. Be a great father/son project to build it. Bet you can hook (no pun intended) dad if you use that approach 8) .
Logan J

 

[Jacob Morgan]

ACtually I am hoping he gets rid of the oscar so I can make the 55 a Saltwater




Logan not sure where u came from but u seem VERY knowladgable on everything.. kudos.....



Jacob

 

[CRaZeeeBiTcHisH]

i think it's sad that your dad won't buy it a bigger tank, just because it is a cheap fish--i think mutts deserve treatment just as good as a purebred dogs 8) , but i guess that's just me---and he would be hard put to find a more amusing freshwater fish! jmho