Reasonable Thoughts....

[Nevergone815]

I say go for it! The oscar will be more than happy in a 65 gal US (it sure beats the much smaller tanks they might end up in)...

 

[fry_lover]

I say go for it! The oscar will be more than happy in a 65 gal US (it sure beats the much smaller tanks they might end up in)...

good point

 

[LisaLQ]

sorry, im in a rush and havent read all the replies, but I believe you could easily get away with 1 maybe 2 oscars in that tank, I once read some fish book where they said you could keep 1 oscar in a 30 g tank, of course, if it was the only fish, you had a bare bottom tank, and you cleaned very well (I still think 30 g is too small though). I think the issue at hand with stocking is almost always how much effort you are willing to put into cleaning the tank. If you want an oscar, and clean the tank well I don't see any problems.

Absolutely do not put two oscars in this tank. 30g for one oscar is an appalling recommendation, just goes to show how out of date that book must be! I'd bin it personally, god knows what other crap they recommend in it.

I messed up when I read the original post, and assumed it was 55 US gallons, not UK, and so yes - in a 67g tank you could push it and fit one oscar in there. But he would have to be an only fish, maybe one medium sized species of plec at a push - depending on how much tank maintenance you want to put into it.

But please please dont put two in, it's really not that spacious for one, but two would be just downright cruel. Go on to the oscar forums (pm me if you need links, I dont think I can post them on here for some reason) and get their advice, I'm sure you could get away with one at a push with plenty of tank maintenance, but no way for two. I kept two big cichlids in a 135g, one of which was an oscar, and even though he was only 8-9" when he was rehomed - the tank was just right for him, his friend and a couple of little 'uns. So if you can imagine a tank half that size would not be anywhere near big enough for two 16" cichlids.

One other thing to remember is the dimensions. As oscars can get to 14-16", a 15" wide tank wont be any good - it'd have to be 18" min.

 

[Captain Retardo]

Hey lisa, this is the book I was referring to: Link and I think that 30 gallons is too small, but 45 or 50 gallons for one Oscar with good care is not bad, infact, I know somebody who has a 45 gallon and one oscar in it, and its been healthy living in there for 1 maybe 2 years already (its still a baby oscar though, not full grown). I don't know much about Oscars behavior towards one another, and if it is bad then I would say no go for 2 in a 65 gallon, but if they are nice to each other, I don't really see a big problem, if you clean the tank like crazy.

 

[Lynden]

I once kept a breeding pair of 9'' Oscars (male was a Black Tiger, female was a Red Albino) in a 77 gallon. I would however not recommend it.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

two oscars is also generally speaking a bad idea.

if you want to keep more than one you should get a large group of juvi's and as they mature keep a very close eye on them, hopefully a bond will form between two and you can then keep those two and return the rest. There is however no guarantee this will happen or that the bond will last, there's always a fair chance of coming home to a bloodbath one day, especially in a small tank.

generally speaking it's accepted that unless you have a proven breeding pair you keep 1 oscar, or get a very very very large tank and keep 6 or more to spread the agression out.

 

[gsta13]

Thanks all for your replies.
Yes i think you all picked up on my little seceret, its just an excuse to get one
I never thought of getting two tbh, i'd be hapy with just one!
On a side question about oscars, my gf is scared that an oscar might break the tank, with them being a large, now it didnt help that when she asked I was a little stump'd by the question, any reasurance for her, and me in all honesty would be great.
Thanks
Greg

 

[Miss Wiggle]

shouldn't do, I've never heard of an O breaking the glass.

 

[Nevergone815]

shouldn't do, I've never heard of an O breaking the glass.

Me neither

 

[gsta13]

Thanks for all the time taken to reply to the threads and questions. How many water changes would you reccomend on a weekly basis if i were to keep an oscar in this tank? And also i have heard that it might make the flat stinky If this is goin to happen i dont have a cat in hells chance of keeping this fish very long so will it make the flat stink?
Thanks
Greg

 

[gsta13]

Thanks for all the time taken to reply to the threads and questions. How many water changes would you reccomend on a weekly basis if i were to keep an oscar in this tank? And also i have heard that it might make the flat stinky If this is goin to happen i dont have a cat in hells chance of keeping this fish very long so will it make the flat stink?
Thanks
Greg

BUMP

 

[gsta13]

Thanks for all the time taken to reply to the threads and questions. How many water changes would you reccomend on a weekly basis if i were to keep an oscar in this tank? And also i have heard that it might make the flat stinky If this is goin to happen i dont have a cat in hells chance of keeping this fish very long so will it make the flat stink?
Thanks
Greg

BUMP

 

[Miss Wiggle]

stinky? shouldn't do!!

a well maintained tank should have a slight earty smell to it, but that's only if you're getting your niose right down to the water, with a lid on yuo won't smell anything. If you spill a bucket of fishy water on the carpet or something then yeah that'd smell but accidents aside you shouldn't have any problems

 

[Griz]

Oscars get about 12" so a pair in a 65 gal tank is only about 1/3 of the inch per gallon rule. Plenty of space, you should be just fine.

(Just trying to make a point - sorry to intrude)

 

[Miss Wiggle]

Oscars get about 12" so a pair in a 65 gal tank is only about 1/3 of the inch per gallon rule. Plenty of space, you should be just fine.

(Just trying to make a point - sorry to intrude)

" per gallon rules useless on fish that size though.

they need 75g for 1 oscar and 125g for two and only if they're a proven breeding pair otherwise they'll kill each other. they're big messy territorial fish