Tank Size for Severum and Oscar?

[sg1]

I agree. Seeing full grown Oscars in a 4' tank makes me sad. Especially the 55 gallon variety.

^^We're not talking about a 55G tank we're talking about a 75G tank. And Oscars are not exactly agressive fish, they are only dangerous to fish that can fit in their mouths. When I was new to fishkeeping I tried to keep an Oscar with a Red Devil, let me tell you oscar's are not as tough or as predatory as you think, it didnt take long to figure that out. I think an O and a Sev would get along fine as you could probably make the case that they are both semi-agressive fish but I certainly wouldnt put them into the "agressive" category by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[snoopy65]

Oscars and Severums both are not considered aggressive by any means of the imagination, but they both like their space and are territorial. There is a chance that both would be mellow and be fine, but there is also the chance that both could be at the other end of the spectrum and have attitudes. If one chooses to put them together and take the chance, an alternative arrangement needs to be available. I have 2 sevs right now, one is the biggest wimp ever and is in a 75 gal community tank.....the other tears into the fins of anything I try and put with it except guppies - go figure. The wimp is a male and the bad *** is female - go figure again. I am just saying that when dealing with fish that could be aggressive, it is better to err on the side of caution.

 

[Bud8Fan]

^^We're not talking about a 55G tank we're talking about a 75G tank.

How wide is a 75 gallon tank? A 75 just offers them more room to turn around.

And I'm not talking about aggression, I'm talking the size of the fish. Just my opinion and its only an "opinion". I think full grown Oscars needs "at least" 6' of swimming room. Throw in another fish into the equation in a 4 foot tank and you greatly increase the risk of territorial problems.

 

[sg1]

Well, I disagree, I dont think a single Oscar and a single Sev needs a 125G tank, IMO thats just ridiculous.

 

[Eläköön]

i strongly disagree. oscars arent a shoaling species. an oscar in a 6foot tank wont be constantly openly shoaling like you love to make out. most oscars just hover over one area for a while and search slowly around for food. they arent silversharks!
and i agree this website does have a reputation for making people think they require far bigger tanks than they need. i have 2 oscars in an 80gal and they are only 7" long and theyres plenty of room.

i used to have a 12" mayan cichlid and it just sat around bored all day cause it was alone in the tank without much to do. so if we did what it says here and put a single fish in a 200g tank chances are that would be the most boring tank on earth.
overfilteration, waterchanges regularly and propper feeding regimes along with a SUITABLY sized tank is what we need. we dont all have the room for huge tanks.

 

[Bud8Fan]

an oscar in a 6foot tank wont be constantly openly shoaling like you love to make out. most oscars just hover over one area for a while and search slowly around for food.

Then you need to come over and watch my pair. They are constantly prowling the tank.

i have 2 oscars in an 80gal and they are only 7" long and theyres plenty of room.

They wont stay 7". They can reach 14" as you are fully aware. Therefore realative to them their living space is going to be cut in half when they are full grown as compared to now.

we dont all have the room for huge tanks.

Then don't get huge fish.

this website does have a reputation for making people think they require far bigger tanks than they need.

What is the name of this site?

 

[Eläköön]

see thats exactly the responce i would expect here.

yes i know how big oscars get ive owned them before, and i wouldnt consider them a monster fish.

and no i wont come all the way to nebraska to look at 2 oscars in a big tank.

yes i agree the bigger the tank the better i just think some of the options people are given is ridiculous

not a personal dig at you bud8fan just saying that i think sometimes on here people exagerate tank sizings. and if you read up alot of people have said it before me, im merely adding in

 

[Adam-011]

A 75Gallon would be fine for a O and Severum, a sevrum rarly ever hits 12" athough a O does it woudnt be 12 for a year and if he hits 14 it will take several years. A 220 for a O and severum IMO is rediulous... I can understand a 120 but 220 is too much.

 

[Bud8Fan]

People like myself are also just giving "opinions". Do your research and do what "you" think is best. This site is just a tool, not the law.

Would I put two Oscars in an 80 gallon tank? Never. I wouldn't want to be doing 50% water changes twice a week or more to keep nitrates down and I like to give them room to prowl. Others are fine with that schedule though.

Are the fish happy in an 80 gallon tank? They could be. Would they be happier in a 6' or larger tank. You bet.

 

[Bud8Fan]

and no i wont come all the way to nebraska to look at 2 oscars in a big tank.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laUELlJqnJs