Rift Lake Cichlids
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Post by Drake-tripod Sun Dec 06, 2009 10:53 pm

so since day one in fish keeping i have allays wanted a oscar and well it being x mas time i might be able to get some supplies from "sanata" and that would be a great start so i know a 75 would be minim for a single oscar and i would just keep one oscar and i am a firm believer that if you grow fish up together they will grow up and be fine (my mixed 55 is a example some of the fish in their if i introduced now would kill each other) so i was thinking the one fish in a tank i dont mind but others mine so what could i do? for filtration i was planing for sure at least 2 ac 110s and maybe try this DIY canister filter link below stock lights the 200 watt heater for substrate i was thinking some thing like the sand i have in my 40 breeder not much decore prolly some things he can use as toys and such. I have thought of it but could 2 ocsars be done in a 75? the link
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Post by Aura Sun Dec 13, 2009 11:52 pm

Derek, did you get any info on this? Any oscar keepers here?
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Post by briansbelle Mon Dec 14, 2009 12:05 am

hey D i was just thinking of something, and with oscars you might want to use a small gravel, i know with tron i used sand and he hated it, he would move fast, cause a dust storm and it would get on him...he would freak out...i would try a small round gravel, they like to pick it up and rearrange the tank, tron loved to move gravel around..i got mine at walmart (25lb bag) and that was plenty to cover the bottom of the tank since i didnt want it too deep b/c of anerobic gases and build-up. he would make huge piles like forts, and hide behind it... rollin

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Post by Drake-tripod Mon Dec 14, 2009 7:01 pm

My answer to two Oscars in a 75 is an emphatic no. There are those that do it, I will never try. I would not want to try two Oscars in anything less than a 6' 125 gallon tank. But when you get down to it, I would never try two Oscars period. The odds are against success.

Two males, hang it up. They may coexist until sexual maturity sets in and then bam.... WWIII in your tank.

A Male and Female? Better hope they reach sexual maturity at the same time, are of comparable strength, and decide its time to spawn at the same time, otherwise one is going to kill the other.

Two females, your best chance.

The problem... there is no viable, reliable way to sex an Oscar. Its a guessing game better left to chance.

A 75 gallon tank is the perfect size for a single Oscar (I think they do better solo anyway) and a small school of Silver Dollars (if you want something else in the tank for movement). For filtration I highly recommend a good canister over two HOBs. I've had good results combining an HOB with a canister, with the HOB configured primarily for mechanical filtration and the canister configured primarily for bio.

For a substrate, pool filter sand is my recommendation. Oscars are diggers and in the act of digging through a gravel substrate they are known to swallow some of the gravel, potentially leading to blockage and subsequent death. If you use gravel, it should be the small gravel, not the large river pebbles. As stated, I consider pool filter sand perfect for an Oscar tank because it is large enough the Oscar will not stir it up too bad and its too small to cause any issues to a digging fish.

For decor, nothing with sharp edges. Oscars are notoriously clumsy, having a habit of gashing themselves on decor in the tank. They are also susceptible to these gashes not healing, developing into bacterial ulcerations.

Aside from that, feed a quality pellet, stay away from feeder fish, and keep nitrates at 20ppm (or less) and you have a fish that will be a part of the family for 10-20 years.

A single adult Oscar in a 55 gallon tank, moderately fed once per day, will result in nitrate creep around 25-30ppm per week. So you can do the math on nitrate creep resulting from two Oscars in a 75. It will be very difficult to maintain nitrates within reason.
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Post by Drake-tripod Mon Dec 14, 2009 7:01 pm

this was from some one else How many Silver Dollars depends on tank size.

55 gallon tank, no room, single Oscar - no other fish.

75 gallon tank, single Oscar and three Silver Dollars, which is the minimum number of Silver Dollars you want to keep.

100 gallon tank, you can take the Silver Dollar count to 5 or 6.

When buying Silver Dollars just ensure you are NOT getting the "Red Hook" varity (Myleus rubripinnis), as these get substantially larger and would present a bioload issue with your anticipated tank sizes. Otherwise standard silver dollars, stocked at the levels identified above, are within the capacity of the specified tank sizes (when house with an Oscar).
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Post by Drake-tripod Mon Dec 14, 2009 7:01 pm

and another person I have had my Tiger O in my 4' 55Gal with a Pleco. Everything is fine. He's loves his tank. However, there is not much in it. Some gravel and one stone with floating plants. I've never had a sickness problem neither aggression problems (oscar toward the pleco).

The water stays crystal clear with just 650gph, all lvls 0 with a 30ppm. Ammonia occasionally spikes with delayed water changes. It's up to you, there may be a bit more water changes than you do in your other tank.

A couple things I found good to cut on any stress, fin/scale wounds is sea salt and stress coat. I do a treatment of the coat about every two weeks and salt 3-4 days a week. Goes to show when I got him in May this year at 1.5" and is now 7.25". Only 7 months and that big... so ya, just depends on how you wanna raise him =p wish you luck!
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Post by cichlidman Wed Jan 06, 2010 2:13 pm

Sorry I did not see this earlier.

Buddy, at best I would say 100 gal for 2 Oscars. 125 would be better.
I have Charlie in a 90 Gal by himself. These fish are extremely nasty.

It takes alot of water changes and lots of cleaning.
That said.

Oscars with their personalities are worth the effort in my opinion. You can sex Oscars by venting, but he picks his mate not you. So if it is a male and female it will not always work.

Charlie, had tankmates and he would never allow them to stay. He had a GT for along time and decided he no longer liked him and I moved him to his own tank.

In a 90 Gal tank Charlie gets his tank cleaned weekly with at least a 30 to 40% water change. He is healthy and happy.
He is about 15 1/2 inches now. He is also as spoiled as any of the grand babies.

As much as he stirs the water I would go with gravel.
Charlie, moves the gravel everywhere. I have a piece of wood to large to move. Also a couple of rounded rocks to large for him to move. It gives him something to get next to for security.
Charlie sleeps behind one of his rocks. It is best to use a unbreakable heater. They will hit the heater and break them. Use a submersible heater.

I really hope this helps and sorry it took so long to see your post.
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Post by Drake-tripod Wed Jan 06, 2010 5:41 pm

yea it does help and its ok man
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