55g

[mwm]

Well im getting a 55g on thursday or so and i want NW Cichlids I want at least 2 I need som suggestions

 

[David]

If you want aggressive ones I dunno, I'm no big expert on those but maybe a pair of convicts or an oscar... but that's pushing it. If you want the more peaceful but less hardy south american cichlids: discus, angelfish, rams, kribs would be perfect.

 

[Andyman1]

One Oscar would be ok for a 55g - but not a pair. Kribs are fun.

 

[rvm]

I'd be dubious about the oscar. A 55g is genarally about 48"x12" as a footprint. That is not big enough for an oscar to turn round in when it's fully grown.
Personally I wouldn't put a single Oscar in anything less than a 75g.

 

[clutterydrawer]

I always thought kribs were african

 

[Perry]

I'd be dubious about the oscar. A 55g is genarally about 48"x12" as a footprint. That is not big enough for an oscar to turn round in when it's fully grown.
Personally I wouldn't put a single Oscar in anything less than a 75g.

55g is more like 48 x 18 x 18inch which would be big enough for an adult oscar to turn around in.

Some people say this is too small but i have an oscar (not fully grown though) in a 60g tank and he seems to be very happy-but who knows-lol

So it is up to you really

 

[wrs]

I always thought kribs were african

yes they are. but not from malawi or that t lake, lol. Rivers i think, so some people dont know.

 

[clutterydrawer]

ta for that I thought it was just me being deluded!

 

[semper fi]

kribs are africans, riverine species.

 

[juanveldez]

actually rvm is right about the foot print of a 55 they are 48x12.5 or something like that while 75s are more along the lines of 48x18x21 or something like that I wouldn't go with an oscar in a 55 either for a 55 I would go with something like a pair of JDs or a pair of Lyonsi. I wouldn't go with a fish that is going to get over 10 inches for a 55.

 

[Aussie_Star]

yea my 80 gallons are both 48 20 20

 

[Perry]

actually rvm is right about the foot print of a 55 they are 48x12.5 or something like that while 75s are more along the lines of 48x18x21 or something like that I wouldn't go with an oscar in a 55 either for a 55 I would go with something like a pair of JDs or a pair of Lyonsi. I wouldn't go with a fish that is going to get over 10 inches for a 55.

Every1 has there opinions.
I have just worked it out again and 48 x 18 x 18 is 56g, not 48 x 12.5.
As far as im aware thats right

 

[Apopli]

Would it be more fair to say that an Oscar shouldn't be kept in a tank that's smaller than 48x18?

My current tank was purchased as a 55 gallon tank, and it's 48x18, my new tank, also purchased as a 55, is 48x18. These tanks were purchased from Michigan. The 55 gallon I looked at in Ontario, however, was 48x12 (and about $100 more expensive even WITH exchange).

Last I checked, US gallons was the same measurment in both Canada and the US. Could be one was taller than the other, I can't remember. But really, when it's said "An Oscar shouldn't be kept in anything smaller than a 55 gallon" should be taken more as a guideline.

Same thing applies to the "10 gallons of water per goldfish" rule. Doesn't mean you should keep a goldfish in a 10 gallon tank. It's a guildeline. Something to base your decisions on.

But that's a whole other topic....

JD's are a pretty fish. I know a guy who's kept a gold and green severum pair in a 55 gallon tank for years without a problem.

A Red Devil could be fun, but you'd have to keep him alone...

Good luck with your decision. I had a HUGE plan for my current tank, then I fell in love with an ugly little green and pink Oscar at the lfs who they just couldn't sell because everyone bought the pretty oscars that I just HAD to have. He's got more personality than most people I know

 

[rvm]

Yeah, that is a fair comment. as long as the fish has room to turn, then that is fine, but with an Oscar, you've also got to consider the pollution they put out!! if you had an 18" x 24" x 18" cube, it would have room to turn, but 33g of water would get polluted by an oscar really quickly, that is why I said that personally I wouldn't have a single oscar in anything less than a 75g, otherwise you'd be changing water all the time to try and keep it under control. You'd probably be OK in a 55g with a 48x18 footprint, but be prepared for plenty of water changes!!

BTW 48x18x18 (the general height of tanks in this footprint) is 67g
if the tank is 18" deep, and 48" long, then it would be 14" wide to be 55g!!! Not an opinion, maths!!!

 

[David]

The bottom line is, a young oscar would probably fit in a 55 until he got about 6-7 inches, when he would have to be transferred to at least a 70 gallon.