How many oscars can you keep in a 125?

[dogofwar]

I'd start with 4-6 juvies, allow a pair to establish itself... and then remove the others.

A well-filtered 125g that gets water changes is plenty for a pair of oscars that has established itself this way.

As an aside, I've seen plenty of happy, healthy oscar pairs in 55g and 75g tanks. I have a buddy who has had 4 gorgeous oscars (2 pairs) that are each 10+ inches in a 55g tank for a couple of years (well-filtered, weekly water changes). Not something I'd try, but it all depends on the individual fish personalities and your committment to water changes.

 

[Tom_cullen]

i have 3 in my 125 and all they do is fight im debating on adding a 4th or waiting till one dies and have 2 cause its going to happen

Why wait untill one dies? thats just cruel. take one back to the lfs you bought them from and ask them nicely to just take it back. And what makes you think adding a forth will calm things down? thats just ignorance. I'v seen the 'overstock' technique used before on malawi communities work but theres a huge fish to water ratio with huge filteration. anyways

I agree with nc_nutcase, 1 large oscar with a comunity of medium/large cichlids will work alot better. maybe you could consider some sort of Severum or any of the larger Geophagus species. large Male convicts tend to do well with oscars as they are capable of defending themselfs to a certain extent without being aggressive.

If you could get hold of a pair of oscars i think that they could do well in a 125g aslong as water conditions are kept clean and stress free. however doing so you could be throwing the potential of keeping other cichlids in same tank out the window. if you chose to take this route i would consider keeping a species of barb that doesnt grow to large sizes as dither fish. spanner barbs would be a good choice.

 

[Bigtdotcom]

no more then 2.
I have tried to have to O's together a couple of time and it has always ended in fighting. Now i just have 1 O + a few tank mates in a 110G
If yo u have 2 u will just have to keep an eye on them when the hit puberty at around 10 months, thats when i;ve had all my troubles......2 O's i brought at the same time nearly killed each other over night, best of friends untill one day decided to try kill each other.

 

[steelshade]

Certainly no more than two in the long run.

 

[honda237]

Man I must be lucky. I have 3 in a 100g at 8-11" and I have no aggression out of them what so every. Their like a school. They sleep together and swim together. I am going to get 180g for them in a few months. But I would only stick with a pair because their so messy. I have to do two large water changes a week but that is so I can keep nitrates at 20 or so.

 

[glenbo]

Why the hell would you want more than 2 anyway?

 

[honda237]

thEir awesome fish but sometimes a pain and messy. I have 3 because I adopted the two albino 8" oscars to go with my 11" red Oscar.

 

[Iffrat]

i have 2 O's been together for over a year not i think .. they never really fight .. but they like to chase the 2 red hooks i have around .. i also have a royal that might be needed a new home soon .. he is almost the width of the tank now .. :-( there is also a common plec in there somewhere

they do just fine in the tank .. 1Fx5 with only rings in it .. do w/c 2-3 times a month typically around 40% and only feed what they eat in the first 2-3 min. never had a problem with dirty water or anything else ..

i do think i got lucky with the pair .. they have always been together... i got them from the LFS they where in the small tank with the 2 red hooks .. so i picked up all 4 .. and they are still together ..

so i would say 1 or 2 (if you can get a pair) and maybe some fish that are to big to fit in there mouth and to fast to get picked on ..

 

[A jar]

Why the hell would you want more than 2 anyway?

lol. i concur.

Oscars are messy and get big real fast. With that said, probably one of the most personable fish out there. I wouldn't keep more than 2 in any tank under 125. Housing 3-4 juvies and weeding out the less healthy and pansies would be your best bet. I had three juvies in 75, took out the most aggressive one only to have the middle child become a demon as well...

 

[glenbo]

I find they are only really personable when kept on there own...the more Oscars you have the more they tand to pay attention to eachother rather than the owner.

I have seen 6 tigers in one 8ft tank before and it seemed kinda pointless....would be better to me to have diff types of fish mixed like Sevs or other big peaceful cichlids etc and dithers.

Each to there own tho i suppose.