# To much or not enough?



## jakekersley (Mar 25, 2013)

e a 60g tank with the following.

1 x 7/8" oscar
1x 6" frontosa 
1x small pleco 3"
1x med sized ghost knife 11"

I feed them a mixture of blood worms, pellets, beef heart, shrimp.

Currently I defrost 1 and a half cubes sometimes two. Every second day.

Would 1 cube be better or less than that? I want to avoid a nitrate problem. Should I feed daily or is this okay?


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

OMG what a mix. Not sure what to say.  :-?


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## jcabage (May 29, 2012)

jakekersley said:


> I want to avoid a nitrate problem.


With these fish in that tank, you will inevitably have a nitrate problem (assuming you are using enough biological filtration to meet the load), among several other issues.

The frontosa and ghost knife are obviously too large for the tank at their mature size (15"+ fish). Even now you have an 11" fish in a 12" wide tank (assuming a usual 60 gallon tank dimensions). The fish also require varying water conditions to thrive. Many have kept a lone oscar in a tank that size, and that would be my recommendation.

If you want to keep all 3, I would think about a serious tank upgrade (maybe ~2x the volume?). The frontosa will still be out of place in the tank even given more space.


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## spicoli (Jan 14, 2013)

I'll agree you have too much fish for that tank. My BGK is 16-18 inches, and in a 125. He could be in a bigger tank. Frontosa is another no no in a 60. I'd get rid of all three to better homes and try your hand at smaller species.

It seems like you want something that will eat other fish/carnivorous. How about exodon paradoxus in a school if you like something aggressive and smaller? They can be insane i hear but an alternative to the fish in your tank. The BGK needs to be in a larger home already the oscar should be too.


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## jakekersley (Mar 25, 2013)

my nitrate is 10-20ppm i do 25% water changes weekly. I am currently looking to buy a 8ft tank, My LFS help me set up this tank and their information has caused nothing but drama.

^^ back to the original question am i feeding them enough.


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## jakekersley (Mar 25, 2013)

edit: the oscar is about 5-6" i just compared him to a ruler, the front is much smaller and the green terror is the same size as the front. Dont have any fights or issues, the only reason the BGK is in their is because an ex... lol


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## jakekersley (Mar 25, 2013)

If i was to re home everything would a 55g be okay for the green terror and oscar. They are not aggressive.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The fish you keep are not all ones I am very familiar with, but personally I would just feed the pellets and maybe the shrimp. Once a day and what they can eat in 30 seconds.

If the fish start to look too round...feed less. If their bellies start to look concave...feed more.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

jakekersley said:


> If i was to re home everything would a 55g be okay for the green terror and oscar. They are not aggressive.


It would be ok for one, or the other, but not both once they are mature.

As far as foods, Oscars aren't particularly picky, but that doesn't mean what you feed is good for them. I'd dump all of what you are currently feeding, and go with a high quality cichlid pellet.


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## jakekersley (Mar 25, 2013)

If i change to pellets how many pellets would you put in at once?


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## jcabage (May 29, 2012)

DJRansome said:


> Once a day and what they can eat in 30 seconds.
> 
> If the fish start to look too round...feed less. If their bellies start to look concave...feed more.


 :thumb:


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## pfoster74 (May 13, 2012)

remember even if you get that 8 foot tank you still will not want the oscar with the fronts.i don't know what a ghost knife is so cant speak to that for tank mates.


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## IanR29 (Dec 13, 2012)

Wow. I'd still say a 55 is way to small for a full grown Oscar. You've for to think of that thing for when he tries to turn around. It's a cramped living condition. A green terror may e but not an Oscar. Anything that grows I've 8" I'd say belongs in a 6 foot tank at the very least. Fronts are African, green terrors oscars and I believe bgk are south/central American. 2 totally different living conditions.

With no problems now, they aren't mature yet. Just wait.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

jakekersley said:


> If i change to pellets how many pellets would you put in at once?


You are going to put in a "test" amount and see if they can eat it in 30 seconds. If you want to do it by number of pellets, count them first.

If they eat it faster than 30 seconds...put in more pellets. If they don't finish it in 30 seconds, vacuum out what's left and feed less the next day.


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