# How Big Should My Tank Be?



## Humpy (Oct 15, 2006)

i have 3 tiger oscars, a green terror, a clown pleco, a spotted rubberlip leco, and a raphael. Right now they are all small and are living in a 30g tank. Now i am going to get a new one right soon here and i was wondering what size would be optimal for all these fish together as adults. I only want to buy one more tank for these guys and i dont want to have to buy a bigger one. So what size should i go with, not going to much overkill to keep costs down?


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## Phantom_Cichlid (Jul 3, 2006)

your going to need a HUGE HUGE tank and even now that 30 is way over populated


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Yeah, go huge. 1 oscar 55g and up, 2 oscars 75g, 3 oscars+ ?. I hear 250 gallon tanks are nice.


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## Moses (Aug 21, 2006)

8'x2'x2'
Around 380 gal with a small sump filter or a large canister filter x2.


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

380 may be a bit on the large side. 210 should house them.


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## Humpy (Oct 15, 2006)

do u tihnk a 150-180 tank would be sufficient or would it be a bit tight?


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

150 is out of the question. 180 would be the minimum I would go.


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## Humpy (Oct 15, 2006)

so 180 is minimum but a 200-220 would be optimal?


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## Moses (Aug 21, 2006)

A 380 will give each fish 54 gal. Pleco's are poo machines at full size with some species getting 2 foot long. Personally I like to house my fish with as much swimming space as affordable, but then again I have a double garage to house the tanks which most people don't. Personal choice really. 380 gal will also give you enough tank room to add more fish if you wanted in the future. Thats a BIG tank though


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## mr.dark-saint (Aug 16, 2005)

I'd say 75 gallons after the Green Terror kills them oscars.


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## jasno999 (Oct 16, 2006)

> I'd say 75 gallons after the Green Terror kills them Oscars.


Ha ha- however joking aside that is a strong possibility.

If you really want to keep all those fish a huge tank is in order. However what size exactly is hard to say. For example my girlfriend has successfully kept 2 tiger Oscars in a 55 galling tank for a long time now. There is some territorial battle but nothing bad and they do fine together. Most people will say that 2 Oscars in a 55 gallon is no good and I think that is good advice but at the same time it can be done and done successfully. 

However 2 big fish and 5+ big fish are different stories. You definitely need a bigger tank. And I think 200+ gallons is in order. As they say the bigger the better- otherwise you may want to sell some of those fish back to the pet store or to other people cause what you have one and anything under 200 gallons is going to be way to small to house all of those fish.


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## Humpy (Oct 15, 2006)

well having some bad luck with my fish, i am now down to 3 tiger oscars and the clown pleco. The Oscars and pleco are doing really good, but everything else i had did not fare so well. So what size would be efficent for those 4?
I was thinking a 120g or 150g


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## Phantom_Cichlid (Jul 3, 2006)

probaly 150 or bigger is still your best bet


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## jasno999 (Oct 16, 2006)

Yeah - Well like I said my girlfriend currently has two oscars in a 55 gallon. They are the only fish in the tank and they seem to do well together. Of course there are some fights but nothing serious. 

However the tank needs to be cleaned up regularly because they make a huge mess in a tank that size. So there are two questions at hand here. Let me give you my feelings on each question.

Question 1 - Can 3 tiger oscars and a pleco live in a 120 or 150 gallon tank? My answer would be yes- it is possiable. I think they can survive but it is a risky option. They are goign to fight some and depending on their temperment they may or may not be able to live togetehr in that space. Their growth will be stunted and they will not get as big as they possiably could and they may very well end up unhappy fish. Cleaning the tank will also be a big task cause they are messy fish and your filtration probably will not be able to handle it.

Question 2 - Can 3 tigers and a pleco live comfortably or do well in a 120 or 150 gallon tank? My answer is no. It is not a comfortable solution for those fish. They will be stunted and might end up stressed. It is hard to predict the future but most likley they will wish they had more room.


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## Christine (Nov 4, 2005)

Is it ok to put a clown pleco in with oscars? I mean, clown plecos are pretty small for plecos. I know plecos are tough little things but... those aren't your typical pleco (well other than how much they poop anyway). I personally might be a bit worried about him as the oscars grow. I've never kept oscars tho, maybe someone else might have more input.

Sorry about the loss of your fish.


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## flamingo (Nov 5, 2005)

I would also suggest getting into the 180's and up even though a few of your fish are gone. Green terrors and multiple oscars CAN be done, but you need enough space where they won't get extremely territorial. One of the lfs's around here has a 500 gallon tank I think the size is, and they have at least 4 oscars and a green terror. Pleco, sauger, and something else in there too. No problems other than the oscars were pretty ugly..looked like regugess from customers tanks..messed up spines, etc.

Three oscars can be done in large tanks, but expect some aggression eventually. Two MIGHT pair up even if they are all males, or all females, and that one will be the "loner" of the tank.


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## Humpy (Oct 15, 2006)

the pleco does just fine in there, you dont see him much he is always hiding under the driftwood and the oscars leave him alone. And for now my oscars are all best friends the swim through the water abd bubbles in a single file line just following each other around all the time. There are really happy right now.


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## Phantom_Cichlid (Jul 3, 2006)

youy know you can pick up a 10 gallon and move the clown pleco there


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## Christine (Nov 4, 2005)

Yea I was thinking more about when the oscars get big enough that the pleco fits in their mouth.


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## Gump (Aug 2, 2006)

id be more worried about the raphael cat. ive read to many threads about people loosing O's to them getting a raphael or cory stuck in there throat.

and moses a 8x2x2 is a 240 not a 380.


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## Humpy (Oct 15, 2006)

i only have 3 tiger oscars and a clown pleco


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## Gump (Aug 2, 2006)

Then id say remove clown and get a 180.


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## Guest (Oct 24, 2006)

why not just keep 1 oscar and the pleco and find homes for the other 2 if you dont want to get a massive tank. Then you would have a happy oscar and if you find the others good homes they will be happy too. This is only what i would do because a 8x2x2 would cost me over a £1500 with the lid and light. sorry to be so negitive. If you dont want to give them away then the 200-380 would be good.

Sean


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## Humpy (Oct 15, 2006)

okay so ive done some thinking. I have 3 oscars and a common pleco in an 80g tank. I have decided to get rid of one tiger oscar and the common pleco. Will 2 tiger oscars be okay in an 80g tank?


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

no. Thats too small. Get rid of another oscar, minimum for 2 is 100-120 gallons.


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## Gump (Aug 2, 2006)

id say 125-135 would be a good size for two full grown oscars.


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## Humpy (Oct 15, 2006)

ok so i've been looking into a 150g tank. WOuld 2 oscars a convict and something like an id shark or a bala shark be okay in a 150g?


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## Corydora_FREAK (Feb 21, 2007)

I would only go with the 2 Oscars, you just got rid of the fish you needed to, why add more? Also convicts are territorial and would fight with your Oscars. sry if it sounded mean, i didn't mean for it to.


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

Two O's would be good, not an ID shark or Bala


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## TigerBarb12 (Jan 7, 2007)

you could go with the ever popular 265 gallon, love em. Look like a frikin bath tub.


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

I really doubt he is going to go to 265 gallon.


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