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I started my Oscars in a 55G but they were only about 1.5" when I bought them. They were in that for less than a year and I moved them to a 125G. After three years mine were about 8 or 9 inches long and in my opinion the tank was not big enough. Oscars are pretty dirty fish and even though you have a good deal of filtration the maintenace is not going to be fun. They are very susceptible to a disease called "hole in the head" and although you will read varying opinions on what causes it most believe that water quality is a contributing factor. I lost both of mine to this disease after battling it for close to two years. I would get it cleared up, they would start to heal and then it would be back and I NEVER missed a water change. Also, when Oscars are crowded they tend to become destructive. I had a friend that thought he was going to keep one in a 30 gallon tank and once the Oscar started to outgrow the tank it started destroying heaters and his intake tube of his filter, and this happened more than once. Really, you're only setting yourself up for heartache if you try to keep them in too small of a tank.

I'm glad they helped

Hey Jester_Fu,

It's good to see you're still here saving oscars

Thanks for the vitamin and treatment tips for my oscar awhile back too...


Last edited by DaFishMan at 04-Nov-2005 16:09[/font]

The Amazon Nut...

Eel, because i express a difference of opinion does not make it rude. I'm sorry you took it that way. My comments aren’t directed at you any more than yours were directed at me (I hope&#8230. It seems to be every thread I read on Oscar ownership on this forum has 10 replies with “big tank” and not one suggestion of how to actually care for the fish.

I hate reading things like "low maintenance". This is just not true with Oscars, and it really is what i object to. You can not own an Oscar and approach it's ownership as “low maintenance” just because you have bought a bigger tank.

Whether i had a 200G tank or my current 70G (actually 75G - 5G worth of driftwood and plants...) it would take the same amount of time to properly gravel vacuum and make 25% water changes. It takes the same time to feed the fish, and the same time to re-plant the tank after every clean. You need bigger filters with a bigger tank, but should still be maintaining them once per month (discarding all filter media alternately). You should be running multiple filters, and multiple heaters. And that doesn’t even start to delve into what you should be doing as far as plants and wood/rocks etc.

More tank space = more time setting these things up, and just as much time removing and maintaining them all on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. You can't just throw money at an Oscar and expect it to be spectacular. It really is like keeping a dog, and if you don't have time for that, you'll never have time for an Oscar.

I agree that you need space for the fish, but saying a figure in gallons is pointless. The fish need more than water capacity. I've seen more than 1 tank shape that is 125G, but only 1ft wide. This is not practical for an Oscar, yet by the bigger is better theory... it should be O.k. I recommend a 2'*2'*4' tank as a minimum. Anything above that is a bonus, but the width and height should never be decreased. More width - good. More height - O.K. More length -O.K. Consider the width first, and then the other dimensions.

Also an oscar owner, never said water changes were not needed, a large tank is very important in keeping Oscars, in fact besides water quality I'd say tank is one of the most important.

Do you know how many beginner Oscar owners have there fish die, due to unknown facts.

Please don't be rude to me, Your advice was helpfull as was mine so I don't see your problem.

You very well could have added to what I said.



Anyways, To the main poster.

If you have the money to kick up plants, and the time to kick up a water change to twice a week. Then you MAY be okay.

Take the easy way low maintanence.


Angel Eel

Having 'the right sized tank' is no substitute for maintaining your tank properly. Oscars will need at least 1 * 25% water change per week, no matter how big the tank. If you're using a 125G tank... 31.25G. I do 35G per week, how is that hard? The other advantage with 2 weekly water changes is the chance to scoop out food and waste before it really starts to effect your tank parameters.

They are a big fish, and produce waste to match and exceed their size. On top of that, the suggested approaches of relying on a big tank without plantings or even adequate filtration (why wasn't that discussed with tank size??) really negates the advantages of having a large tank.

IMO, as an Oscar owner, advice that says "big tank" and nothing else is no better than a fish shop saying you can keep your O in a 30G. Your fish need's a small ecosystem. If you want healthy happy fish, concentrate on setting up a decent ecosystem... not on buying a big tank. Honestly, i think the advice offered is well short of the mark. Yes, as big fish they need a big tank. No, having a big tank is not going to make owning an Oscar less of a challenge.

IMO - Oscars are cheap to buy and VERY expensive to keep IF you want big healthy happy fish. Having a big tank wont change the work involved in owning Oscars.

I agree that it takes the owner to step up to what he has. You look like you take good care of your fish BUT None of use can say that the person who asked the question will do this so therefore we give the best info for that person.

I don't know but in my mind a person who deos not know the main things needed for there animal i'm sure they will not know too much about plants or the process off cycling.

Not to say he does not know, but it would be easyer for him to start off right in the first place so he does not have the hassle of buying plants and doing two changes a week on his tank.

For you and me that may be great but for someone who SOUNDS like there experience is slim maybe we should help him in learning proper stocking before teaching him to cheat out of it =p

I guess I should have said that in TOTAL prefection of that tank your o MAY live well, By all means its not impossible. It is left for the more experienced owners though seeing that it is time staking and most people give that up after the first few weeks.


I still say save up your pennies it will be that much better for you and your fish =p


Angel Eel

I keep 2 Oscars in a 75G currently. It's a 2ft wide tank, and my nitrates never exceed 10ppm. The fish are both over 12 inches, and growing. I run a Fluval 304 and a 'home made' power head with 1200L/min turnover. 2 * cleans a week at 25% each. It's not ideal... but i've yet to see anyone with a bigger tank containing an Oscar bigger than my guys.

What am i getting at? Easy - it's how you look after the fish and their environment that dictates their health... not how big your tank is. My fish are very happy, and i make sure they have lot's of things to amuse them - like live plants they can destroy. It's costs me about $25AUD a month in plants, but it's a small price to pay when my fish are so happy. Good management of diet (if i do say so myself...) and plenty of interaction with them. They are water dog's, after all, and love a bit of attention and love to play games.

Finally - do i think a small tank is cruel? Not really. Oscars are known to be short burst preditors in the wild, and from what i've read, they don't move far from their home. They need space to grow, but seem more than happy to have the occassional quick swim and otherwise just slowly cruise about. They can be fast, but their fitness is poor, and they don't prey by swimming fast over distance, so having lots of swim space isn't that much of an advantage, IMO.

Last edited by jester_fu at 03-Nov-2005 01:55

O0o0o I forgot about the moody O in a small tank. I as well have seen this its not pretty, lots of $$$ replacing the stuff in the tanks.



Angel Eel

Is this really that bad? I have 800gph of HOB filtration. The tank is 48x12.

If you really want you can keep them till they get a big bigger, but not so long, but to be honest, it's not recommended to kep 2 Oscars in a 60 gal. tank. You can eighter get 1 Oscar or save the money & get a bigger tank to house 2 of them.


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every fish has its own size that can differ than what a website or a book will tell u, so basically there are no set sizes, given the right tank and care, osacrs can reach maybe 17 inches. really i wouldn't have 2 if u know u can only have one.

generally go by adult sizes, b/c if they are 3inches then of coaurse u cant have 40 6 inch oscars in one tank due to them only being 3 inches at the time.

Last edited by bettachris at 31-Oct-2005 21:34

I think one should be fine, they will be stunted, but only slightly. I'm sure he will keep up on weekly 25% water changes/gravel vacs and he should go with extra filtration. Right Pilon?

Tardif lol

they are around 3" right now and i thought that fish stop growing when ever they are like to big like with they 4sure get 14 or 12 " no matter what

14" fish + in a 12" wide tank...... not a good idea...... Give them some space! As stated before.....save your pennies...

Last edited by Wingsdlc at 31-Oct-2005 21:13

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

That is pushing it, you will have to do major cleaning every week to keep up as well as only ONE fish in the tank.


I'd say start saving for a bigger tank, I have two myself and im upgrading again 3rd time now

80 gallon (as babies)
then
125 Gallon

And going to a 150 or 175 just because the smaller the tank is the less you enjoy it because you are always cleaning, as well as the fact you fish would be much happier.

Start saving!

Good luck with your O, they are great fish and will show you great respect when housed well.

The have very fun personalitys.


Angel Eel

EDIT: I should also say extra filtering is better but still not good, its the swimming space that also matters.




Last edited by angeleel at 31-Oct-2005 21:11

They are about 2" now, and when they get 6", I will keep the one I like best, is this still OK?

yea, i wouldn't add a adult oscar in anything less than 1 75 gallon, a pair will need over a 100 gallon tank.