New Oscar owner needs advice...

[Jason_S]

if you have 2 male oscars in the same tank that is anything smaller than a 180 then they can be very aggressive. not saying it will happen all the time but it can and the dominant male can kill the subdominant very quickly. this is really the only time I've ever seen oscar aggression. other than that I wouldn't even say they're particularly territorial...not compared to most other cichlids anyway and when they're not breeding.

most of the information you need has already been posted. to upgrade as cheaply as possible you'll want to keep an eye on the want ads in your newspaper. you can also check sites like ebay, aquabid and craig's list which occasionally will have tanks for sale cheap in your area. you can also find out if there's any type of fish club in your area. if so there are almost always members selling off unused tanks rather cheaply.

for equipment you'll want to check out www.bigalsonline.com. you can get filters, heaters, python/gravel vacs, water conditioners, foods and about anything else as far as equipment goes for about half the price you'd pay in any store. I have heard that if you print out the price page for what you want to buy that some Petsmarts will price match the bigals online price. that would save you from paying shipping though don't worry if that doesn't work because I've never paid more than $15 for shipping and that was for over $200 worth of stuff including a gallon jug of Prime water conditioner.

oh, and I'd start feeding them small pellets and feed them small portions no more than once a day or even once every other day until you can upgrade and get the water under control. flakes are one of the messiest prepared foods to feed because half of them will get sucked into the filter before the fish have a chance to eat them unless you turn the filters off when you feed. also, the live foods you mentioned you were feeding would be good as occasional treats once they get to a bigger home, but crickets and such are very high protein and the more protein they eat the more they'll poop which of course will foul the water up even faster.

 

[Tongue33]

I'm glad you mention that. I was thinking the same thing, but forgot to post

Go to the LFS and ask for some filter sludge, it will help speed up the process

Are you using used filter media? If not, do you have any fishkeeping friends that could give you some used media? Also, used gravel would be a good start to get you through the next week or two. If someone has already suggested this I apologize for the repetition, I'm reading through the posts at work and may not have caught it.

I would gues no as it seems he is using a brand new tank and everything as stated is also brand new to Fish

Also

You can have the LFS order you a larger tank they do it all the time, Suggestion on that is go in with someone that knows about tanks or they could take you for a ride..

My route would not to jump directly into slicing and dicing your self and going broke on building a tank just yet.. You are brand new and main concern should be getting a book or two asside from here just to get to know what you have

I would look on the local aquariasts forumns in your area and news paper Try www.Craigslist.com after picking your state and or city put fish tank in the search box and vooalla your on your way. Find them there should be at least one and you could get lucky and pick up the only tank you'll need for the fish you've purchased.

I would not buy under 150 if you are not planning on buying another tank.. I would say bigger. but chances are a 150 is going to not only amaze your friends at the decision you've just made but you as well along with being ovewhelming.... If that's too much for you and it probably will be for the moment, buy a 100.. Then when you are ready if you ever are then upgrade and then sell the 100 to recop some of the cash

Cool thing about 100 gallons is it is neither too or small for the moment or for quite a while Then after you are involved for a while you can decide if this is the hobby for you. Oscars are Tuff so you are most likely going to be lucky and they'll live through the next 2 to 4 weeks of your tank cycling

If they don't.... Stick with the ten and a couple of mollies for now or guppies. Do some research on the Oscars get a tank suitable for keeping them and then move into that area..

It will be easier on your budget and the health of the fish to come

 

[OSCARLOVER]

I had my ass chewed out when I started for haveing 3 juv. oscars in a 30gallon tank! You got off pretty easy! Its a lot to take on all at once, information overload, huh. Anyways I have 6 tanks and I found 4 of them at my local goodwill store, salvation army, and thrift stores. I bought a 55 gallon two weeks ago for $40. Yea it was nasty to say the least but a good cleaning took care of it. As of now I have 4 tanks with nothing in them yet, I have this impulse to buy every used tank that I see.
Check you local newspaper or the paper for an area in a bigger city where chances are a little better when looking for a good deal. When you get a bigger tank, need to lose to UGF
under gravel filter. It is a nitrate factory and your oscars will have lots of health problems.
IMHO you should take two of the oscars back. Look out for the best intrest of the fish until you have the right equipment of the fish. Down the road you will be glad that you did as the oscars grow up to an inch a month, and you always have the liberty to buy more later. Most LFS will give you store credit if you dont perfer the money. Everytime I see juv. oscars at the LFS I want to buy them all up, but realize that would be impossible unless I just won the lotto. I just hope they go to a good home. Its easy to get carried away in fishkeeping. I have only been fish keeping for a year and have a 150 gallon tank, a 55g, a 30g, a 25g, and two 10g. In a little less than a year my O's have grown close to the 12" mark. My oldest and smallest oscar is VERY aggressive and everytime I do a water change or place the plants back in the sand that they tear out he instantly goes for my hand and tries to bite me. When he does bite it draws blood most of the time or leaves a mark on me for a couple of days. As rallysman said there is a psyco oscar out there, well I own the SOB!
Anyways just want to wish you the best of luck and share some of the info and expirences that I have had in my short amount of time. Take lots of pics cause they are not so cute when they are big! LOL! Keep us updated on your situation, I would love to see how this turns out!

 

[Gee]

Look out for the best intrest of the fish until you have the right equipment of the fish. Down the road you will be glad that you did as the oscars grow up to an inch a month, and you always have the liberty to buy more later.

I totally agree. I just don't think 3 will make it in that 10g, especially through a cycle. I would suggest taking all of them back and trading them for some mollies, then go back for the Os when you have the proper setup. Easier on you and the fish.

 

[e!o!z!]

Go to your local farm store or walmart and buy a large (as big as you can) rubbermade storage or stock waterer. Cycle the container just like you would a tank, put a filter and heater just like a tank. You can use this until you get a larger tank. You will need to cover it to stop the oscars from jumping out.

 

[OSCARLOVER]

Go to your local farm store or walmart and buy a large (as big as you can) rubbermade storage or stock waterer. Cycle the container just like you would a tank, put a filter and heater just like a tank. You can use this until you get a larger tank. You will need to cover it to stop the oscars from jumping out.

That would work for a short amount of time like 2 weeks till he got a bigger tank but that would be really stressfull for the oscar. Basicly putting the oscar in a garbage can with a filter. Come on now! That doenst make that much sense. The oscar cant be more than 2-3 months old, its not like he has owned it for 10 years and become attached to it. Im saying he can take it/them back and get however many he wants when he get the right set-up.
I did it and im sure a lot of people have once they realize that its not plasuable till they get the right gear, once educated enough on the subject can they understand what is involved in getting into this hobby. If you do your reasearch you can find get gret buys on tanks and if you know where to look. Their is another subject about oscars in the south americam cichlids and I previouly mentioned about where to get large cheap tanks at, all the places that you wouldnt even think that fish tanks would be at for next to nothing. Look for something like "new oscar owner needs help" posted about the same day as this thread. Hope this helps!

 

[Jason_S]

That would work for a short amount of time like 2 weeks till he got a bigger tank but that would be really stressfull for the oscar. Basicly putting the oscar in a garbage can with a filter. Come on now! That doenst make that much sense. The oscar cant be more than 2-3 months old, its not like he has owned it for 10 years and become attached to it. Im saying he can take it/them back and get however many he wants when he get the right set-up.
I did it and im sure a lot of people have once they realize that its not plasuable till they get the right gear, once educated enough on the subject can they understand what is involved in getting into this hobby. If you do your reasearch you can find get gret buys on tanks and if you know where to look. Their is another subject about oscars in the south americam cichlids and I previouly mentioned about where to get large cheap tanks at, all the places that you wouldnt even think that fish tanks would be at for next to nothing. Look for something like "new oscar owner needs help" posted about the same day as this thread. Hope this helps!

he wasn't talking about a "garbage can with a filter" but rather something along the lines of these http://www.rubbermaidcommercialproducts.com/stock-tanks.htm. they are used all the time by both hobbyists and even lfs to house larger fish in. it's basically like having an indoor above ground pond. there are other types of rubber maid containers that would work like those storage containers http://www.rubbermaid.com/rubbermaid/product/category.jhtml?cat=HPCat100164. I used these to transport my fish when I moved last summer. Granted the fish were only in there for a few hours so I don't know how well they would hold water long-term, but the stock tanks are made for holding water so they would be fine. these are much, much cheaper than large tanks but the drawback of course is you can only see the fish from above. however, for less than $100 you could buy a 150 gallon rubbermaid stock tank and the oscars could live in there basically until a new glass tank can be purchased.

 

[Jason_S]

My oldest and smallest oscar is VERY aggressive and everytime I do a water change or place the plants back in the sand that they tear out he instantly goes for my hand and tries to bite me. When he does bite it draws blood most of the time or leaves a mark on me for a couple of days. As rallysman said there is a psyco oscar out there, well I own the SOB!

honestly, I would say that behavior is not from aggression but rather from their predatory nature. an oscar will go after anything it thinks may be even slightly edible so maybe when you put your hand in the tank, the oscar is seeing something he could possibly eat and that's why he goes after your hand. aggression imo is more like when fish (like my red devil) bangs the glass trying to get at fish in the next tank or trying to get at me in front of the tank. that or when they chase off or try to attack (not eat) another fish for being in their territory.