Oscars for the 125

[-603FiShHoBbIeSt-]

I don't necessarily think you're wrong its just for sure those cute lil' Os will grow geometrically and put out a "bio load multipler". Think of it as mass equals poop squared!

That is a good point, I knew getting these guys it was gonna mean messy eating and lots of waste. For that reason I have intentions on adding a lot more filtration to this tank before they are added to compensate for the multiplied bio load. There will also be a aquaponics style filter running on this tank as well. Its going to be a lot of filter cleaning and water changes but I'm willing to put in the work for these guys as I haven't kept them before and enjoy keeping new species, plus I think there just plain cool! especially the reds!

 

[LBDave]

That is a good point, I knew getting these guys it was gonna mean messy eating and lots of waste. For that reason I have intentions on adding a lot more filtration to this tank before they are added to compensate for the multiplied bio load. There will also be a aquaponics style filter running on this tank as well. Its going to be a lot of filter cleaning and water changes but I'm willing to put in the work for these guys as I haven't kept them before and enjoy keeping new species, plus I think there just plain cool! especially the reds!

I know I sort of got banged in this thread for keeping a crowed tank. One thing with oscars is frequent cleanings as well as good filtration. Especially if you have gravel. And the more cleaning and water changes you will see better growth rates. As far as multiple oscars, I was just pointing out advice I got from fish farm in Arizona. One oscar is fine but 2 or 3 could have problems due to pecking order. If you get 2 while they are young it could turn out fine. Oscars are a great fish.

 

[Coryloach]

For that reason I have intentions on adding a lot more filtration to this tank before they are added to compensate for the multiplied bio load. There will also be a aquaponics style filter running on this tank as well.

I know its already been said and I don't want to add more negativity. One thing to keep in mind in relation to filtration. The amount of bioload one can keep in a tank is driven by oxygen, not by the number of filters or by the amount of media. Little media can be plenty efficient in nitrification if oxygen supply was high. However, oxygen is not very soluble in water and the smaller the tank, the less surface area, the less oxygen, so it is technically not possible to keep a bioload beyond a certain amount in a certain size tank. You can try alright but the fish won't last that long...One will be soon posting in the disease section.....

95% of aquarium fish die within the first 1 or 2 years of purchase(at least was the case some years ago). Oscars can live to 10-15 years when well cared for. This is a long period of time....for both fish and fish keeper.

 

[FINWIN]

That is a good point, I knew getting these guys it was gonna mean messy eating and lots of waste. For that reason I have intentions on adding a lot more filtration to this tank before they are added to compensate for the multiplied bio load. There will also be a aquaponics style filter running on this tank as well. Its going to be a lot of filter cleaning and water changes but I'm willing to put in the work for these guys as I haven't kept them before and enjoy keeping new species, plus I think there just plain cool! especially the reds!

Yeah keeping up with their slop is key, along with w/c. I've got my first O and he's still growing at a 2 -2.5 inch per month clip. 2 Inches in December, 10 inches now. I do 2 50% w/c per week in a 225. He shares the tank with a large BP and more recently a Syno Cat and Juvie Severum. Started with 6 small meals, down to 4, now twice a day feedings. Hasn't made a flip of difference in the growth rate. The pinky size turds I can do without, though.

I'm also a firm believer in a varied and colorful environment giving them places to explore. My O hates open areas and prefers shaded overhang. If an area is wide open he won't go there. He loves scooting along the bottom and slipping between plants. Either he rests against the back wall behind plants or underneath the floating pothos.

 

[RD.]

To the OP - you are already failing by the looks of things, and you aren't anywhere near the eventual bio-load that this tank is going to be at.

Before and after filter cleaning

Random post but today was cleaning day for my fluval fx6 today, it was messy ! Here’s a before and after.

www.monsterfishkeepers.com

And, you forgot to mention in this thread, that you will be keeping your 15" pleco in the final mix. That is a HUGE mistake.

"I will be downsizing to only the 5 thin bar silver dollars and 1 tiger stripe here shortly, along with the 2 red heads and pleco. I will be adding more filtration to the tank in the near future to help with the bio load."

I suggest that you start listening to those with more experience with this size of tank, and large bio-loads, and these species of fish, or start reading up on the numerous discussions in the health section on HITH, and Spironucleus/Hexamita, because that's exactly where you appear to be heading.

 

[Rocksor]

In less than 3 years, with that stocking (2 oscars, 5 thin bar SD, 1 tiger SD, 2 red head geo, 15" pleco) in your 125g tank, your oscars will be dancing on the borderline between having HITH and not. Just one minor mistake will put them over the edge, and once they have HITH, it can be difficult to correct and keep your planned stocking.

Made a mistake like yours but with less stocking (still overstocked and with 2 oscars) in a same size tank over 20 years ago, and back then there was a lot of advice on the internet aquarium forums and newsgroups (alt.aquaria.), and not one advice to let me know it was going to go wrong. Everyone who responded back then said it would be fine for life of the fish.

 

[DonnyB]

From a compatibility standpoint: A 4 foot tank whether it has a width of 18" or 24" doesn't have the right geometry to enable large fish to have their own territories and escape from each other. A dominant Oscar will pick on the others non stop, he'll never get bored of it and it'll just be miserable to watch. A 6 foot tank creates an opportunity for fish to escape and get some relief. Its really about breaking up sight lines. Consider this: a 125 gallon tank gives an opportunity for red devils or midas to bread and the females to have some chance of surviving the males onslaught in between breeding cycles. 4 foot (even a 150 gallon) would result in the female always being in sight and getting beat up or killed. If your Oscars don't get along (two males or just one a-hole) then they will be in constant conflict/stress :-(

Oscars are wonderful endearing fish, two in that tank as long as they're compatible would be awesome. You will fall in love and want what is best for them trust me. With good water changes you could even keep a few SDs with them. BUT that Pleco and everything else needs to go or you need to scale down your goals and do a single Oscar with that Pleco or he/she will just be slowly poisoned over time. I couldn't bare to watch that happen to any of my big cichlids personally. 3 Oscars if compatible might work in the 6 foot 125 with lots of water changes but I can't imagine them doing well in a 4 foot tank. 4 Oscars in a 4 foot tank... I would hate to see that, again you'll just be poisoning them slowly over time... I'm sure we all agree that watching these wonderful animals die slowly is the opposite of our goals as fish keepers. My O has a 90 essentially to herself. The only other fish I have in their are 5 female convicts who hide amongst the driftwood and add basically no bioload. The Oscar more than files the tank by herself and eventually I'll get her a bigger tank. your tank is just 6 inches deeper. Same sight lines...

 

[RD.]

I have an adult male midas flying solo in a 6ft 125, with three AC 500's for filtration. That single male would kill anything I added, I wouldn't even consider adding a female to that tank. (or anything else) Tried that when he was young, it didn't end well for the other fish.

Line of sight breaks, or not, a large adult fish that gets pissed off and becomes territorial in a 6ft tank will find his/her target in a few short seconds. Even if a clay pipe etc is utilized, (that a male can't fit into) not a very great life for the target who is forced to spend a great deal of time in hiding.

 

[Poseidon2.0]

From a compatibility standpoint: A 4 foot tank whether it has a width of 18" or 24" doesn't have the right geometry to enable large fish to have their own territories and escape from each other. A dominant Oscar will pick on the others non stop, he'll never get bored of it and it'll just be miserable to watch. A 6 foot tank creates an opportunity for fish to escape and get some relief. Its really about breaking up sight lines. Consider this: a 125 gallon tank gives an opportunity for red devils or midas to bread and the females to have some chance of surviving the males onslaught in between breeding cycles. 4 foot (even a 150 gallon) would result in the female always being in sight and getting beat up or killed. If your Oscars don't get along (two males or just one a-hole) then they will be in constant conflict/stress :-(

Oscars are wonderful endearing fish, two in that tank as long as they're compatible would be awesome. You will fall in love and want what is best for them trust me. With good water changes you could even keep a few SDs with them. BUT that Pleco and everything else needs to go or you need to scale down your goals and do a single Oscar with that Pleco or he/she will just be slowly poisoned over time. I couldn't bare to watch that happen to any of my big cichlids personally. 3 Oscars if compatible might work in the 6 foot 125 with lots of water changes but I can't imagine them doing well in a 4 foot tank. 4 Oscars in a 4 foot tank... I would hate to see that, again you'll just be poisoning them slowly over time... I'm sure we all agree that watching these wonderful animals die slowly is the opposite of our goals as fish keepers. My O has a 90 essentially to herself. The only other fish I have in their are 5 female convicts who hide amongst the driftwood and add basically no bioload. The Oscar more than files the tank by herself and eventually I'll get her a bigger tank. your tank is just 6 inches deeper. Same sight lines...

I had three f0 baby (2”) Severums in a four foot tank and the dominant one relentlessly went after the other two (even with schools of tetras and other dithering fish). Had to move him to a six foot tank where he lived happily with an Oscar. The two remaining severums still had territorial issues and eventually I rehomed them. Point being, and granted mine were wild, but four feet is not much territory for a single medium cichlid even from a young age. I know people over stalk their tanks to mediate the aggression, but I think the long term health of the fish suffer as a result. My 2 cents.

 

[DonnyB]

Just for context I'm not super conservative on tank size; my focus is on heathy happy fish. Some on this forum take the tank size thing to extremes and would tell you an Oscar can't be in a 4 foot tank at all. I have been told this and while I agree that 6 foot is better I believe I have a very healthy happy Oscar in my 90. When you hear these extreme opinions that conflict with 95% of the information out there it can cause you to dismiss all the advise on threads like this as over-conservative. There isn't much of that on this thread... but a little so my thoughts above are meant to sort through that and not go over the top. But as a disclaimer, these are large cichlids we're talking about from a behavioural standpoint more than one large oscar may not work at all. All you need is one that decides he doesn't want the other and game over. This is just my opinion.

1. 1 Oscar and Big Pleco Nothing else - 4 foot 120 - bioload at capacity but will work.
2. 2 Oscars -- 4 foot 120 - Works from a bioload perspective. Compatibility is your issue.
3. 2 Oscars and SDs - 4 foot 120 - Pushing your bioload but could work with great filtration large water changes.
4. 1 Oscar and SDs - 4 foot 120 - Works.
5. 3 Oscars - I woundn't try it even in a 125 6 foot tank. 3 is a bad # for cichlids but perhaps you have some docile individuals... Pushing your bioload... I wouldn't do it from a bioload perspective without a 150 and only if the 6 foot version. You're just asking for trouble.