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Ok, I have a couple really important questions..I have 2 oscars (common oscars I believe) they are wonderful fish, and i love them alot!! They are maybe 3 1/2..4 inches long...Ive read different articles regarding the housing of oscars, however they only talk about the full grown adult oscars, my main question is with my fish being the size they are now, what size tank would be good for them at this time? right now i do not have much room, but im moving so i will be able to upgrade, but what is the smallest i can get away with right now?..and also, ive heard differnt stories about the size of the tank once they are full grown, whats the verdict on that? Lol ive heard at lease 55 gallons, also 70 gallons..which is it?! im kinda confused..im familiar with the feeding and everything is, but its the proper housing that has me stumped! please help! thanks so much.

michelle

well, an adult oscar may be able to get away with a 55 gallon, but i'd recomend a 75 gallon for 1 oscar, you are probably looking at around a 100+ gallon aquarium for the pair of them.

Hi Michelle,

There's a number of issues with keeping 2 oscars in one tank. Although the size of the tank is important, you need to also consider how the fish act.

I'll start with my suggestion o nthe tank. Forget all this capacity nonsense. You need a tank at least 2' wide, 2' high aand a minimum of 4' long. That's roughly 70-75G's. The width and height are critical! Your Oscars can grow to 12"+ when fully matured, so keeping them in the standard 12" tank means they will not be able to turn around properly, and you'll stunt them I keep 2 Oscars in a 75G, and let me assure you it takes commitment. I do 2 * 15% water change's every week to keep my nitrates below 10ppm and my amonia and nitites at 0. I also use a Fluval 304 with a 300G/Hr power filter. They are the only 2 fish in the tank.

More importantly, you need to consider how the fish act. If you lucked out, like i did, and end up with a male and a female... and they decide they like each other, then there will be few fights and few injuries... just like a married couple If, however, you end up with 2 males, you will get fights that no amount of tank will ever fix. The same might happen with 2 females, but generally the females are less aggressive and may even pair off.

Remember that these fish are smart!!! You have a couple of swimming dogs. You need to keep them entertained and exercised, or they'll fight all the time. It's a good idea to have toys for them. My Oscars prefer ripping plants out, and it keeps them very happy. There use to be a forum member who gav his O's ping pong balls. Mine don't like them.

In the interim... until you can get a big tank, i'd suggest using a 3'*1.5' at a minimum. That might get you 2-4 months until they need the bigger tanks. Mine were placed in the 75G at the size you have now, and they grow very quickly once you get them in the bigger tank. If a 4' * 2' * 2' fits your space and budget, get it now.

Other than that - Enjoy! I'd never have it any other way now. My O's are 12"s each, and have tried to SPAWN in their 75G... so don't let anyone tell you it can't be done in a 70-75G tank. It can... but it takes a LOT of work. I'm looking at getting a bigger tank (6' long) but not until i move into a house longer term... moving big tanks is a right pain!