# What is the smallest tank for an oscar?



## fish36 (Jun 6, 2009)

I want a tiger oscar or the albino version of it, and I want to know on how small of a size tank it needs for just 1 of them? 

Some people are telling me a 10 gallon tank is ok if you feed them cichlid pellets.


----------



## SouthernBelle23 (Mar 24, 2009)

You mean for life? 75g would be minimum IMO. For now, you could put one in like a 20g....and upgrade within 6 months or so...I'm not sure how fast they grow.


----------



## fish36 (Jun 6, 2009)

SouthernBelle23 said:


> You mean for life? 75g would be minimum IMO. For now, you could put one in like a 20g....and upgrade within 6 months or so...I'm not sure how fast they grow.


Oh thanks for the information. I feel stupid for asking now lol.


----------



## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

the best tank i have ever had for a single oscar was a 120 gallon.24x24x48... after all..... they do get to be almost 2 feet long..


----------



## fish36 (Jun 6, 2009)

lohachata said:


> the best tank i have ever had for a single oscar was a 120 gallon.24x24x48... after all..... they do get to be almost 2 feet long..


I just heard buying them as babies and feeding them pellets keeps them somewhat small in a 10 gallon tank, but i guess my sources are wrong.


----------



## ivwarrior (Jul 27, 2008)

liveaquaria.com says 70 gallon minimum. They also list max size as 1 ft.


----------



## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

yeah...so why am i breeding fish that live aquaria says have never been bred in captivity?


----------



## ivwarrior (Jul 27, 2008)

Wasn't intending to step on any toes there, I just listed what they claimed as max size, for reference to what they consider minimum tank size. Now, while minimum is just that, and bigger is generally better, if the true max size is bigger than what they list, I'd say the minimum tank size is probably bigger, too. Guess I should have said that in my first post.

Either way, a 10g isn't even close to enough.


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

A lot of max sizes go out the window in captivity. Often the max sizes are the largest collected from the wild and measured. Obviously, its not always a complete sample. And once you take them to an environment of nutritious food and no predators, fish live longer and grow bigger than anyone expected. Oscars are especially bad "starter fish" because they can outgrow a 30 in less than a year. Do a search on 'dwarf cichlids' or look here http://cichlid-forum.com/articles/cookie_cutter_10g.php for more suitable fish for a 10 gallon tank. Oscars are great, but there are a variety of wonderful related fishes that won't have you begging for a new home for them in 6 months.


----------



## fish36 (Jun 6, 2009)

Well i am planing on getting a bigger tank anyways in the next 2 months. Maybe a 40 or 50 gallon tank, haven't decided yet.


----------

