AC'S Oscar Club..........

[excuzzzeme]

Nice Oscars everyone!

A 55 gallon tank is too small for an Oscar. They need a 75 at minimum. A 55 is barely 13 inches deep and an O will grow to more than that and will have a difficult time turning around if at all. They have been known to get to 14-16" big in an aquarium setting.

As far as not liking change - I know mine doesn't and gets moody and sometimes turns his back on me and gives his tail a vicious shake as if to ell me he ain't a happy camper! LOL

 

[Vinjari]

I did a lot of research and talked to a lot of people that own Oscars. A 55 gallon is considered the bare minimum for a full grown Oscar and typically these tanks are void of any decorations, etc. Obviously a 75 gallon is more ideal. My little guy Ozzy is only 2 " and the 55 gallon he is in is pretty scratched up but I got a good deal on the setup. Boyfriend and I will be moving at some point, hoping it'll happen next spring/summer. I plan on buying a 75 when we move rather than resetting up the 55 and then selling the 55 once Ozzy is settled in his new larger home. So, although he could be just fine in the 55 gallon as an adult he will get a larger 75 gallon tank. We are on day 3 with him and he seems to be doing really well. He is swimming happily around the tank and I watched him eat his pellets this morning. From what I have read on them it seems like he is adjusting pretty well!!

 

[krytan]

Sorry but i'm going to agree with excuzzzeme, a 75g is the minimum size tank for an oscar with no other fish in the tank. Oscars and plecos have a very high bio load and having them both in a 55g tank will be to much for your bacteria to handle.

 

[powerkit]

okay, i really gotta get some pics on. I'll jus take some with my phone this wknd an put em on when i get to work monday. anyway, i just got my bebe's last weekend. a tiger oscar (Hare) and Dempsey (Rama). for a min. they are in a 30 just till i repair my 50. I keep them in my bedroom, lol! I used to have a 280 with tiger (Cain) and albino (Abel) with 2 4 ft morreys. I gave the tank to my daddy when i decided to move to TN. His wifey was grossed out by the morreys and said he spent to much time with the tank, so now hes got a mbuna tank, but cain and abel are on display in their church's aquarium.

 

[powerkit]

o, an dont worry even the 55 is not the bebes permanent home. I will eventually build them back up. Hoping to do a 500 gal.set up by summer. even if i have to go with a fiber glass with a viewing window. I could never see keeping a grown oscar in a small tank, they are way to active, and love to "play with their food!!!

 

[Vinjari]

We all are entitled to our own opinons and many do consider a 55 to be bare minimum and 75 to be ideal. Each forum/article can/will have a different opinion. There is a difference btwn minimum/ideal. It really doesn't even matter, my little guy will be in a 75 before he is full grown regardless becuase I would much rather have in an ideal tank vs. minimum sized tank. Just like I could fit my german shepherd in a 42" crate but she is much more comfortable and can actually stretch out in her 48" crate. I don't mean to argue but there are varying opinions on tank size and each oscar is different. Some never make it over 10" while there are some that would even get too large for a 75 gallon. Ozzy is quite happy in his 55 gallon tank and before he is full grown he will have a larger 75 gallon tank.

 

[powerkit]

agreed, i believe it is ideal to get the tank b4 the fish, however there is always circumstances. my little dudes came with the 150 wide when i got it. this wasnt discussed b4, but they were just goin to flush them, i actually was goin to rehome them becuz it hurt to badly to grow cain and able and not see them evry day any more. I was dead set i wouldnt have another oscar, but when i got him home i couldnt bear to part with him. so i decided to keep him and his lil buddy. i dint like the idea of them being in such a shallow set up so i am upgrading their tank as cash allows and within a yr or less im plannin to a 500 set up (already saving and shopping as we speak,lol). I dont plan on ever moving again so i guess it wont be too awful to get attached agin.

 

[Vinjari]

Yeah, I agree about buying the tank before the fish. With my situation I have a 2" oscar in my 55 and a 1.5" rubber lip pleco who will max out at 5". I could easily go out and get a 75 but see no point in doing it right now. When we move it'll work out perfect to get a larger 75 because I can keep Ozzy at a family members house while his new 75 cycles and then move him into his forever home. It could happen as early as next spring, it really depends on how the economy goes and all that. Trust me, I spoil my pets and they live the good life. If Ozzy were to grow really fast and if he needed a larger tank sooner I would go out and get it for him. And i'm not really concerned with the bioload, this tank is overfiltered and I do water changes at least 1x week and will increase as needed. Little (for now) Ozzy will live the good life!

 

[krytan]

Yeah, I agree about buying the tank before the fish. With my situation I have a 2" oscar in my 55 and a 1.5" rubber lip pleco who will max out at 5". I could easily go out and get a 75 but see no point in doing it right now. When we move it'll work out perfect to get a larger 75 because I can keep Ozzy at a family members house while his new 75 cycles and then move him into his forever home. It could happen as early as next spring, it really depends on how the economy goes and all that. Trust me, I spoil my pets and they live the good life. If Ozzy were to grow really fast and if he needed a larger tank sooner I would go out and get it for him. And i'm not really concerned with the bioload, this tank is overfiltered and I do water changes at least 1x week and will increase as needed. Little (for now) Ozzy will live the good life!

There is no need to cycle the new tank, just move the already cycled filters over to the new tank with the fish.

 

[Vinjari]

That is what I will most likely do. But i'll be putting new sand in and some rockwork and all and i'll want the sand to settle and the temp to get up before moving Ozzy over. I have an AC110 and an Penguin 350 running on the tank now. I will most likey buy a 2nd AC110 and get rid of the Penguin 350 once I have the 75. I'm really looking forward to moving, we've outgrown our current home and I can't wait to get a bigger tank. Who knows, depending on what deals I come across I may end up with a 90G tank. That is the largest I would go with though.