# 5 foot tank... will this work?



## eL Chupy (Aug 6, 2007)

So I had a catastrophic event in my malawi tank and lost everyone. So I decided I was too depressed to go the same route and have switched it over to a SA tank. Dimensions are 5ftx18x18. I picked up 2 mid sized Geophagus surinamensis and was thinking about having one Oscar to go along wiht them. Good combo?

thanks


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Excellent combo. You'll find that the oscar will have two pilot fish. I feel your frustration. I've lost plenty in the past and currently my 1500gal will not hold water... You'll also find that keeping an oscar is way more rewarding than a malawian tank. While they're kind of fun to watch, nothing beats the social interaction of an oscar...


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## eL Chupy (Aug 6, 2007)

thanks.. I'm up in the air right now between oscar and severum... I love oscars and would really like one and my girl would like a severum.. could I fit both in this tank?


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

my 5ft will be stocked with a pair of Severums, A Salvini, a JD and an Oscar, but I'm gonna be over filtering the **** out of it.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

While over filtering is good it's the water changes you'll need to keep up on mok 

And Chupy, I'd do both


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## eL Chupy (Aug 6, 2007)

awesome!.. then the 2 it'll be... now I have to decide if i want to go rotkiel or gold, and tiger or Lutino Cross... I added a gigantic grapevine driftwood peice to the tank, took out the majority of the rocks. I left quite a bit of open sand for the geos to sift through and it's looking like the bottom of a river. It changed the whole mood of my room... it seems so mellow and mysterious.. i think I'm gonna like going this route


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Yes, the oscar and sev will appreciate the swim space... got for a red head! I've got one and they're beatiful! I've also got a stripped green severum, he's cool too... You don;t see too many striped ones around....


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## eL Chupy (Aug 6, 2007)

I'll look around and see what I can find... the LFS has a nice looking rotkiel right now but has a hefty 40 dollar tag on him.. he's got some size to him though.. at least 7 inches. i remember seeing a full grown gold over the summer and he was stunning. I may try to find one of those. I'll look into the red head and striped also, but I think the ultimate decission for the sev will fall to my other half . :lol: ..and in the end I think i want to find them around the 3 inch range and watch them grow a bit... that's where the fun is at :dancing:


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

I'm sporry if I was confusing.... redhead is rotkiel... Rot means red and kiel means head


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## eL Chupy (Aug 6, 2007)

:wink: got ya.. thanks for the help.. once the wood is done crazy leeching tanins I'll get some pics up


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## bfg112 (Feb 13, 2009)

I know this is a stupid question, but I don't know the answer so I'm going to ask anyway. I always read about the large volume frequent water changes that are required for SA's. My question is, if the water is clean and clear, ammonia and nitrites are 0, and nitrates are low (5ppm or so), what is the purpose of such frequent water changes? Do other things build up in the water that I'm not testing for? Please pardon my ignorance. I've been keeping fish for years, but am new to SA's and just started doing the research on them.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

you'll see as the SA's get older, especially the oscar, that your water quality will soon go south 

Actually it's better to do like 10% wc every day rather than 1/3 of the tank once a week... but who's got time for that? LOL


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

And there are no stupid questions. Just stupid people who don't ask questions


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## bfg112 (Feb 13, 2009)

So, if my parameters are as I listed above (those were the results from my water test this past weekend) I'm okay as far as the frequency of my water changes? If I start to see levels rise I need to do more frequent changes? Is that pretty much the deal? Right now I'm only changing 25-30% once a month...

BTW, I don't have an oscar yet. But I would liket to get one when I move into a larger tank. I appreciate the education


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## eL Chupy (Aug 6, 2007)

:dancing: ok fishguy... I picked up a baby Lutino O yesterday and got him in the tank... he was the brightest and most active in the tank at the store... now he is sitting on the bottom of the tank with a real sad look on his face... now I've heard of tempermental oscars getting pissed off and sulking about for a while... is this what I'm experiencing? he lazily swims a foot or so, then plops back down for a while...


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

Give him a few days to settle in. He'll be re-arranging the tank and eating everything in no time


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## Morpheus (Nov 12, 2008)

Absolutely that is what you are experiencing. Wait until you do the first water change! :lol:


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

In my opinion and experience 1/3 of the water should be changed atleast once a week. I do not test my water and never have until joining this site. Went out and spent $70 on a master kit and all of my tanks tested fine... I've been doing water changes every sundey since I can remember :lol:


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## eL Chupy (Aug 6, 2007)

3rd day of this guy in my tank and he seems more active this morning. he's been off the ground all morning but he didn't eat anything... is this to be expected? he's got me worried since my experience with other fish has always been completely opposite...I'm feeling a little dismayed :-?

oh ya... H2O all checks out

nitrate is at about 15 this morning
nitrite and amm at 0


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Most fish arn't as smart as oscars. I'd say if he doesn't eat in a week then you've got an issue.


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## eL Chupy (Aug 6, 2007)

well... I completely psyched myself out today... all day at work all i could think about was the poor little guy at home... completely obsessed on it all day.. so when i got home he was still in the same place as usual, sitting there motionless... i decided to take him back.. must be something wrong.. so i picked up a tiger thats a little larger.. probably 4-5 inches. got him in and he's been swimming around very content and seems ok... he's already more active in my tank than he was at the store, and he's only been in for a few hours... crossing my fingers :fish:


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Very small ones tend to act that way but usually come out of their shell within about a week. But it's nice you gave a bigger one a good home


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## July (Feb 23, 2009)

Your temperture is good? He should not be at the bottom more then a day! Especially if he is not by himself. :? 
They are curious by nature and should be looking around. :fish: 
I hope he is OK.


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## eL Chupy (Aug 6, 2007)

yep... temp is good... the new guy is a monster!.. he's all over the place and eating like a champ! So all is good  ..

still looking for a decent looking severum though. all I can find are the big box store ones and they look rather sad. Really hoping for a red head... that big one is still at my LFS.. I may bite the bullet and drop the high $ ammount they're asking

:thumb:


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## July (Feb 23, 2009)

here is my 10 inch of fun one.
http://s639.photobucket.com/albums/uu111/July_08/?action=view&current=oscar2009002.jpg


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