Oscar tank

[earhtmother]

I have a roughly 6" Oscar that I've had since he was 2". I know they get large but can anyone tell me what they're growth rate is & how big a tank is required per size. Also he is a bully so he is living pretty much solo other than the poor pleco who he ignores until it tries to move from under the cover of it's rocks. Any ideas if I will ever be able to add a tank mate or how to give the pleco a larger protected living area?

 

[Delapool]

Sounds very protective of his space!

 

[earhtmother]

Yeah. I am in the process of upsizing (2x35g are going to be switched out for a 104g, 70g & 104g ) & moving all my tanks up to a room on the main floor so hubby can set up his air hockey table in basement. Once this is done oscar will have a 70g with some new hardscape & maybe a new tank mate(s) which hopefully will make him happier. Finding the time is the big challenge as I work 11pm-7am so 2 nights off a week actually translates into 1.5 days & maybe 5/6 hours on days I work, which also has to include eating shopping etc? It is turning into a much larger/longer project than I thought, but I am pushing ahead slowly ?

 

[Delapool]

Does take time! Finding that myself in pulling down a tank for shifting. All the filter add ons, etc take time to pull off, clean and shift. Good chance to re-scape though

 

[FinsandFeathers]

Your oscar should be fine in a 70g, even once it attains full size.
As for tank mates, you could try a single Jack Dempsey, but it should be of about the same size as the oscar, and both should be added to the new tank at the same time.
If you've already moved the oscar, try rearranging the decor immediately before lights out, and add the JD just before you turn the lights out. Hopefully, this will allow both fish to establish a separate territory in the tank, and avoid any serious aggression problems.
An oscar and a JD are pretty much going to have your 70g at its stocking limit, so I wouldn't plan to add anything else.

 

[Brookster123]

Your oscar should be fine in a 70g, even once it attains full size.
As for tank mates, you could try a single Jack Dempsey, but it should be of about the same size as the oscar, and both should be added to the new tank at the same time.
If you've already moved the oscar, try rearranging the decor immediately before lights out, and add the JD just before you turn the lights out. Hopefully, this will allow both fish to establish a separate territory in the tank, and avoid any serious aggression problems.
An oscar and a JD are pretty much going to have your 70g at its stocking limit, so I wouldn't plan to add anything else.

Oscar is by itself in anything less than a 120 imo. Or another Oscar. A jd will be a problem.

 

[FinsandFeathers]

Bigger is always better, it's true, and 120g would be better than 70. 70g would be about 4 ft long, however, and should give ample room for 2 separate territories, if the fish can get along. I've been told often that JDs and Oscars are incompatible, but I've had them together several times (admittedly, never in a tank as small as 70g), and they've always done well together for me, unless any con-specific pairs were formed. I do, however, have a tendency to break rules. Usually, it works out well, but on occasion, it's led to disaster, so it's always safer to go with what is known to work.

 

[earhtmother]

He was originally supposed to move to a 100g but I decided the Angels & Cories needed it more. His time will come, deals on lg tanks may not come often but they do appear

 

[Aski247]

They grow roughly a inch a month for the first year. Then slow down if they even grow any more after that.

75g for a single, if he’s already protective and shows aggression it’s not likely you can keep other tankmates with him.

And if you want multiple tankmates I’d look at a 6’ tank more so then the 4 or 5’ 120’s. So 125+.

I’ve said this for 20+ years that 75g are the best tank if you want a wet pet.

180’s are my pick of the “big tanks”. I’ve seen and had nasty CA/SA fish take over a 135-150g and not allow tankmates. Which is great for the fish.. but a 6’ tank with a single fish sucks if you want something to look at.

 

[FinsandFeathers]

Truthfully, 75s are my favorite size also. We have everything from 20g to 400g, but my favorite setup is a double stand with 2 75s.