Is my TANK on CRACK?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
First 8-10 months a healthy Oscar should reach at least 8-11 inches and then its growth slows down considerably. 2 Oscars will be producing twice the amount of hormones and in that small a tank will build up quite fast. As the hormones build up it will be telling the body to stop growing. On top of that you said a green terror as well. Stunted growth mean shortened life...

Wild caught animals won't breed in captivity if they are not comfortable. I bet I could get a pair of Convicts to breed in a 5 gallon tank with insane parameters but I wouldn't do that.
 
Convicts and oscars are not the same. Convicts are known to desire less conditions for breeding. How can you compare convict breeding to oscar breeding? Im just saying.

So, waste... leads to hormones.... leads to stunted growth? err....we are talking big water changes a week then..until I get the new tank... well at least 50% water changes a week or more :/
 
No fish lead to hormones leads to stunted growth. High nitrates aren't the only thing that stunt growth. So unless you are change over 50% weekly thats what will happen. Down the road as they grow they will require much more than 50% weekly.

From what I hear Oscar aren't hard to breed, they just take longer to mature than most. I have seen Oscar pair random cichlids. The sole basis for your argument is that if a pair of oscar can spawn in a 75 that means its ok to keep them in smaller tanks.
 
Thank you Chris. I appreciate how you keep reminding me about the nitrates. I used to always think ammonia is the only thing to test for, however... like I said the person who has kept a pair of oscars in his 55 gallon... did TWO water changes a week... he would do like a 30% on Monday, and a 50% on Thursday.

At one point, he came home and did like 10 gallons daily...just to keep fresh water rotating in his tank... his oscars grew 9 inches in a year...slowed down...then went to around 11-12 within another few months...then he had to sell them lol

However, I was wondering....I added my first group of fish yestrday to the tank...water tested today, its fine...should I add the oscars now? or wait longer?
 
what? No i mean i have 2 baby oscars at 1.5 inches, in my 25 gallon....I was wondering if it is safe to add them to my 60 gallon now...I added silver dollars yesterday, water seems to be fine...and cycled...so should I start adding my O's into it?
 
Chrisplosion said:
Wait a little bit longer, about 7-12 months.
Click to expand...

Trust me dude...I a not one of those people that will forcefully keep fish when I know they have outgrown a tank... I myself acknowledge I am overstocked. My initial plan was two oscars in a 60 gallon till I upgrade.

IF you read my other thread, I got stuck with a mates jaguar cichlid baby. He had to keep it in a bucket due to his tank failing on him, just one night before he had to fly overseas... NOT ONE lfs or person here wanted to take this baby jag.... and I was advised from MFK that put it in the 60 gal with the oscars, dont let it die in a bucket.

yesterday, I received a call from a person, who wanted to trade me his juvenile GT for my 6cm Jag... thats how the third fish came into the story.. I know jags are very aggressive, and I might have a better chance to maintain peace in such a small tank, if I took the GT ...he would not take just the jag. He had no space for it, unless I took the third fish which i now have.
 
Jay88 said:
oh I agree, but if your saying an oscar will outgrow a 60 gallon tank, in 7-12 months...its new to me...never have I seen this happen for 1.5-2inch oscars. I do know, they hit around 7 inches or so in a year, and then growth slows down. Also, it is hard to generalize since not all fish have same growth rate, even if they are oscars.

I have kept flowerhorns, which aslo have very similiar growth rate to an O. Had to get him a new tank after 7 months...and I did :)

And I don't know I was reading an article on Marine Psychology ages ago...and I remember it saying "Animals do not breed in CAPTIVITY if conditions are not to their expectations".
Click to expand...

Hey Jay, looks like you have a handle on things, adding a pair of O's at 1.5"s will not "short circuit" your system. I would recommend you add seachem stability -- just follow directions as indicated. You will be fine. I will not tell you need a larger tank as this was not part of your question and sounds like you know what you are doing. I would however like to comment about your Oscar growth statement. Although captive bred vs wild caught O's can differ in growth rates, if an O is only 7 inches after one year (irregardless of how small you obtained at ie .5"s), there is something seriously wrong. All "normal" O's with enough room to swim, low level of stress, good maintenance, & varied QUALITY food, an Oscar will grow to a MINIMUM 10+ inches in one year. I have seen O's grow to 13"s in one year. As a matter of fact I just sold a WC O to a fellow MFK'er and it has quadrupled in girth in less than 1.5 months! O's are very hardy, yet they strive if all of the above mentioned variables are present and is in part reflected in their incredible growth rate. Best of luck.
 
You guys have all been great! I will be moving my oscars and other fish to my 60 gallon in a few hours. I will see how they do with my green terror, if aggression occurs...the baby GT...will be put back into the 25 gallon to grow out...

I will make a new thread for all the pics.... dedicated to everyone whose helped me through this confusion I was having! cheers guys! Thank you all!
 
It's gonna be great man! You know plenty to take proper care of these guys. Can't wait to see pics and hear how it's gone!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom