Oscars & Plants

[nudenurd]

Hi all!

I've recently set up a nice corner tank with three Oscars and a large Sailfin in it. I've got a couple of logs in there with Anubias growing off them (quite large ones actually). The bloke in my LFS said that Anubias would be one of the only plants I could grow in there with Oscars and so far it's been fine (about 2-3 weeks). Though last night I noticed that a couple of leaves have been seriously munched...

I'm not sure if this is the oscars being their destructive selves or if it's the pleco getting hungry. I'm feeding the fish every day so I don't think it's a lack of food.
Is there anything I can do to coax them into not destroying the plants? The tank is in my bed room and I really don't want to resort to plastic... or a lame sunken ship ornament...

If not, what plants can I put in there?

TIA!

 

[Amunet]

First, how large is the tank? 3 Oscars in one tank... that would seriously need to be a VERY large tank to give them each their own space and b/c of the bioload.
As for the plant. I actually have no idea. From what I understand about Oscars, they like rearranging things in their tanks which is one of the reasons why it's not a good idea to have plants. Can't remember if they eat the plants or not though.

 

[poopsydrew]

I am pretty sure oscars require at least like 50 us gallons per fish, im not saying you dont have a large enough tank just making sure you know they need quite a lot of room, as for the plants, maybe just got with some fake ones as i have heard they are quite picky about their decorations and like to move things. Once again, not trying to correct you but ensure you have a large tank as i think you need AT LEAST a 150 gallon tank for the amount of fish you have... good luck

 

[Ristof]

My oscar tank has just big rocks in it, That is all and it looks good.
I have no plants or gravel as they do like to rearange the funiture a fair bit

 

[nudenurd]

I'm Australian but I'll do the do the imperial thing to keep you all happy B)

My tank is just over 150 litres which is about 40 gallons. I had no idea Oscars required so much space... I mean, they're only about 2-3 inches long. To be honest I think the tank looks quite bare with just the three fish in there.
I also have a 4x2x2 foot tank which could quite possibly be better suited to the oscars, though at the moment it contains a couple of hundred neon tetras. Things could get hairy if I put the oscars in there now

I moved the sailfin from the larger tank to this one and to be honest, he seems an awful lot happier in there. He actually swims around now and doesn't just sit in the corner. Also puts up his 'sail' a lot more frequently which is just great!

Ristof, I might just take your advice re the rocks. I'll let it go for a few more days, but those plants cost me quite a bit and they're far too nice to have destroyed. I'll let you know how I go.

 

[poopsydrew]

I'm Australian but I'll do the do the imperial thing to keep you all happy B)

My tank is just over 150 litres which is about 40 gallons. I had no idea Oscars required so much space... I mean, they're only about 2-3 inches long. To be honest I think the tank looks quite bare with just the three fish in there.
I also have a 4x2x2 foot tank which could quite possibly be better suited to the oscars, though at the moment it contains a couple of hundred neon tetras. Things could get hairy if I put the oscars in there now

I moved the sailfin from the larger tank to this one and to be honest, he seems an awful lot happier in there. He actually swims around now and doesn't just sit in the corner. Also puts up his 'sail' a lot more frequently which is just great!

Ristof, I might just take your advice re the rocks. I'll let it go for a few more days, but those plants cost me quite a bit and they're far too nice to have destroyed. I'll let you know how I go.

Im just gonna tell you now before everyone else jumps on this...40 gallons isnt big enough for three oscars as they will get very big. I am not trying to be rude but i think you need to move them to a much bigger tank, and i am almost positive they will eat all of your neons. Good luck my friend

 

[mark7616]

Ill be rude though do you not research fish before you buy them you do not have space in any of your tanks for 3 oscars. You could have 1 in the 4x2x2 but thats it you need to eith go out and get a MUCH larger tank around the 150-175g mark or take your fish back oscars will grow to 12" with in there first year and corner tanks are no good for them anyways as there isnt much room to swim around corner tanks are just deep.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

the 4x2x2 tank is the minimum size for 1 oscar with no companions, they might be small now but these fish can get to 16" long and fat with it, just try and visualise three fish that size in your 40 gal tank


but yes oscars and plecs will both eat plants, the plec should stop if given appropriate vegtation in his diet, (try cucmber, corguette, potatoe, carrot, peas) the oscars probably won't

 

[nudenurd]

Righto, hint taken - I need something that closer resembles a swimming pool if I'm to keep these oscars. Which is kinda crap because I love sticking my finger in there and letting them try and take a chunk of flesh off me... hehehe

So I'll do a fish transplant. I'll take two Oscars back and leave the third one in the 4 foot tank. I'll sell the tetras to the fish shop and fit out my corner tank with some more appropriate fish.
I'll do my best to research the fish first but it's very hard for me to do so; I live a long way from the nearest shop.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

no problem, it might be a good idea to get a good fish book then, that when when you go to the fish shop you can look up the fish you like there and then and decide if it's right for you.