Hi I just got my first oscar. I have had him for a week and he is eating cichlid gold pellets, brine shrimp, ghost shrimp, and crickets. He is in my 55 with my pair of blood parrots. He is 2 inches. I was wondering if in about six months I could move him in with my turtle in a 75? If not I am building a costume tank next year. Also do any of you have advise?
Beginner Oscar thread
- Thread starter Pumpkintheoscar
- Start date
Hello, welcome to MFK.
Congrats on getting an Oscar, they are great fish. As far as keeping it with a turtle- It is risky. The turtle could take a chunk out of the Oscar. Oscars are generally pretty slow swimming, and at night they will sit still while they sleep. An opportunistic turtle could easily grab a bite, and the Oscar would most likely die from it's injuries. Also, a 75 is barely large enough for an Oscar alone, and turtles are very messy creatures, which also need the water level to be below the top of the tank (even less water).
So I would say no to the Oscar in the 75 with a turtle.
I would also advise you test your water frequently in the 55 as the fish grows, in 6 months your Oscar may be 8" long, and an 8" Oscar with two blood parrots in a 55 will make the water dirty very quickly.
Congrats on getting an Oscar, they are great fish. As far as keeping it with a turtle- It is risky. The turtle could take a chunk out of the Oscar. Oscars are generally pretty slow swimming, and at night they will sit still while they sleep. An opportunistic turtle could easily grab a bite, and the Oscar would most likely die from it's injuries. Also, a 75 is barely large enough for an Oscar alone, and turtles are very messy creatures, which also need the water level to be below the top of the tank (even less water).
So I would say no to the Oscar in the 75 with a turtle.
I would also advise you test your water frequently in the 55 as the fish grows, in 6 months your Oscar may be 8" long, and an 8" Oscar with two blood parrots in a 55 will make the water dirty very quickly.
Thank you. He will be moved out of the 55 when the weather warms up so I can build the tank in my garage. And I do a ten percent water change every other day and a fifty percent once a week.
I agree with all Gourami Swami stated.
With cichlids, because most come from very clean, nitrate free waters, my routine is 30 to 40% every other day to dilute nitrates and fish urine (in summer I often do 30% water changes every day).
In tanks as small as 55s (even 75s) water can easily turn to fish urine soup, causing chronic health problems as oscars age, scarring them with hole in the head disease, and lateral line erosion.
With cichlids, because most come from very clean, nitrate free waters, my routine is 30 to 40% every other day to dilute nitrates and fish urine (in summer I often do 30% water changes every day).
In tanks as small as 55s (even 75s) water can easily turn to fish urine soup, causing chronic health problems as oscars age, scarring them with hole in the head disease, and lateral line erosion.
Welcome aboard
The critical thing is water changes and testing your parameters weekly so you can adjust to the bioload of the Oscar as it grows . You got good advice from 2 Great knowledgeable members. Enjoy your Oscar.
I have feed mine live meal worms and crickets.
What ever you do don't feed it "feeder" fish. More than not they will have diseases and parasites that can be passed on to your Oacar.
If you really want to feed live fish I suggest getting a pair of Convicts. Let them breed and use thier clean fry as feeders.
Live food should only be a threat 1 time a week. Feeding them a good quality pellets is a lot better than running the risk of getting bad live food. I use NLS and Hikari pellets.
https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/toni-and-nemo-my-albino-oscars.690421/
Here is my thread on seven months of growth of my Oscar.
What ever you do don't feed it "feeder" fish. More than not they will have diseases and parasites that can be passed on to your Oacar.
If you really want to feed live fish I suggest getting a pair of Convicts. Let them breed and use thier clean fry as feeders.
Live food should only be a threat 1 time a week. Feeding them a good quality pellets is a lot better than running the risk of getting bad live food. I use NLS and Hikari pellets.
https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/toni-and-nemo-my-albino-oscars.690421/
Here is my thread on seven months of growth of my Oscar.