Went to my LFS today...

[ecto1]

I went to my local fish store today intending to get a few neon tetras. While waiting or the severly incompetent staff to stop ignoring me, I browsed around for a bit, and saw a fish that I knew I must have! So I skipped getting the tetras and have decided to get an oscar instead, I'm going back there later today. Would an Oscar eat my two Bandit corys? I like my corys because they keep my tank clean. Is there any fish I can ue to keep my tank clean that won't be eaten by an oscar?

 

[Fishy411]

i dont know fi the oscar will eat the cories. U need at least a 75 gallon for an oscar. Mostly any pictus species will fit in a 75 and not get eaten

 

[ecto1]

Seriously?! The oscars were only about 2 inches long. Why do they need such a big tank?

And speaking of tank size, my local fish store (not to name any names, but it's PETsMART) also carries 5 inch-long oscars, and keeps about 7 or 8 of them in a small tank that's probably not even 20 gallons.

 

[Paul_MTS]

Fish stores keeping fish in smaller tanks than normal doesnb't come into the factor at all, the fish shop tanks are the fish short term home.

Oscars will easily grow to 12" and probable exceed that.

 

[corykitty516]

I have a few family members that have kept oscars

1. they get quite large and live for a long time

2. once thet get large they eat everything in the tank

3. they need live live food ... like feeder fish.. in addition to pellets and stuff

 

[freddyk]

You must do research on this fish ecto1.

They get huge. They will try to eat anything that will fit into their mouths. This can be a danger not only to tankmates, but to the Oscar, as they will even try to eat armored fish that can get caught in it's throat and kill it. They also grow very fast, so getting it with 'plans for a large tank' is not a good idea. Get a large tank, then get the Oscar.

Never use fish store stocking methods as a guide. They overstock with the intention of selling before they grow, they do daily water changes, and they have high fatality rates that would never be acceptable in an aquarium.

 

[Vip]

Oscars do get large so yes everyone is correct they need a large tank but a 55g shall do for them.
The reason why they have 20 in a 20g is because they sell them fast there only in there for about a week and also the filters that they have can handle a Oscar.
As for tank mates be careful Oscars are a none-agressive cichlid and they tend to be picked on or killed by other cichlids or tank mates. They love bloodworms and a large range of meaty foods, DO NOT AND I MEAN DO NOT feed them feeder fish as they can get parasites from these and die, a member on this site just had his die dude to this.


Damian

 

[cluster]

i have a 3.5" oscar up for auction

 

[SandMan8388]

Oscars are quite the fish and I highly recomend getting one, if not a few. Except you must have the right size tank. For me I have a 75g tank. With two 8 inch oscars. They are considered the "dog" of the fish world. Osdars are incredibly responsive and each comes equipped with a personality you won't ever find again. They can live up to 15 years old. But grow at a rapid rate. Like some others said they need alot of live foods, which also requires a feeder fish tank. They can have a wide varitey of ph levels. from 6.0 to 7.5 (but its recomended that you have a nuetral water base). They originate from Brazil, French Guinea, and are showing up in southern regions of florida. Get an oscar, you're buying a companion.