# I want an oscar



## _inuyasha_fan_13 (Apr 1, 2005)

ok i have decided i want an oscar, i know they get big so would a 55 gallon tank work. also what do they eat? anything else would be helpful it will take nme awile to save up so ill have lots of time to research lol


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## cameraman_2 (Mar 28, 2005)

I fed my oscar, oscar pellets and occasionaly got him some feeder fish. A 55 should be fine for one, although be careful if you get more than one because they can be oggressive and they say to aleast keep 8 of them together instead of 2 or 3.


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## Gunnie (Jan 20, 2005)

I would say a 55 gallon would be the smallest tank to put an oscar in, and if you had more than one, you will need a bigger tank.  I have 2 oscars along with 2 jack dempseys and a large pleco in a 100 gal. tank, and sometimes think they need a bigger tank.  Oscars are great fish to have with unbelievable personalities.  They are very messy fish with big appetites and need lots of filtration and water changes to keep their water clean.  I feed mine Omega One cichlid pellets, and an occasional rosy red just to keep them perky.  Feeder fish are not recommended unless you quarantine them first so you don't feed your oscars diseases.  They are also not very nutritious for your fish, but it keeps that little bit of aggressive instinct thriving.  I also feed live earthworms occasionally.  Crickets are okay, but if the oscars isn't quick enough, you end up with crickets in your house, so I don't feed live crickets.  There are all kinds of cichlid pellets out there you can feed him.  Mine will only eat the Omega One, and the occasional JumboMin made by Tetra. I would have to respectfully disagree with having a bunch of oscars in a 55 gal. tank. One will be all you could have in a 55 gal., and my experience with them has shown me that they don't have to have roommates to be happy, and prefer to be the only oscar (or fish for that matter) in the tank.  Have fun with your oscar!  They are great fish!  Just make sure you keep the tank clean!   :wink:


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## _inuyasha_fan_13 (Apr 1, 2005)

OK THANKS ill have to start saving up to by a tank and stand lol


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## atltk (Feb 16, 2005)

I actually kept 2 oscars in a 55 with 3 african cichlids and a pleco throughout college and they did just fine. Every once in a while the two oscars would "mouth-wrestle," but never hurt each other. They even laid eggs many times, but the cichlids would get them quickly as I didn't have another tank to raise them seperately. I got them all as babies/juveniles and let them grow up together.


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

A single fish or a breeding pair would be most suitable for that sized setup.


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## cameraman_2 (Mar 28, 2005)

I've had a friend who had 2 oscars that got in a fight in a 55 gallon and they somehow made the aquarium become unstable and it fell over.


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## Jordan01 (Apr 18, 2005)

Oscars grow very fast, about an inch a month. So make sure you have a sutible tank for them. you house 2 oscars in a 55, I wouldn't reccomend it because keeping up your water quality would be way too mich work. If it was me and I could afford it, I would have 75 gallons for one oscar. and if you really get into oscars it is better to have 1 or 6 so I would buy a big 300 gallon tank for 6 oscars.


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## PigMonkeyFish (Apr 19, 2005)

I had a pair in a 75 gall tank but again filtration and water changes are key to keeping water quality suitable. Oscars are messy but great fish


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

cameraman_2 @ Tue Apr 19 said:


> I've had a friend who had 2 oscars that got in a fight in a 55 gallon and they somehow made the aquarium become unstable and it fell over.


 :? You sure it wasn't a bucket they were fighting in?


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## cameraman_2 (Mar 28, 2005)

nope it was an aquarium in someones office. She came back to work and the aquarium was on the floor.


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Must of been one hell of an old tank!


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## buddah101 (Mar 20, 2005)

Or the cleaning/janitor did it. :shock:


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