If your strapped for cash ona tank look on Ebay or the classified section of this site. People are always selling big tanks cheap. You can probably get a whoel setup with everything you need less that half of what you d pay at a store. Good luck
New Oscar owner needs advice...
- Thread starter nero6370
- Start date
The walmart here has a 55 gallon for 150 bucks. My LFS has emporer 400's for 50 bucks. thats 250 bucks plus stand, last you a while anyway.
Definately stick with a quality flake food (I use aquadyne), it cuts back on a lot of waste, and remember just because they want fed, doesn't mean they need fed 10,000 times a day.
Definately stick with a quality flake food (I use aquadyne), it cuts back on a lot of waste, and remember just because they want fed, doesn't mean they need fed 10,000 times a day.
How are you cleaning your filter off? And you really dont need to replace the cartridges until they fall apart. Changing them every week is not letting the tank cycle. Just rinse them in tank water (not tap water) and then put them back in the filter. The undergravel filter is useless, that is probably why the water is cloudy because Oscars are very messy fish and all the gunk gets stuck under the filter and it is not being sucked out by the other filter. Yeah, I thought that a 55 gallon would be good enough for my two oscars, I was wrong, by the time they hit 6" they were fighting really bad, so I bought another 55 gallon and they each have their own home and they are doing great. In order to house 3 Oscars properly you will need at least a 150 gallon tank, or 3 55 gallons. I would go with the 150 and be done with it. Best of luck with your little o's.
The first thing I would do is get your current water under control. Dont change or even clean the filter cartrige untill your water is cycled. Like mentioned before, you'll notice an increase of amonia, then an increase of nitrite, and when the amonia and nitrite fall and your nitrates rise, your tank is cycled.
I would also cut back on feeding untill this is acheived.
After you get everything running smoothly, then get the bigger tank
55's can go cheap, you just have to know where to look.
It may be helpful for you to do a search on here for "cycling" or "cycle" There is a metric ****load of info on here
I would also cut back on feeding untill this is acheived.
After you get everything running smoothly, then get the bigger tank
55's can go cheap, you just have to know where to look.It may be helpful for you to do a search on here for "cycling" or "cycle" There is a metric ****load of info on here
Yeah, I bought my 55 gallon setup for my Oscar from Wal-Mart, Another $80 for the stand, about $100 in gravel and decorations... Then another $100 - $150 in water dechlorination, test kits, large variety of food, python, etc... But that 55 gallon tank deal really does seem like a good one...
I think you should upgrade to a bigger tank soon, since Oscar's can grow pretty big in a short period of time. And if you take care of them well enough, they're gonna get preeetyyy messy. Just try and work witht he bidget you have right now, until you can afford a bigger tank.
A 55 should be good enough right now though.
From waht I've read about 55 gallons should be devoted to INDIVIDUAL Oscars.
You should be careful though, oscars CAN get aggresive, just keep your eye on them as they grow bigger to be able to seperate as needed.
Good luck!
A 55 should be good enough right now though.
From waht I've read about 55 gallons should be devoted to INDIVIDUAL Oscars.
You should be careful though, oscars CAN get aggresive, just keep your eye on them as they grow bigger to be able to seperate as needed.
Good luck!
I wouldnt call an oscar agressive, I would call them territorial. If you give them space, they can live with anything that wont fit in their mouth (assuming the "anything" isnt super agressive) There is always an exceptoin to the rule, I know there has to be a psycho oscar out there somewhere! lol
Are you using used filter media? If not, do you have any fishkeeping friends that could give you some used media? Also, used gravel would be a good start to get you through the next week or two. If someone has already suggested this I apologize for the repetition, I'm reading through the posts at work and may not have caught it.
I'm glad you mention that. I was thinking the same thing, but forgot to post
Go to the LFS and ask for some filter sludge, it will help speed up the process
