one Oscar ok in 29g?? David Boruchowitz thinks so

I don't like keeping fishes in tanks where they can't turn around if they reach their full growth potential, so I would tend to ignore statements like that. I also don't think that a 50% weekly WC is enough for an Oscar to reach its full potential in such a small tank...so even if I had seen that recommendation (I had not), I would find it irresponsible at best.

you could definitely keep one in a 30g, a cube 21x21x16 with enough room to turn around. . . . as long as you have a 50g sump to go along with it.

David Boruchowitz thinks so

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i'd suggest that just because someone with some 'stature' in the hobby says something, that doesn't necessarily make it so. few hobbyists can successfully maintain a mature oscar in such small quarters and have them live a full lifespan. the maintainance regimen required to keep the water quality in excellent (not just satisfactory) shape, would tax both the filtration system and the hobbyists time constraints. while one may start out with the best of intentions, such a maintainance schedule usually becomes a major 'chore', a 'drudge', less a labor of love and more of a job. the result is that you tend to let things 'slide' and the fish does not THRIVE but rather, it just SURVIVES. perhaps Boruchowitz finds this acceptable. i do not.

what usually happens then is that fish maintained in tanks which are too small or in conditions which are too crowded, develop severe stress syndrome. these fish do not exhibit proper color, do not develop proper fin form, do not exhibit proper metabolic development, do not exhibit normal behaviour, do not develop proper musculature, do not develop properly functioning organ systems and as a result, slowly lose their inherant resistance to disease. this results in a significantly shortened lifespan and along the way, lots of diseases for which the poorly conditioned fish is a good target.

InR reason said:

Nobody has mentioned this before and I'm curious about it. In the Guide To Freshwater Aquariums, written by a the very informed David Boruchowitz he has written that one in a 29 (with heavy filtration and 50% weekly wc) is "pushing things a bit" but possible. It's in the book, just look it up!

Why has nobody mentioned this before? I understand that it is preferable to house a single Oscar in a 55-75 but this man states that 30g is enough if you are careful about parameters. I'm bringing this up more out of curiousity than anything. I didn't write the book I'm merely passing this along. No stocking wars please, it just caught my eye.

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What can be done and what should be done are two different things.

I can put my finger in a mouse trap but do I do this?
Yes, all the time. I now can snap the trap and eat the chease.

I thought this would be a great trick to pick up woman.
They don't seem to like it much.

So I agree with the above post.

H3D said:

What can be done and what should be done are two different things.

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i totally agree 100%.

just because you can keep a betta in a bowl that holds 1/8 of a gallon doesnt mean you should.

just because you can keep tiger barbs with angels doesnt mean you should.

yeah you will need at least a 55 for one single adult and thats even small and they will use all the tank if they cant excersice there muscles and get full speed swimming for at least a few seconds your tank is too small.
think about it you could keep a human in a locker for there whole life but it aint gonna be pretty