at my lfs they have 3 12 inch oscars and a 12 inch pleco ina 65 gallon for allmost year now and they seem fine
3 oscars in 60g
- Thread starter psargon
- Start date
Okay when that fish store still has that pleco all nice and healthy 15 years later let us know. Same with Oscars. Those fish all live long lives if kept properly. But as was mentioned they will all end up with problems due to water quality issues.
And up above it was mentioned a 2 ft snake head kept in a tank 1.5 ft wide. Well that sounds fair and resonable doesn't it. I bet that fish loved his home.
Do any of thoese cramped fish live like they do in the wild? Do they swim fast, stock prey in such appalling conditions? I doubt it. And oscar should be full of personality, exploring, looking for food, hunting, but more likely they are just sort of hanging out and doing nothing except growing some good old HITH.
And up above it was mentioned a 2 ft snake head kept in a tank 1.5 ft wide. Well that sounds fair and resonable doesn't it. I bet that fish loved his home.
Do any of thoese cramped fish live like they do in the wild? Do they swim fast, stock prey in such appalling conditions? I doubt it. And oscar should be full of personality, exploring, looking for food, hunting, but more likely they are just sort of hanging out and doing nothing except growing some good old HITH.
I know I shouldn't be, but, I am...........
:rant: :mad2 :sad: :thud: Just shocked that any intelligent person could rationalize conditions such as three adult Oscar's in a 60gal tank as being acceptable.
If you are going to take one of gods creatures into your care,
then "CARE" for it!
(Chile shakes his head in disgust and walks away, thankful that the majority of posters to this thread had sense.)
:rant: :mad2 :sad: :thud: Just shocked that any intelligent person could rationalize conditions such as three adult Oscar's in a 60gal tank as being acceptable.If you are going to take one of gods creatures into your care,
then "CARE" for it!
(Chile shakes his head in disgust and walks away, thankful that the majority of posters to this thread had sense.)
Oscars can survive those conditions as stated, but most experienced fish people can look at an Oscar and tell it has been subjected to those conditions. I work at a LFS and when people come in with 12"+ Oscars (at least once a week) the first thing I check is the body. Oscar's get deformed from bad conditions and the bodies are more round than flat like O instead of (). Not that drastic but with time you learn to spot it easily.
Also there are other signs such as ammonia burn you learn to spot as well. Based on experience I'd say to keep 3 Oscars healthy you might keep them in a 90 gallon if you change the water every week or more. Although I still consider that a bit crowded. Sure your fish might live a few years, but they do suffer and get deformed.
Last week I took in a 12" Oscar that was subjected to high ammonia (by himself in a 75 gallon), he jumped out of tank once and scarred his body really bad on rocks. The owner negletected the tank for two months and her pleco died. She then cleaned the filter with tap water trying to save the Oscar. I tested the water a week later and it had 4ppm ammonia and the Oscar was barely living. It's two days later and he is real happy swimming all around in a 200 gallon, but he is scarred for life.
Also there are other signs such as ammonia burn you learn to spot as well. Based on experience I'd say to keep 3 Oscars healthy you might keep them in a 90 gallon if you change the water every week or more. Although I still consider that a bit crowded. Sure your fish might live a few years, but they do suffer and get deformed.
Last week I took in a 12" Oscar that was subjected to high ammonia (by himself in a 75 gallon), he jumped out of tank once and scarred his body really bad on rocks. The owner negletected the tank for two months and her pleco died. She then cleaned the filter with tap water trying to save the Oscar. I tested the water a week later and it had 4ppm ammonia and the Oscar was barely living. It's two days later and he is real happy swimming all around in a 200 gallon, but he is scarred for life.
Last weekend I saw 5 or 6 medium sized Oscars in a 30g tank (Petland Discount route 400 in Jersey City). The had advanced HITH disease, and the water was cloudy. It is sad how suffer such abuse.
If 3 adult oscars were kept in a 60g AND had daily, large water changes - 40%+, they might look healthy, but there isn't enough room for them to show interesting behavior. It wouldn't make much sense.
If 3 adult oscars were kept in a 60g AND had daily, large water changes - 40%+, they might look healthy, but there isn't enough room for them to show interesting behavior. It wouldn't make much sense.
My friend has 4 oscars, a sicklid, and a quite large pleco in a 55g.
He rarely does water changes, the oscars are only about a year old but probably close to 10 inches easy. I think he did the first water change in a few months last week. His response "you should only give territorial fish about 10 gallons each so they dont have a chance to establish territory...plus I have a really nice wet/dry filter so the water is fine!"
I really didnt feel like there was anything I could do, and then a mutual friend who agreed with the 10 gallon/fish rule said he is putting 2-3 oscars in a 29g hex.
He rarely does water changes, the oscars are only about a year old but probably close to 10 inches easy. I think he did the first water change in a few months last week. His response "you should only give territorial fish about 10 gallons each so they dont have a chance to establish territory...plus I have a really nice wet/dry filter so the water is fine!"
I really didnt feel like there was anything I could do, and then a mutual friend who agreed with the 10 gallon/fish rule said he is putting 2-3 oscars in a 29g hex.
