Asked this on another forum,now I'll try here.I have 2 veil tail red albino Oscars and 1 veil tail tiger Oscar in a 90 gallon tank.All are 3 inches.I know 3 is not a good number for Oscars,but I felt tank is just not big enough to hold more.Also have a 3 inch BN pleco in there too.Want to get a mated pair.At what size will 2 of them pair up(I know there is a chance all 3 are of the same sex)and start beating up on the third one?Then I can rehome the third.
3 Os in a 90
- Thread starter mr limpet
- Start date
even a pair will get too large for a 90g. you need something with a 60x18 or 72x18 footprint for a pair. they'll be 10+" within a year so i would expect them to start to pair up within a month or two if they are going to.
It's great that you started at a somewhat large tank size. This is a great sign for your fish's health! But, as stated, 90 gallons really isn't enough pacing space for two Oscars. Something in the low hundreds like a 125g would be better suited to housing more than one Oscar. The more length and width the better, height should be the last consideration. At an average length of 13" and the curiosity of a housecat, an Oscar really shows its colors best in long, wide tanks, like 6' long and at least 18" wide.
You've got a few months to decide what to do since they're so young. Take your time and make the right call for your fish and yourself.
Otherwise, a 90 gallon is a great size for just one Oscar alone. And believe me, one Oscar is more than enough oscar-ness as it is.
You've got a few months to decide what to do since they're so young. Take your time and make the right call for your fish and yourself.
Otherwise, a 90 gallon is a great size for just one Oscar alone. And believe me, one Oscar is more than enough oscar-ness as it is.
mr limpet;4436557; said:
A 90 gallon is probably not that much wider than the length of an aduld Oscar. That's the first problem. The second problem is that water volume is not that large to support the mess that 2 adult Oscars make. They are one of the messiest fish out there.
I'm not so sure that a 125 is good enough for 2 adult Oscars.
I do 50% water changes each week.Have a FX5 and 2 AC110 filtering tank.And you are still telling me minimum 125 gallons for a pair.Think sometimes you guys go a little overboard when it comes to tank size for a particular cichlid.Sure I agree the bigger the better,but lets be reasonable when it comes to this.Some people just dont have the space.I know some will say then you should not have Oscars if you cant provide them with the space.I dont see anything wrong with a pair in a 90 as long as nitrates are kept to a minimum.I believe the width of a 90 is 18 inches,and its kind of rare to have a Oscar grow to that.
Chromobotia;4436668; said:
A 90g is the same width as a 125. Standard 90 has a 48x18 footprint and standard 125 has 72x18 footprint. I agree, set up the 125 as soon as you can make room and discard 1 oscar.
Counterpoints in favor of the OP's view:
Oscars are only as messy as the food you feed them. My Oscar is not very messy at all most of the time!
Filtration aside, mr limpet's maintenance schedule is on par with typical Oscar care. If he keeps the nitrAtes at a reasonable low and adds lots of decor to break up the aggression, there is a real chance of it working out with two Oscars and one tiny pleco. It's not my idea of a good time, but in reality it could work. Until one Oscar decides to kill the other one.
I say all this knowing he has that 125g at hand should he need it eventually.
Oscars are only as messy as the food you feed them. My Oscar is not very messy at all most of the time!
Filtration aside, mr limpet's maintenance schedule is on par with typical Oscar care. If he keeps the nitrAtes at a reasonable low and adds lots of decor to break up the aggression, there is a real chance of it working out with two Oscars and one tiny pleco. It's not my idea of a good time, but in reality it could work. Until one Oscar decides to kill the other one.
I say all this knowing he has that 125g at hand should he need it eventually.