6ft Tank Setup

[simtur]

Hey all, I have a 180gallon tank and i am wanting to set it up with oscars. Ive been told i should put 6 in there (any thoughts?). What sort of sand/gravel should i use? I have heaps of slate and will be sticking some fake plants to the bottom of the tank also. Also can i put any plecos in the tank with the oscars?

 

[funkyhoney]

Who told you to put 6 oscars in there? I think that would be a bit much; it is on the right track though, oscars should be kept alone, or in a group. I'd say 3 or 4 would be a good number, then you can add some friends in there to

Silver Dollars and Clown Loaches would go well in there I'm thinking.

Oh, what are the dimensions for starters

 

[shroob]

I personally would do one (or a pair), this is due to the aggression factor, I suggest this number, because recently on another forum a person has asked how many oscars in a 300g, he wanted 6, however was left with one (or it might have been a pair) after the some got killed out of aggression.
[URL="http/www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=158852"]http/www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=158852[/URL]
Other people have recommended 4, but again this may not work. If you do try a larger number, be prepared for aggression and to remove some fish.



Up to you which substrate you use, personally I use sand because I like the way it looks. Though if you are using external filters, becareful of the Oscars kicking up sand into the intakes.

Pleco's can go with oscars, becareful with stocking though, as a tank of oscars and plecos will have huge waste levels, so be prepared for heavy filtration and religious water changes.

On a final note, oscars are great fish, I'm sure you they will enjoy the 180

EDIT: I think a regular 180USG is 6x2x2ft.

 

[Tobigara]

IMO, shroob hit it on the head.

 

[darkwolf29a]

Here's what I would do:

Get 6 Oscars...assuming you want to breed them, of course. They will, eventually, pair off. After that....find homes for the other 4 that don't pair off. Then, you know you have a spawning pair of Oscars.

Of course...just one Oscar in that size a tank will love you forever. LOL

But, I wouldn't do just a pair, unless you know they are male and female.

 

[littleT]

Hey all, I have a 180gallon tank and i am wanting to set it up with oscars. Ive been told i should put 6 in there (any thoughts?). What sort of sand/gravel should i use? I have heaps of slate and will be sticking some fake plants to the bottom of the tank also. Also can i put any plecos in the tank with the oscars?

Hello
I'm no fish expert but I have kept a lot of oscars and I just want to let you know a couple things about oscars if you don't know already they need even more space than most other aquarium fish because it is a bulky species not streamlined and they can get aggressive and very aggressive when mating. No underground filters either because the oscar loves to dig and plants well it depends on the oscar some like them and some will up root them ever chance they get. If kept with other fish I would recommend the catfish that get as big as the oscar does or a tinfoil barb it will get about 10 to 12 inches the oscars will get around 15 inches. This is my opinion on how many for a 180 gallon it is 3 and a half gallons of tank capacity for each inch of body the length of the oscar but not counting the tail. They are fun fish to keep but very messy hope you have some big filters for your tank. Good luck.
Sorry I put in the wrong number it should be 3 not 2 I bet you thought I had lost my mind. So in easy terms I would recommend one 16 inch oscar in a 75 gallon no smaller then a 55 gallon but I had a oscar that was 13 and half inches in a 55 gallon and she looked cramped. Again I'm sorry.

 

[jayjay]

2 and a half gallons of water per inch of fish? So an adult Oscar at say 16" can live in 40g? Or would you redefine this "rule" to over a certain size tank?

 

[funkyhoney]

2 and a half gallons of water per inch of fish? So an adult Oscar at say 16" can live in 40g? Or would you redefine this "rule" to over a certain size tank?

I thought it was one gallon per inch? Anyway, I don't personally believe in those rules as it doesn't take into account filtration etc. However, with larger fish, you really need at LEAST 2.5 times the length of the fish and 1.5 times the width and height in your tank dimensions.

eg. a 12 inch fish should have at LEAST a 30 inch tank that is 18 inches wide and deep
hope that helps a bit

 

[Tobigara]

i was told that the tank should be 4 times the length of the fish as an adult and 1.5-2 times the length for the height and width of the tank. so a 12" fish should be in a tank no smaller that 48x18x18. this is what i was told for large fish only and it doesn't factor in a lot of things but it's a better guideline than 1gal per inch

 

[demonmagus]

If you want a 'true pair' the six then 'getting rid (i.e giving away) of the others is a good idea.

 

[darkwolf29a]

2 and a half gallons of water per inch of fish? So an adult Oscar at say 16" can live in 40g? Or would you redefine this "rule" to over a certain size tank?

LOL...Umm...NO!!!!!!!! I moved my 8inch Oscar from a 55 to 75, because he started looking cramped. I wouldn't put an Oscar in anything smaller than a 55, honestly.


That's not to say it hasn't been done, but I wouldn't do it.

 

[funkyhoney]

2 and a half gallons of water per inch of fish? So an adult Oscar at say 16" can live in 40g? Or would you redefine this "rule" to over a certain size tank?

LOL...Umm...NO!!!!!!!! I moved my 8inch Oscar from a 55 to 75, because he started looking cramped. I wouldn't put an Oscar in anything smaller than a 55, honestly.


That's not to say it hasn't been done, but I wouldn't do it.

I've read some really sad stunting stories on Oscar sites the pictures were horrendous.

 

[caboose_122]

I've read some really sad stunting stories on Oscar sites the pictures were horrendous.

when i was working at the lfs a guy walked in and showed me a picture if his 10 gallon it had 2 oscars and 5 black widow tetras

 

[funkyhoney]

I've read some really sad stunting stories on Oscar sites the pictures were horrendous.

when i was working at the lfs a guy walked in and showed me a picture if his 10 gallon it had 2 oscars and 5 black widow tetras

I work at a pet shop now and the amount of people who come in with completely ridiculous tanks is astounding.