Oscar Compatibility

[ian01]

Hi i have a 250 litre tank with an oscar that is about 2 years old i just wanted to know if i should put any other fish in with him, and what fish you would recommend.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

ok two problems here really

1 - size of the tank, yours is around 68gallons, 75 gallons is usually the recommended minimum for an oscar alone with no companions, your tanks not vastly under this size so it's probably ok, but your unlikely to have room for any/many comapnions. can you please tell us the dimensions of the tank so we can identify if there is a problem with the tank size

2 - the age of the oscar, once oscars reach sexual maturity around 1 yr to 18 months old they become very hard to integrate with other fish, especially if they have already claimed theire territory (i.e. it may be possible to integrate an oscar into a tank which is already established and where fish have they're own territories introducing fish to his established territory will be very difficult indeed) if you want to have them with companiosn you really should decide on your list of fish and get them as babies and grow them up together, there is still a chance of them falling out and having to be separated at a later date but it's pretty much the only way you can mix them

 

[ian01]

ok two problems here really

1 - size of the tank, yours is around 68gallons, 75 gallons is usually the recommended minimum for an oscar alone with no companions, your tanks not vastly under this size so it's probably ok, but your unlikely to have room for any/many comapnions. can you please tell us the dimensions of the tank so we can identify if there is a problem with the tank size

2 - the age of the oscar, once oscars reach sexual maturity around 1 yr to 18 months old they become very hard to integrate with other fish, especially if they have already claimed theire territory (i.e. it may be possible to integrate an oscar into a tank which is already established and where fish have they're own territories introducing fish to his established territory will be very difficult indeed) if you want to have them with companiosn you really should decide on your list of fish and get them as babies and grow them up together, there is still a chance of them falling out and having to be separated at a later date but it's pretty much the only way you can mix them

Hi, My tanks measurements are 125 X 40X 50 centimetres. Thanks for the reply

 

[Miss Wiggle]

so 4'x15"x19" then (i'm not metric sorry! lol)

if it's only 15" wide this could cause problems, oscars can get up to 16" long, and obviously need a couple of inches clearance to give appropriate turning space

if your oscar stays around 12" then it's *just* about ok, but it's a tight squeeze and that's assuming your O stays at the minimum size

you might need to consider upgrading your tank, while it's not far off in terms of the actual room needed the dimensions just don't quite cut it

 

[ian01]

Thanks for the help much appreciated. I thinks its best if i start saving up now a buy a larger tank for him.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

good call

it's unfortunate, we see so many people coming on here with 30/40gallon tanks with oscars in, it's such a shame when it's someone who'se really close but still has to get a new tank.

good for you for taking the ifnormation and descision so grasciously and for doing what's best for your fish, we see so many people getting into arguments and calling us all sorts when they're tanks and significantly worse than what you have.

you need to get a tank at least 4'x18"x18", bigger if possible, but those are your minimum dimensions IMO

 

[jayjay]

125 X 40X 50 = 50"x16"x20" not 48"x15x19 as someone has said.

You could try for maybe a plec as a companion, depending on filtration, but it would be better to not add anything.