Oscar Questions

[kellya]

My husband is planning on setting up our first large tank (currently have two small tanks running - a 10g and a 15g) I have fallen in love with Oscars and would love to have them in this new tank. He is cool with me getting Oscars but he does have a few questions. He is planning on buying a 125gallon tank. He is wondering what would be a good choice for filtration though? Also I would like to know if a 125g is going to be big enough to fit 2 Oscars in forever - I don't see us getting a larger tank than that. I'd also like to know if there would be any room left over in a tank that size for any other types of fish or if I should just stick with 2 Oscars (I say 2 Oscars because I was told by someone who owns them that they like to have company)

Any help would be great. This is going to be more of a long term project. We are planning on buying the tank soon and then constructing the stand etc. as money permits.

Kelly

[liv2padl]

i think two oscars 'should' be fine in 125 gallons, with good filtration, 50 percent weekly water changes and no other fish in the tank.

[Shocker6966]

125 is plenty for 2 oscars. And if you plan on only having 2, you don't really have to go nuts on filtration if you keep up with your wc/substrate cleaning routine. They are big eaters and as such big waste producers.

Personally I think a 125 would look bare with a pair of oscars. I have a pair of oscars, a jack dempsey, pink convict, pleco and a couple of random africans in my 150 and at times it looks bare. If you do plan on going with more fish, I'd make sure you have substantial filtration. For the time being, with only 2 oscars, and I assume you'll get them small and watch them grow up, you won't need more than a good canister or couple good HOB filters, but as they grow and/or you add more fish, you'll likely need to supplement your filtration.

I started with a simple 400gph sponge powerhead filter in mine, and have been upgrading it ever since. Now I run a custom wet/dry built off of that same powerhead and am currently constructing another hybrid hob style/wet-dry setup. Both sit in the canopy out of sight and avoid external plumbing. I use my tank as a room divider, so excessive plumbing or wiring is undesirable.

[Rbishop]

I think you could handle a couple more fish in there.

[Davefish]

I know from past tanks that Oscars once grown In my opinion as cute as when they were little....So I would add a red devil a couple of jack dempseys a green terror a maganese some firemouths and some jewelfish all at once (assuming you have cycled)
Your preference may change!

[Mgamer20o0]

look into a wet dry sump. i am a big fan of canister filters. rena magnum Eheim. you can check out some of the big hobs also.... AC Penguin

[Ruben Tolon]

I know from past tanks that Oscars once grown In my opinion as cute as when they were little....So I would add a red devil a couple of jack dempseys a green terror a maganese some firemouths and some jewelfish all at once (assuming you have cycled)
Your preference may change!

If the tank is 125 gallons and contains 2 oscars I wouldn't add a red devil or a manguensis as those are also large and much more aggressive than the oscars.

[J double R]

meh.. just do the 2 oscars alone, they'll be better than 2 dogs! their personalities are unmatched.

a good canister and a good hob are an invaluable combo for oscars..as they will need good mechanical filtration and EXCELLENT biological filtration.

IMO, theyre worth it. i can't wait until i can set up an oscar tank again.

[Subliminal]

Well, I started my oscar days with 3 in a 55 gallon. Once they started fighting all the time, I got rid of 2. The one died a few years later.

Then I got another oscar who also recently died. Fish tend to do that after 4 or 5 years. ;)

You're going to be totally fine with 2 oscars in a 125, and even have room for a few other fish. Convicts and Jack's are both cool companion fishes for oscars, although a bit more aggressive, usually. However, they tend to not get nearly as big, so you'd probably be a-ok...especially with all that room!

With oscars you won't really be able to put plants in the tank...they'll continually excavate.

As to filters, that's a pretty big tank. On my 55 I use 2 Emporer 400s, and it's definitely enough filtration for me. On a 125, I have no idea. 4 emporer 400s? ;)

Good luck...Oscars are awesome!

[Shocker6966]

With oscars you won't really be able to put plants in the tank...they'll continually excavate.

I've heard this countless times, but I have yet to see it in my tank. Could be that they are still small, could be that they are usually hiding behind some tall fake plants or just cruising around lazily. My convict on the other hand has me replanting onions on a regular basis.

[Rbishop]

I have some luck with containerizing plants in the more aggressive tanks.

[Shocker6966]

Yeah, I have a dwarf lily pad that I recently moved from an ugly white plastic pot to a nicer, more easily concealed 2" terra cotta with the bottom hole crack open to allow root growth through the bottom of the pot.

[TML29]

My tank also has several plants in it. My oscars would play with them, pick at them for a day or two but then they just left them alone like they generally do now. I do apply some protective measures though, like feeding them spinach so they don't have craving for plant matter, put rock around the plants to weigh them down... However, two oscars I have are still small so who knows...