Keepers of oscars in 55's

[Fishman1318]

I used to have 2 oscars and 2 jack dempseys in a 55 for about 3 yrs before I moved and had to give em away. I was young so I never changed the water. Even let it get low. The tank was disgusting yet they still lived just fine and didnt get an HITH. They only got Ich once in a while which I cured and they was fine. But at the same time they was probably stunted bad. The biggest one being only 10 in and I had him for about 3 or so yrs. Either way...thats my story.

 

[Cichlaholics Anonymous]

I don't have an oscar in a 55, but if I had to, I'd just get super filtration and do constant water changes, and I think it could be done. Whether it's worth the hassle is another thing in itself.

 

[catman]

I knew someone that kept two oscars and a pleco in a 55 for over 5 years and then gave them away. The oscars were about a foot a piece and the pleco was a little over 20".

 

[Blu-ray]

I have kept my pair in a 32g ( 12*16*40" ) for 1.5 year since they were baby. now they are 10" and 11" long, healthy, in best shape and colors, and have spawned several times.
running a small DIY sump filter and doing 25% water change twice a week.

its a long time that I'm planning on a big enough tank for them, still can't do it, need a few more weeks to make this damn dream real.

 

[Red Devil]

1 oscar in a 55 will do great for well over a year, i've had a pair for almost seven years now in one and they've done great. they've spawned countless times and don't have any signs of hith.
i agree, it is definitely cramped, and i know just because it has worked for me doesn't mean it will work for everyone.
also hith is a huge prob with oscars because they will literally eat themselves to death so people tend to overfeed them and since fish have inefficient digestive systems the overfed oscar excretes lots of partially digested food, which pollutes the water terribly.
as for not being able to keep an oscar in a 55 for six months, thats just a sales ploy, a well looked after, non-overfed oscar, shouldn't have any trouble in a 55 for six months. also hith doesn't killfish as far as i know, it attacks the fish's lateral lin network, so essentially it just makes the fish def. i had a pike cichlid with it's entire lateral line eroded, including its entire face leaving its eyes out on stocks, and he was king of the tank.
the pic of him is only a few months into the disease.
anyway, in my opinion an oscar will do fine in a 55 as long as he is treated well, but bigger is always better.

this is really sad pic..any hope he will recover..or improve....?

 

[FSM]

I have kept my pair in a 32g ( 12*16*40" ) for 1.5 year since they were baby. now they are 10" and 11" long, healthy, in best shape and colors, and have spawned several times.
running a small DIY sump filter and doing 25% water change twice a week.

its a long time that I'm planning on a big enough tank for them, still can't do it, need a few more weeks to make this damn dream real.

I predict you will get yelled at.

 

[jgallagher1980]

it can be done while they are growing, smaller ones, full grown then they need at least a 75, i overfiltered my 55 and also now on the 75, filters are nasty pretty qick, and 50% water change usually once a week, when they are small, they can go in a small tank, but when they grow, and they grow quick, they should be moved to a bigger home, it like the 750 plus pound man on tv, picture him in a full size bed! but when he was younger he might have fit, but def at adult, he needs a "monster" bed!!!

 

[pdbrady]

This thread kills me. It is proof that oscars are easily the most mistreated and abused fish out there. (and don't say huh uh, feeders are, which is another oscar subject that breaks my back)

 

[jgallagher1980]

i dont see a problem with every once in a while throwing a feeder fish in with the oscars, do they not eat other fish in the wild? as long as you know they are free of disease, i have a tank now that i put all the little feeders in for 2-3 weeks to quarantine them, and actually the oscars dont really go after them anymore, i have had one feeder in the tank with them for 2 weeks now, and he is still swimming around, people get a little crazy with the feeders i agree, it is cool to watch, but in moderation they are fine,

 

[pdbrady]

i dont see a problem with every once in a while throwing a feeder fish in with the oscars, do they not eat other fish in the wild? as long as you know they are free of disease, i have a tank now that i put all the little feeders in for 2-3 weeks to quarantine them, and actually the oscars dont really go after them anymore, i have had one feeder in the tank with them for 2 weeks now, and he is still swimming around, people get a little crazy with the feeders i agree, it is cool to watch, but in moderation they are fine,

Perfect, that's exactly how it should be done! Try working in a pet store trying to convince people oscars DO eat food other than feeders......