8" ciclid in 20 gal.

[Cheapeeper]

75 gallon is nice if you have the room. But for 1 Oscar with nothing else in the tank a 55 gallon will do nicely. If you dont have the room get rid of a table or put your dresser in the closet and find or make some room for a 55 gallon they dont really take up that much more space then the 20 gallon you have your fish in now.

 

[krytan]

I agree with everyone else 20g is way to small, your O' needs a new home asap.

 

[rayzor79]

I grew 2 albino oscars in a 55g for 1year and they both made it to 11 inches well maybe longer than a year closer to 2 years

 

[excuzzzeme]

You are being cruel! Get an appropriate tank (75 gallons or more) or give it someone that can. I have 2 Oscars that are just over a year or 2 old and they are 10" and 12".

 

[Spewn]

Okay...so how do I find a home for it? What do I do?

If you're really lucky, a store might take it. Probably not, though, unless you can find a fairly compassionate owner who wants a new personal pet.

Classified ads are a good place. You could ask the local pet stores if you could put up a bulletin; I Know at petsmart you're allowed to do this for free at the front of the store, they have absolutely no problem re-homing a pet when the alternative is undesirable. There may even be some sort of animal rescue near you equipped for this. It's not super-likely, but it's worth a phone-call or two.

I know it's hard giving up a pet you've had for a long time. I had to do the same with a guinea pig I had. A small backstory; Guinea pigs don't live proper, happy, *clean* lives in those small cages they sell at the pet store. Even the "big" cages are too small. I found instructions on-line for building a much larger, more appropriate home; 5feet by 2.5feet, all for less than what you'd pay for even the smallest pet-store cage. When I moved into my apartment though, I just simply couldn't spare that much space. I wanted to keep him, he was great, I loved watching him run laps around his cage and hearing him squeek when I came home. But I knew I couldn't keep him if I couldn't home him properly. So I decided to give him, and his cage, away to a kid in my dad's 8th grade class. It hurt, but it felt good too.

Someone will care for your Oscar just as much as you do, you just have to help them find each-other.

 

[dent20]

Are you sure you can't fit a 55 in your room? You can usually get a starter kit with everything you need for about $150, and that's assuming you don't find a used one for less. You could even rig a double deck stand to be a duel TV or stereo stand if space is an issue. Just watch the cords. A 55 is big, but not nearly as bad you might think. And I agree that a 55 will do for a fish that size. And most of the posters here are way too harsh. This is supposed to be a place where those who are new to the hobby can have their questions answered, not a place for them to be rudely criticized and attacked.

 

[DrNo]

Your oscar is almost certainly stunted already. You can still provide it with a home provided you increase the tank size now. If you can't upgrade, you need to rehome him immediately. Ask the LFS if they will take him off your hands (maybe even give you store credit).

 

[67chevelle]

How often are you doing water changes?By all means that fish should already be dead.Put the poor thing on Craigs list and offer it for free.I am sure someone will take it.Just make sure they have at least a 75g for it.A 20 gallon would be OK for a single Convict,if you want another cichlid.Or you could have some dwarf cichlids.There is a huge variety of dwarfs to choose from.

 

[BadFishPa]

A female Convict would be good in a 20,they get nice colors and are always eager to feed like an Oscar

 

[chefjamesscott]

I've had it too long to give it up.

i would the rather give it up to live in a better tank than to keep it an kill it