# is a 70 gallon tank big enough for 2 oscars?



## fishtycoon11 (Apr 13, 2011)

[No message]


----------



## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

No.


----------



## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

TheFishGuy said:


> No.


+1 - he's also the mod so I'd do what he says :lol:


----------



## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Being a mod really doesn't have anything to do with it! LOL


----------



## Nina_b (Jan 3, 2011)

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=120976


----------



## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Lol to me it would mean that you're very knowledgable on the topic of the forum you "mod" for


----------



## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

I'm still learning every day.


----------



## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

He has helped me immensely! I'm still dealing with the hole in the head but I have seen drastic changes from FishGuy's advice Ty! :thumb:


----------



## fishtycoon11 (Apr 13, 2011)

well mr. fish guy my oscars are like 6 in. right now and im getting a bigger tank when they get bigger


----------



## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

fishtycoon11 said:


> well mr. fish guy my oscars are like 6 in. right now and im getting a bigger tank when they get bigger


That's great, let us know how that works out.


----------



## Alpha7 (Apr 27, 2011)

TheFishGuy said:


> Being a mod really doesn't have anything to do with it! LOL


hehehe maybe being 'TheFishGuy' does. 

Now that this has been brought up.... what would you consider to be 'the minimum tank size' for an oscar?


----------



## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

I get mixed feelings on this from a lot of people Alpha 7. The minimum tank size in my opinion and experience for an oscar to live a long "normal" life would be a bare 55. Let me explain. If the tank is bare it's very easy to vacuum up poo or uneaten food when you do you water changes. If the tank is bare it's easy to provide you oscar with "things to do" like ping pong balls or practice balls from your golf bag. Heaters are not necessary once the oscar matures so you don't need to worry about the oscar breaking your heater... Now the major one I often get "Keeping a 14" fish in a 12" wide tank isn't going to work" MY answer to that is consistently the fact that fish are flexible, they can definately turn around just fine, they're not torpedos or submarines. The singe oscar quaetion is easy for me to answer, it's keeping multiples that gets tricky. I've got 95 oscar fry in a 50 breeder. Six of them will be moved to a 125 to eventually pair off. Once I get a pair the others will have to be removed, until then it's going to be a very interesting and fun tank to watch and care for.

To anyone wanting to keep more than one oscar I'd suggest they do the same, if not it will more than likely end in disaster.


----------



## fishtycoon11 (Apr 13, 2011)

ok so there not going to kill each other in my 70 right? cuz they like never separte from each other they just like rub against each other and stuff.
it kinda looks like there flirting


----------



## Jeditwin (Jan 30, 2011)

I have two baby red O's in a 75 gallon now, and they do the same thing... They are attached at the fin... HAHAHAH......

Never leave eachother's side, well at least for now....


----------



## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

fishtycoon11/Jeditwin, The fact that your juvi oscars swim together and never leave each others side is because it's their instinct to school for survival. Once they mature the dynamics of the tank will drasticly change.


----------



## deisel10 (Apr 21, 2011)

My first cichlids ever were two Oscars in a 125. When they were juvies they seemed like best friends i was hoping they would pair off and breed, then when they grew up they were both angry males that would stay away from each for a while and then fight so hard they shattered a glass heater (rookie mistake, shoulda been plastic.) broke a hood and ripped the intake's off two filters. They had to be separated.


----------



## cichlid_kid96 (Nov 22, 2010)

TheFishGuy said:


> Heaters are not necessary once the oscar matures so you don't need to worry about the oscar breaking your heater......


What do u mean by this I've never heard of that


----------



## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Mature cichlids, the robust ones like oscars, texas, midas, synspila, JD, GT do not need heaters when older. The only reason a heater is necessary is if you want the fish to spawn. Most people just keep the heaters in as a disease preventative. Most of my tanks are not heated... Especially in summer. Ever been to a fish show? Only a few tanks are heated, those being the discus and the fish with paranoid owners... And remember we're talking fish that sell in the hundreds of dollars range...


----------



## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

What about the winter time?


----------



## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Personally I try not to let my tanks get below 70, but they have... and everyone was fine...


----------



## purita (Jan 19, 2011)

*TheFishGuy*
you should have a tv show or something! cool! lol!!
:thumb:


----------



## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

It's been offered... I declined due to the fact that every reality show causes problems with friends and family. Animal Planet approached me a year or so ago about it. My time slot was going to be where "Tanked" is now.


----------



## Catfish Dan (Apr 12, 2011)

Dang. I'd consider getting my satellite hooked back up for that! As it is I just watch the tanks in my living room


----------



## smitty (May 7, 2004)

If they are not beating on each other and can coexist together I think they can go in the 75. It might not be ideal. But it can work.


----------



## purita (Jan 19, 2011)

*TheFishGuy*

"the fish whisperer" :thumb: :thumb:


----------



## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

TheFishGuy said:


> It's been offered... I declined due to the fact that every reality show causes problems with friends and family. Animal Planet approached me a year or so ago about it. My time slot was going to be where "Tanked" is now.


Wow. Don't get me wrong I like the background for "Tanked", but I'd much rather watch something more true to life you know?


----------



## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

After talking with my wife I decided it wasn't worth Animal Planets "Compensation" to have them follow me and my family around for a year. These "reality" shows seem to split familys apart and alienate friends. My family is more important than money. Though it was very tempting to finally have the funding for Monster Fish Rescue and to finally get the respect of people who thought it was a scam. I think my family could have survived it but would it have been worth the risk?

So now that we've completely gone way of subject we should probably get back on it... Or I wouldn't be doing my job... :lol:


----------



## purita (Jan 19, 2011)

*TheFishGuy*

yeah i agree that "family comes first." and besides, we need you here! lol!


----------



## theexpert401 (Dec 9, 2015)

why would you buy a tank that is not gonna be big enough first and then buy another tank later. when you could just buy the correct sixe the first time and save money. these fish deserve a big tank i have one 9 inch tiger oscar in a 90 g and i think hes a little cramped the bigger the tank the better


----------

