Oscar Tankmates

Alec2cool

Alec2cool

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Feb 18, 2010
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Central Indiana
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Alec
In a few days i will be getting a 55g for my 4 inch tiger oscar. Im also putting my 3inch pleco in there with him. What else could i put in there? down the road i will be upgrading, i just dont have enough for a larger tank atm. I was thinking some Severums or a Green Terror or another Oscar but im not sure. any suggestions?
 
Alec2cool said:
In a few days i will be getting a 55g for my 4 inch tiger oscar. Im also putting my 3inch pleco in there with him. What else could i put in there? down the road i will be upgrading, i just dont have enough for a larger tank atm. I was thinking some Severums or a Green Terror or another Oscar but im not sure. any suggestions?
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55gal? What.... What do you think you have there, a public aquarium?
Nothing should go into a 55gal with a Oscar, it will barely be big enough for the Oscar when full grown.
Seriously, nothing.
And I hope you have some really good filtration, and are willing to do 75% PWCs weekly, cause your going to constantly be fighting elevated NO3.

Get a 75gal and then you can think about one medium sized tank mate, like a Severum or such... IF, if the Oscar will tolerate a tankmate.
And definitely not a messy fish like a Pleco.

I've a O & Sev in my 75gal and it takes weekly 75%+ PWCs and bi-weekly filter maintenance to keep NO3 below 40ppm.
 
I'm with Chile on this one.

Just put the Oscar and Pleco in there. They are going to outgrow the tank anyway. Anything else you add will just make this happen much faster.

Sure the tank is going to look a bit empty for the first few months, but you will be able to keep the water conditions perfect and the fish well fed. They will grow quickly and be looking for a bigger tank in no time.

In 3 or 4 months you should have a couple of 6" fish in there and it wont look so empty. 6-8 months you will be wondering how much bigger you need to upgrade to.

I have an Oscar and a Pleco in a 58gal, they haven't outgrown it, yet, and I do have a bigger tank to move them too.

Ian
 
I tried keeping my two oscars in a 55 gallon with a common pleco several years ago. They outgrew it in the span of about 2 months. Please don't put another fish in there unless you have the cash to buy them a MUCH larger tank really soon.
 
Don't put an Oscar in a 55! Get a 75! Contrary what many places tell you, an Oscar grows to about 17" and a fish that size can't turn in a 55 gallon tank (13")

If you want a pleco as well then you are better off with a 90. Keep in mind that the pleco will live on the bottom giving the Oscar less vertical room. You also will need the extra water as well as massive filtration. I speak from experience as I have 5 Oscars and 2 plecos. You will need a flow rate of about 10x an hour with 2 water changes a week.
 
Davy said:
ive always wondered if a 50gal would be better. would it? its a bit wider isnt it?
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And 5gals less worth of bio-load.

We're talking bare bones minimum here, not good, ideal or great... Cramped & messy.
 
i would figure the added width would offer a greater gas exchange rate.

but i really have no idea here.
 
Don't forget you are also losing a full foot in length. That cuts down on the needed swimming room and surface exchange both fish need. Sorry, overall that's worse than a 55. A 75 is 48x18.5 and a 50 is 36x19. You gain a theoretical 1/2 in width which really gives you no advantage except to lose 5 gallons of water and 12" in length.
 
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