Oscars + UV Sterilizer?

[danzig]

hello again,

tank- 90g
filtration-fluval 405, AC110 (possibly one more AC110)
2 - Lutino O's (4 1/2 ")
1 - Pleco (4 1/2 ")

this tank will be up, cycled and stocked by the end of Jan early Feb.
my question is do i need a UV sterilizer? or it it an extra precaution more than a nessecity?
basically what are the cons/risks of not having one.

[Mgamer20o0]

never had any reason ever to use one. that 90 gal is going to be overstocked.

[danzig]

yes ive heard its adequate to overstocked.
getting about 50/50 on that one but i dont believe it will prevent them from living a decent life. ( no stunting etc).so i will conitnue with my plan.
im somewhat of a perfectionist when it comes to cleanliness in general,
so as far as water changes and general maintenence it will be no concern.

ty for your advice on the UV Sterilizer.
i dont mean to sound ignorant or intolerant when i say im going to continue to house them in a 90g, with the reaction/suggestions ive gotten from numerous oscar forums it seems very reasonable from the experienced oscar enthusiast/keepers that 90g is adequate and 2 (be it they tolerate eachother) can live a long/stable life in one.
they are in a 55g growout atm and do get along (when i bought them they paired off from the rest in the tank), but adolescent stage is right around the corner so we will see.

[Mgamer20o0]

what kind of pleco? common plecos get 26 inch long.

there are a lot of things said on other forums and even this one that just isnt true.

[danzig]

yes it is a common pleco. i might get him adopted out when the time comes because of the size it can get.
once again i have been told few diff things
1 was that he should be ok (although i do think likewise, only if short term)
and 2 i should get a gold nugget instead (which i hear can easily become oscar food due to size).
the pleco i have now, i rescued from a friends grandma a year ago who had him in a 20g with guppies.
hes in the 55g growout with the o's but will eventually contradict my rescue attempt if i can not properly house/maintain it myself.
i do treat my fish like any other pet be it a dog, cat etc. so do want to provide them a good life.
As i stated about the O's i do believe the 90g should be sufficient and will follow through to house them in there. However, if in the future i do find it is inadequate or have territorial issues i will buy another large tank.
unlike some people out there my pets are not my house decorations/guards or trophies, they are my pets, members of my family and i learn, and do what i can to protect them.

[icecubez189]

with 2 oscars and a pleco in a 90G, you'll be doing WC's constantly, like every other day or almost everyday just to keep ammonia levels down. one oscar and a few dither fish would be perfect for a 90G, but the addition of another oscar (bare minium agreed by many for 2 oscars is either 100 or 125, preferably 150) and a pleco (which grow up to 2 feet) is overkill.

i have no idea what oscar "enthusiasts" would even approve of such conditions, then again we shouldn't believe everything people say.

and to your OT, i would say a UV is unnecesary.

[danzig]

yes im leaning towards keeping 4 12" pleco in the 55g till i can find a home for it.
as for water changes its not a prob.doing pwc's every couple days is no hassle to me at all. just like bathing my dog and walking him every day is no inconvenience, it is a nessecity.
i will be carefully monitoring (testing) the water conditions in the 90g as well as carefully monitorin behavior.
like i said before, with no disrespect to anyone, i do believe 2 O's in a 90g will be ok provided the porper water conditions.i do respect everyones opinions equally and appreciate any and all feedback.
however back to my question at hand,
the UV sterilizer, what are the benefits of it in an oscar tank
and what are the cons of not having one in an oscar tank
i am 99% sure i am going to buy one just wanted to make sure it wasnt just some kind of marketing gimmick etc.

[Mgamer20o0]

if your 99% going to buy one and dont want to take into a count the options of others why ask?

[danzig]

sorry Mgamer, where do you get the "dont want to take into a count the options of others why ask?" from?
i obviously do want opinions of others if i am asking lol.
the 99% sure im going to buy one is in relation to the information i have recieved thus far.
IMO, i think your just offended that i dont have the same opinion as you on the 2 oscar in the 90g idea, but that isnt even the quesion i had asked.
im simply asking for feedback on a UV STERILIZER for my oscar tank.
i have already posted about (housing 2 oscars) in numerous forums and have made my mind up, which is why theres no debate for me on that subject.

once again................
what are the benefits of using a UV sterilizer in an oscar tank?
and what are teh cons to not having one in an oscar tank?

[Ghost_knife]

there's no point on a sterilizer on a tank, thats like closing the barn door after the horse has gone out. your going to be way overstocked with huge problems down the road. but hey...what we know...right? adding it may help but I find them useless and annoying to work with let alone plumbing them into an established system...just my 2 cents worth..

[Mgamer20o0]

not offended at all. what you do with your fish is your problem. i just trying to make it clear and understanding. as icecubez189 also said its unnecessary. its a quick patch to a problem but doesnt tank care of the underlining cause. i see it as extra money and extra electric bill.

[danzig]

tyvm for your feedback.
all replies on it seem to be roughly the same other than the "never too much filtration responses".
i am aware of "possible" issues with storing 2 oscars in a 90g.
i am willing to go the "extra mile" to ensure their 90g habitat is sufficient.
if in the future it does not work out, i can and will purchase tank(s) to house them together or seperate.
IMO the water conditions will not be a problem with the 90g.
Fluval 405/AC110/(either another AC110 or emp 400) with 4xpwc weekly.
it does have an Iwaki 822pgh sump system with 20G resevoir i will be eventually using but not until next spring.
I personally think the only issue i may encounter may be territorial.

[CagIII]

This happens all too much in all these forums, someone asked a completely harmless question and people have to give "their 2 cents". No one asked your opinion on stocking questions a simple explanation of why or why not to us the UV steralizer was needed. If he wants to keep 100 oscars in that tank its his own business what you say will change nothing. Don't bother answering the question if you are goin to lead off into another topic! Sorry to be rude but i run into this all the time and it is very frustrating. Im glad people know so much which is very helpful but many people dont care of your opinion when they are NOT asking for it.

[icecubez189]

if you took the time to read our responses, we do go back to the original topic on UV sterilizers. the fact of the matter is, his stocking also ties into whether or not one is even necessary. i think it's good if people criticize what going on in your tanks, that way you can correct a problem that might affect you down the road. best thing to do is keep your fish happy and healthy so you can enjoy it for many years. being an aquarist also means taking responsibilities for the lives you are caring for, its no less (or shouldn't be) than one owning a dog, cat, horse, etc.

so our "2 cent's" may not be necessary but it definately should not be ignored.

[CagIII]

but hey...what we know...right? .

This is unnecessary why be sarcastic this person is only looking for opinions. By me READING the complete thread i know this person already has his or her mind set why would you try to change that. A simple that may or may not work because........ Would have been better than trying to discourage this person by saying daily water changes are needed. This person has done their research and knows. That is what i rediscovered by READING ALL of the threads. Also you assume im not reading the complete thread another wrong move on your part. Im sure you know alot of things about aquaria but done bombard people with your knowlage it comes across as you being a know it all and makes people like me want to go else where.

[Mgamer20o0]

This is unnecessary why be sarcastic this person is only looking for opinions. By me READING the complete thread i know this person already has his or her mind set why would you try to change that. A simple that may or may not work because........ Would have been better than trying to discourage this person by saying daily water changes are needed. This person has done their research and knows. That is what i rediscovered by READING ALL of the threads. Also you assume im not reading the complete thread another wrong move on your part. Im sure you know alot of things about aquaria but done bombard people with your knowlage it comes across as you being a know it all and makes people like me want to go else where.

after dealing with many people with overstocked i have found that if you say oh your tank is overstocked they dont listen as well if i am as blunt as possible. posting your tank specs whats in it filters and everything to me it says let me know what you think. if danzig said i have a tank with 2 oscars would a uv help or what are the pros or cons of a uv. my answer would have been the same just not with out the extra overstocked part. icecubez189 and Ghost_knife said the same thing that they are unnecessary. i think they also put it simple why its overstocked.

[TheMightyQueenPixie]

with 2 oscars and a pleco in a 90G, you'll be doing WC's constantly, like every other day or almost everyday just to keep ammonia levels down. one oscar and a few dither fish would be perfect for a 90G, but the addition of another oscar (bare minium agreed by many for 2 oscars is either 100 or 125, preferably 150) and a pleco (which grow up to 2 feet) is overkill.

i have no idea what oscar "enthusiasts" would even approve of such conditions, then again we shouldn't believe everything people say.

and to your OT, i would say a UV is unnecesary.


I had 2 full grown O's in a 100 gal tank with a common Leopard Plec... The Plec hit 16" inches and it was a NIGHTMARE to keep clean... I lasted about a month doing daily water changes from the Algae bloom...I had to find "sir sucksalot" a new home... This tank also had 2 double sided filters,a huge Eheim Cannister and was barebottom. TRUST ME. Get rid of the Pleco and leave the O's alone

[garbon2535]

This happens all too much in all these forums, someone asked a completely harmless question and people have to give "their 2 cents". No one asked your opinion on stocking questions a simple explanation of why or why not to us the UV steralizer was needed. If he wants to keep 100 oscars in that tank its his own business what you say will change nothing. Don't bother answering the question if you are goin to lead off into another topic! Sorry to be rude but i run into this all the time and it is very frustrating. Im glad people know so much which is very helpful but many people dont care of your opinion when they are NOT asking for it.

Thank you, my biggest complaint about these forums as well!

I myself have 2 O's an 1 Plecto in a 55 gallon tank. I got the tank 5 months ago from a friend moving. He has had these O's since they where small. They are now 7-9". They seem fine in the tank. I do water changes weekly. Here are my water parameters every Friday monring before my weekly waterchange.

NH3/NH4 is 0.
NO2 is 0.
NO3 is 10-15. (after a week).

I would not put a UV sterilizer in my tank. I see no need for it. The water gets changed frequently enough. You say you change your water several times a week? If so anything bad will be drained from the tank soon enough.