What size tank?

[moneywastedonfish]

hi i was wondering what size tank i would need for two oscars and a texas or a trimac or something else?

Any suggestions as to what can go with two oscars and what size tank would i need.

Cheers

 

[nc_nutcase]

I would expect you to get a lot of responses with a pretty wide range of suggestions. 2 Oscars and a Texas Cichlid could 'survive' in a 55 gal tank for the duration of their life. They will be cramped, your nitrAtes will always be high (aka, water unclean, even if it 'looks' clean), but... they will survive (unhappily).

If you go with a 90 Gal, there will be more water to spread out the nitrAtes. Provided you do weekly 20-30% water changes you shouldn't have too much of a water quality issue. The fish will have enough turning room, you will have enough room in the aquarium to add sufficient cover while still leaving enough open swim area.

If you suit yourself with a 120+ Gal, you will be able to very happily house the 3 fish you mentioned, plus have room for a couple others. I read a post by Inchworm last night that suggested you get an aquarium twice as big as you need, because by the time the aquarium is stocked, you will need it. I could SOOOOO identify. Every aquarium I have ever bough is 'not quite big enough'.

 

[Ben]

i would go wirh 150gal+,no less

DD

 

[nitro]

110-120 gal min for two oscars. I dont know about other big cichlids though so im no help there.

 

[freddyk]

That texas is gonna stir things up, I wouldn't do that to my Oscars but if you wanted all 3 I'd say 150 gallon, 6 foot tank would be the minimum - They'd rip each other to pieces in a 55 gallon tank. Remember, these cichlids don't like each others company, exept for a significant other. It may add excitement to the tank, but it's cruel to cram them together with no place to get away from each other. In the wild there's alway room for flight, and it's a good idea in a tank too.

 

[moneywastedonfish]

hey guys thanks for replies. you know i obviously wouldn't want to cramp my o's style thats why i asked. i was thinking around 100 gallons but didn't say beacuse i wanted an answer other then "it could work", i was gonna let you guys suggest a tank size without any consraints and see where i was at.
I am not one hundred percent on the texas as i would probably have to grow one up to near the oscars size. would any cichlids work with the oscars in a less then six foot tank?
thanks!

 

[freddyk]

If you really want the best for your Oscars, keep the pair alone and don't expose them to the stress of a competitor in the tank. I'm pretty much alone on this as the general opinion is throw a bunch of cichlids in and see what happens, but for reasons I explained I wouldn't expose my own oscars to a stressful environment if I don't have to. I'd be inclined to fill the extra space with a tough non-cichlid, like tinfoil barbs or silver dollars, and a large pleco is always a safe addition.

 

[Dat]

If it's a par of oscars (ie male + female) I wouldn't put anything else in except may be a hardy comman plec. As soon as they get old enough to think about breeding all hell will break loose and they'll attack any thing else in the tank. Also you mentioned Trimacs earlier. If you want a Trimac, then just get a trimac and no other cichlids, they are just plain nasty. I used to have a wolf cichlid in the tank with my trimac (wolf cichlid was quite a bit bigger too) and the trimac would beat the stuffing out of the wolf cichlid every chance it got.
Trouble is with most big new world cichlids is they are just to territorial. Oh yes tank size, 100g+ for the pair or a single trimac.

Good luck

Dat