oscar questions

R

ryf

Fish'n the Net
Aug 18, 2006
35
0
0
I have a fishless (cycled) 38 gallon tank, planning on being home to 1 oscar for a year or so. future upgrade is already spouse approved!

I have a RFUG (powerhead rated 200 gph) and a HOB filter rated @ 260 gph

I think this would be ok for now.....

any and all thoughts would be appreciated!
 
it depends on what kinds of things you're into. do you want color, aggression, size, rare, all these things will help you to narrow down what to put with your oscar. how big, and what kind of oscar do you have?
 
I'd wait until you have a tank large enough to house the Oscar through it's lifetime before getting one. A year from now maybe you won't be in the position to upgrade. You just never know.

Lots of other options for that tank though.
 
don't have an oscar yet, thinking about getting one, nothing with it, since they require the room. I appreciate your concern with waiting, but thats not likely, and since I've got a tank ready, it needs a fish!


I have considered 3 fancy goldfish as an alternative. but an oscar seems so much more like what I want.
 
I wanted to add to this, sorry if I seemed offhandish about the tank size issue.

If I had one or two 5 inch fish in a 70 gallon tank, she would buy a few more to "fill it out" while I am at work! (and it would be kinda empty looking) so "staging" up will keep the tank from looking barren. I don't see the 38 gallon as an issue, its bigger than what alot of people I've met and heard about started singles and pairs of oscars. I am really wondering if my filtration is adequate...

this will be the ONLY fish in there, would driftwood be an ok addition?
 
ryf said:
I wanted to add to this, sorry if I seemed offhandish about the tank size issue.

If I had one or two 5 inch fish in a 70 gallon tank, she would buy a few more to "fill it out" while I am at work! (and it would be kinda empty looking) so "staging" up will keep the tank from looking barren. I don't see the 38 gallon as an issue, its bigger than what alot of people I've met and heard about started singles and pairs of oscars. I am really wondering if my filtration is adequate...

this will be the ONLY fish in there, would driftwood be an ok addition?
Click to expand...
ok after reading this over a few times i think i get what you said. just cuz other stupid people put oscars in a small tank doesnt make it right. she i am guessing a wife or something. you just have to tell her it will grow. adding more fish will cause them to die. 38 gal is a issue for a oscar. its way to small. its like what if we locked you in a phone both. how would you like that.
 
ryf said:
I wanted to add to this, sorry if I seemed offhandish about the tank size issue.

If I had one or two 5 inch fish in a 70 gallon tank, she would buy a few more to "fill it out" while I am at work! (and it would be kinda empty looking) so "staging" up will keep the tank from looking barren. I don't see the 38 gallon as an issue, its bigger than what alot of people I've met and heard about started singles and pairs of oscars. I am really wondering if my filtration is adequate...

this will be the ONLY fish in there, would driftwood be an ok addition?
Click to expand...

Ok I am confused as to what you are asking about. Are you wondering if an Oscar or 2 will work in a 70g tank or a 38g tank?

And what do you mean by "she would buy a few more to "fill it out" while I am at work! (and it would be kinda empty looking) so "staging" up will keep the tank from looking barren."?

As for the 38g tank yes the filtration would be good for the time being if the fish was small enough. You need to keep in mind though what is being said above. If you are going to get an Oscar you might as well get the right tank for it know. An oscar to be happy & healthy should be in something close to a 200g tank. Putting it in the smaller tank will only hurt the fish and you may end up with a broken tank and 38 gallons of water on your floor.
 
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I do mean my wife, as "she"..... she would have a cow with 1 small fish in a 70 gallon.

I don't think of the 38 gallon as a permanent home, not by any means. since this opinion appears more than shared I'm inclined to rethink it though.

and I've had to return fish to the not so local fish store in the past since they "mis-represented" a fish to her... she's not supposed to buy fish alone, but she has money and time to shop I guess.

I only want 1 oscar, but if I start off in a 70 gallon, I'd get something to go with it (one LFS here will take most mature fish anytime, for $ or trade, looking for breeders)

how long does this thing take to grow to say 8", I was under the impression it took a year or more (general internet stories/info) I'm not calling anyone out, I'm just not seeing where you guys are seeing the issue. break it down for me, I do want to do whats ultimately right. I am a "newb" to fish keeping, so take it easy on me.
 
it takes a year or two until the oscar is full grown. you would only have it in the 38 gal for a couple months and it still isnt good for the fish. 38 is just to small for it. everyone says 75 min. like thats the smallest tank to put it in. it really needs something better. if you want to do something thats right dont get the oscer until you have a bigger tank.
 
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