Oscars?

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DancingBetta

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Hi everyone!
So Iā€™ve been doing a bunch of research on Oscars. I have been considering getting one (more like trying to convince my family that ā€œitā€™s just one more tankā€).
But I have a few questions.
First off, from what I've read, theyā€™re perfectly happy on their own. Is that true? Or do they need friends?
Iā€™ve also read that a 75 gallon is a good size tank to keep them in. Hopefully thatā€™s true, because thatā€™s the biggest size tank my pet store sells and itā€™s half off right now.
But I want to know everything I can about having one, so any tips or care or advice anyone has, Iā€™d love to hear it.
Thanks
 
I always like to keep them with a mate. That goes for all Cichlids. Your 75 is big enough. I would get three juveniles. With the plan to move one out if you have to. Oscars have way more personality than almost any other fish. Make sure you make their tank interesting. So plant it, lots of large rocks and pieces of wood for them to explore around. As they grow you may have to remove the live plant, but you can usually find somewhere in the tank that the Oscars are happy with it and will leave it alone. Remember that with Oscars the tank is their home. If they move a rock leave it where they move it to. They tend to move things around to suit themselves, don't annoy them by changing things around for them.
 
I would try to find as big of a tank as possible. They would much rather prefer a 125g, than a 75g. A lot more depth and swim room.
 
I thought I would just look up what size tank Charlie and his mate were in. It was 48x18x18 which calculates to 67.3 gallons.
 
I would say a 75 is pushing it iv saw some huge oscars that would be too big for a 125 in my opinion the idea of buying 3 I like 1 or 3 Iā€™d avoid 2 just if aggression is there itā€™s will be a constant back and forth between them with no respite , I personally would not put an Oscar in a 75 Iā€™d be looking at a Severum or maybe a Jack Dempsey as the centrepiece Depending on water hardness but if your after an Oscar Iā€™m guessing your water is soft to middling
 
75 gallons is the bare minimum for ONE oscar. They really don't need tank mates as they aren't a shoaling species. They need very good filtration as they are sloppy eaters and poop a lot. If you put live plants in an oscar tank they will simply be destroyed. Their personality is well worth all the effort.
 
I'd personally avoid any stocking that will require a tank upgrade 'later on'.
Too many things can happen that can prevent the acquisition and siting of a bigger tank and then you find yourself and your fish in a crisis that could've been avoided.
 
Yeah I wouldn't do a 75 gallon either for an Oscar. Monster fish keepers always advocate for at least a 90 gallon. They're big and messy fish. They don't need tankmates as they tend to be aggressive anyway. My friend has one that lives alone and constantly attacks his own reflection, my Blood Parrot does this from time to time as well.
 
I always like to keep them with a mate. That goes for all Cichlids. Your 75 is big enough. I would get three juveniles. With the plan to move one out if you have to. Oscars have way more personality than almost any other fish. Make sure you make their tank interesting. So plant it, lots of large rocks and pieces of wood for them to explore around. As they grow you may have to remove the live plant, but you can usually find somewhere in the tank that the Oscars are happy with it and will leave it alone. Remember that with Oscars the tank is their home. If they move a rock leave it where they move it to. They tend to move things around to suit themselves, don't annoy them by changing things around for them.
nooooo! Oscars *DO NOT* belong in 75g. They are agressive, territorial, and will get depressed. I would do 90 for solo and at least 125 for a pair
 
Well I have plenty of smaller schooling fish in my 40 gallon. I was hoping for something a bit bigger with some personality.
 
I would say a 75 is pushing it iv saw some huge oscars that would be too big for a 125 in my opinion the idea of buying 3 I like 1 or 3 Iā€™d avoid 2 just if aggression is there itā€™s will be a constant back and forth between them with no respite , I personally would not put an Oscar in a 75 Iā€™d be looking at a Severum or maybe a Jack Dempsey as the centrepiece Depending on water hardness but if your after an Oscar Iā€™m guessing your water is soft to middling
Oh I completely forgot about water hardness. My water is hard..
 

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