# tiger oscar size + tankmate



## bentech (Dec 24, 2010)

hi, i have a baby tiger oscar (4 inchs), for now, he is in a 28 gallons tank but i'm gone a move it in a 75 gallons tank in maby 6-7 weeks. When i buy it, it was a very little baby (3 inchs) i put it with my little african cichlids baby but he get attack by them so i have to put it in my hopital tank (5 gallons) by the time my 28 gallons tank get cycle. so he pass 1 month in a 5 gallons tank and he is in a 28 gallons for about 6 weeks from now. Is it possible that he is not gone a grown to is full size even in a 75 gallons tank because he pass 4 weeks in very small tank when he was baby ??. I have to say that now, is in a great shape and it seem to be in good health because is color are very bright and he is not alone with a small venustus cichlids and a little crayfish. also, what can be a good tank mate for oscar fish ??


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## FishOnLand (Jul 10, 2010)

First of all, congrats on planning to provide your oscar with a 75 gallon home.

To answer your first question, oscars will grow if you feed them properly and keep their water clean. Tank size does not stop any fish from growing, only poor water quality and a bad diet. To keep its water clean, make sure you perform water changes every week. With a 75 gallon tank and just an oscar inside, you will need to change 1/3 of the water (25 gallons). Make sure you use a gravel vaccuum to do this because they tend to poop a lot.

As far as tank mates go in a 75 gallon, I wouldn't plan for too many more since a 75 gallon does not provide a lot of water to buffer wastes from a lot of fish. A general rule of thumb is to have ones that are not small enough for the oscar to eat when it is an adult. They tend to see smaller tankmates as food. Also, stay away from aggressive fish that will still chase the oscar, even though they are smaller, as oscars are slow and clumsy. It could end up with torn fins or damage from trying to escape fish that chase the oscar. I tried keeping a convict with mine for a while, and it didn't work out for this reason. I've had luck with a firemouth though, but they tend to grow slowly and may qualify as food if the oscar outgrows it, which often tends to happen.


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## bentech (Dec 24, 2010)

ok thanks !! the water is in perfect condition, i do a 25-30% of water change every week and i have two aquaclear 30 filter for a 28 gallons tank. for the food, i feed my oscar only one time a day and i have many kind of food: blood worm, brine shrimp, high quality flakes food, cichlid pellet and little salad shrimp. About the tank mates, are agels fish too small to go with a oscar ??


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## FishOnLand (Jul 10, 2010)

I'm not sure about angels, but if they are slow and peaceful fish they may not work together.

You can feed the oscar twice a day once you put it in the 75g aquarium, though I would monitor your nitrates closely if you decide to do so while he is in the 28g.

I would stop using flakes once it gets bigger too, they tend to make more mess than feed the fish. Unless you are using them for smaller fish in the tank too. Shrimp and blood worms make good treats a few times a week, but the best primary diet is a quality pellet food. They hold more vitamins and nutrients that your oscar will need to keep it healthy, and won't dissolve into the water as easily as flakes do.


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## bentech (Dec 24, 2010)

what about a bala shark and a black ghost knifefish ??


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## FishOnLand (Jul 10, 2010)

I really don't have any experience with either of those fish, so I can't say. You might just want to do a little research via the internet on them and see what a few different sources say about their aggressiveness, types of tankmates they do well with, etc. The last thing you'd want is for any of them to beat up on each other. Also pay attention to whether they are schooling fish (I think balas are) and what kind of decorations you would need (bgk fish like hiding places) this may determine whether they fit your setup or not as well.


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## bentech (Dec 24, 2010)

thx !!

i think i will go with green terror and black ghost fish  .
i saw many peoples on youtube that have thems with oscar and it seem to work pretty well !!


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

The black ghost knife is one that I wouldn't personally put with an oscar - BGK are basically blind and are a pretty delicate fish, while the oscar is pretty chunky and messy and might bully the smaller knife - a GT would work, but I'd drop the BGK myself


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## bentech (Dec 24, 2010)

thanks !! black ghost nifefish are not blind, they use electric field as his eyes to look around for food and others fishs !! But like you said, BGK are a delicate fish and might get hurt with an Oscar in the same tank !!


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## justin3p0 (Apr 5, 2010)

my oscar never once harmed my angel fish in fact it was tyhe only fish he didnt kill


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