I'm going to be getting an Oscar once my tank cycles, but I don't have any decorations yet. I know that they are known for pulling up plants and moving stuff around, so what is good and what isn't?
Tank decorations for Oscar
- Thread starter chunkoblue
- Start date
I know a few folks with really big oscars...their tanks have large rocks and big chunks of wood in them..
mostlycichlids
Cichlid Specialist
That's what I have in with mine. My biggest is just shy of 15" and if there is anything in his way he tears it out. I just stick with large rocks, driftwood, and small foreground plants.
If you do want large plants in there...invest in some water tongs...because you'll be using them alot. :grinyes:
make sure to get something they can investigate around in.
you could proably find some really cool pieces of driftwood.
the have bases that you can affix fake plants to that will keep them from floating to the top of the tank.
you could proably find some really cool pieces of driftwood.
the have bases that you can affix fake plants to that will keep them from floating to the top of the tank.
Something I would suggest is avoid gravel, unless you really live vacuuming it LOL. Oscars are messy and I only had a small patch of gravel in my tank for my 2 inch oscar to play with (he likes rearranging things) and every time I gravel vacced I just got streams of muck, and I was cleaning every week.
I just got rid of it today LOL. He's 4 inches now, so instead I've spread some large river rocks out on the base, with plenty of open space between them, he can still move them around, and rearrange, but gravel vaccing is sooo much easier.
As for plants I use fake ones with solid weighted bases, which he can move around, and they'll still stay upright and not look too stupid.
The only other thing I use is big heavy caves, I change them out quite often, but ones I use are heavy terracotta pots that he can't move, and the decorations you can get from aquarium shops.
Oh and I'd invest in a heater guard, this guys are heater smashers
I just got rid of it today LOL. He's 4 inches now, so instead I've spread some large river rocks out on the base, with plenty of open space between them, he can still move them around, and rearrange, but gravel vaccing is sooo much easier.
As for plants I use fake ones with solid weighted bases, which he can move around, and they'll still stay upright and not look too stupid.
The only other thing I use is big heavy caves, I change them out quite often, but ones I use are heavy terracotta pots that he can't move, and the decorations you can get from aquarium shops.
Oh and I'd invest in a heater guard, this guys are heater smashers
some oscars will play with a pingpong ball if you float it up top, just remember to remove it once he gets big enough to eat it!
Every fish is different, your oscar might not pull up plants. Mine don't if I plant it the right places (in the middle of the back of the tank away from feeding and resting areas). Otherwise I would go with driftwood and rocks, be careful that rocks cant be pushed over and crack the base of the tank, my oscars push a 4ft log round the base of my tank with little difficulty.
If you really want plants with your oscar, just get some floating plants, then you don't have to worry about constantly replanting them. That's what I did and it worked fine. Plus they like the roughage in their diet.