oscar and jack dempsey cichlid help

Maybe there oscar was more calm then the ones ive owned then cuz all mine kept digging like they were looking for gold lol. But then again even the same species of fish could have different personalities.

Dang got to be at work in 5hours and I havent slept all day. Im off to bed. I would look into rehoming the Oscar but thats just me. Well have a good one. Ill be hittin you up sometime Hebily maybe I could learn something from you and your wife's experiences. Can never know to much bout the Aquaria Hobby.
 
one thing that came to mind is the fact that both these fish are over a year old (the OP has had them a year), and as stated, are about 4 inches long. definitely stunted.

so this means the stunted fish will not grow to it's full adult size potential, right? and if so, would the 'standard minimum' tank size still need to be applied for these particular fish?
 
If they are, in fact stunted (I suspected that, also, but really don't know how quickly oscars or JD's grow) then they could live in a smaller tank, just fine. Even if they don't grow another inch, which I suspect they will, I wouldn't keep them in anything less than a 29. That sounds like it would be more doable for the OP.
 
Hebily said:
If they are, in fact stunted (I suspected that, also, but really don't know how quickly oscars or JD's grow) then they could live in a smaller tank, just fine. Even if they don't grow another inch, which I suspect they will, I wouldn't keep them in anything less than a 29. That sounds like it would be more doable for the OP.
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No way is a 29g going to be big enough, even if the fish are stunted there is no way i would put them in anything under 75g. If the OP can't provide a tank this big then the fish should be rehomed, if only the oscar is rehomed then the JD could be kept in a 55g but nothing smaller.
Oscars should grow 1-2" a month until they reach 10" then their groth will slow down until they reach their adult size of 14-16"
 
Sorry Hebily but you are way off-base on this one. Please, if you don't own Oscars don't give out incorrect, but well-meaning advice. As a keeper of Oscars I will tell you that anything less than 75 is asking for problems. You can keep both fish is you have a 75. As for substrate, gravel is fine and it is your choice as to which. At 1 year old those fish should be at least 8", so I agree with the thought they might be stunted. Given proper environment will go a long way to help them.

Oscars are not poop machines compared to being a very messy eater. The food waste the generate is enormous. I keep convicts with mine and they are good at going after the residual food. I also have a common pleco. I have 1 pink convict, 12" Oscar, and 14" common Pleco in a 90 with gravel substrate. The 90 was cheaper when I went to go get a 75. Same footprint, just taller.

My other Oscar is in a 100 (6ft tank) also with a pleco, 2 convicts, 3 kadangos, 2 angelfish. Filtration for this tank is a 28 gallon DIY sump @8-900GPH, sand substrate.

Please rehome both fish if you can't supply a suitable environment.
 
I meant that if the fish do not get any bigger, they MIGHT be ok in a 29, but no smaller. I said that I would not expect them to not get bigger. I also said that I wouldn't keep an oscar in less than a 150 gallon, but that I've read that they need AT LEAST a 50 gallon, and that I remember reading somewhere that they do dig, and because of this would prefer a sand substrate.
 
Wow wow wow pump the brakes. Slow your horses.

Ok what is the biggest aquarium you could fit in your house and afford and lets go from there. This back and forth is only gonna cause problems. Let us know what size tank you gonna get if any.

excuzzzeme I have owned oscars and I know mine took dumps ALOT thats from my own personal experience but then again I didnt know much bout nutrition for fish back then and fed strictly feeders. but yeah.
 
i agree with the above, get the biggest tank you can afford and have room for, and then determine which of the two fish you can humanely keep in that tank. if you have room and money for a big enough tank for both fish, great!

and yes, oscars are messy in the eating department. they are also somewhat moderately messy in the pooping department, but not as messy as when they eat.
 
1 year old and 4 inches only!!!! wow thats stunting at its worst ryt there
 
btw the moment that oscar will get a bigger space hes gunno go throw a growth spurt meaning hell grow very big very fast
 
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