# Noob Introduction, New Oscar Tank.



## Strohs58 (Aug 3, 2009)

Just thought Id Introduce myself, and let you all know about a new (to me tank) Im setting up. I grew up with fish tanks, around the age of 10 my parents were given a 55g from a neighbor that was moving, to house their goldfish that they weren't taking with them. The star of the tank was a huge orange fantail named Blooper. I've been infected with bug ever since.

After graduating from High School and going off to college, I set up a 20g high in my dorm and bought a small tiger oscar. Which quickly filled the tank, his name was Lou and the guys on my floor loved to come feed him gold fish or the nightcrawlers I kept in my fridge. He survived 4 years at school in that tank, and when I got my 1st apartment my parents gave me the 55g when they bought a 90g. Lou moved in and lived another 5-6 years in the 55g with a large calico snake head that I saw in the fish store. (I never saw one of those before or since) They both loved to compete for goldfish, which was their main food source. After Lou died I took the Snake head back to the store, and switched the tank over to African Cichlids. After having the African's for a year we moved to Colorado, and I gave the tank and fish to a neighbor.

We moved into a small apartment and I set up a 20g community tank, that now resides in my home office. We moved to a house and I bought a 90g that is set up in the Living room, is filled with Lace rock and Africans that seem intent on overcrowding the tank. We decided to paint and I needed to drain the tank to move it and set up a 70g in the basement that I got of CList for $60. After moving the africans back to the 90 I had an empty running 70 in the basement so I picked up a tiger oscar, and 5 silver dollars to keep him company. Things were fine in the 70 until a neighbor of mine was moving back to Alaska and his son had a red oscar in a 10g tank, that they didn't want to take with them, so I agreed to take it and put it in the 70g. Well after an adjustment period they get along alright, but the tiger is the boss and he will throw his weight around from time to time and the red submits (he's a tad smaller).

Well last weekend I picked up a 155g (4'x2'x30") off CL to replace the 70. Since it was used it came with 3 fish, a 6inch bala shark, a 5 inch catfish and a 5inch Rainbow shark. All of which went in the 70g while I get the 155 up and running. Current filtration on the 70 is two Aqua clear 70s a Rena XP3 and an undergravel with two powerheads. The 155g came with a wet dry filter, and I plan on using the aqua clears and the xp3 on it also. I don't plan on adding any additional inhabitants to the tank, and believe it won't be overcrowded. Its currently cycling so any advice on my plan? I know the Bala would be happier with some of his own kind and the Rainbow does pick on him, but I hope that subsides when moved into the bigger tank. He's kinda an unwanted orphan, but figure he's my responsibility now.

Any thoughts?

Hope the into wasn't to long, but wanted to outline my experience, and past mistakes.  and hopefully there's enough oscar content to be posted in the right place.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Welcome to the C-F  Yeah the post was kind of long but it's beeter to have too much information then not enough!

It's good to know that you've got plenty of experience and it sure seems like your MTS (Multiple Tank Syndrome) is going to rear it's ugly head :lol:

So to sum it up .... you've got plenty of oscar, cichlid, and general fish experience and you want ot know if this stock:

1-Tiger oscar
1-Red oscar
1-Bala Shark
1-Rainbow shark
4-silver dollars
1-5" unknown catfish (We'd kind of need to know what kind it is too... Feel free to post a picture)

You want ot know if it's going to work in your 4x2x30tall tank...

In my opinion the foot print is ok for two oscars (if they're getting along)... The problem may be the bala shark. They're a little neurotic... they tend to flash quite often and longer tanks are better for them... Not to mention they prefer to be in groups of a minimum of three, which tends to calm them down... problem is you wouldn't have that kind of room to add two more...

I'd try to rehome the bala shark... 
Also try and figure out what kind of catfish you have...
I didn't miss anything did I?


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## Strohs58 (Aug 3, 2009)

Thanks for the Reply, I'm pretty sure the catfish is a Horabagrus brachysoma, the former owner called it a half moon catfish. ??

The Oscar's mostly get along they swim together most of the time, but once in awhile the Tiger bosses around the Red.

only correction I'd make is there are 5 Silver Dollars.

I am thinking of rehoming the Bala, however the only fish store in my town is Petsmart they don't take fish from customers, and the one in a nearby town only takes them on Week days, so would have to take a day off work to bring him in. Which is possible and will probably do that eventually.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Not sure if you're aware of this site, but according to them they get quite large:

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/sp ... ies_id=159


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## Strohs58 (Aug 3, 2009)

Yea see that now. 17 inches is pretty big, but it could be worse I guess, the tank could have come with a Shovelnose or a Redtail instead.

So after rehoming the Bala, think I've got enough tank/filtration for the current inhabitants of the 70?


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

I think so, the wet dry will be nice, as a matter of fact, if you've got the tank set up you can do an instant cycle right now. Since you've got the 70 set up this is what you'll need to do if you're willing.

1. Empty 70 gallons out of the 155.

2.Put all of the water from the 70 gallon into the 155.

3. put all of the fish from the 70 into the 155

4. Put all of the filters that are running on the 70 onto the 155. These will seed the wet dry and any other filter you add. And since you'll be adding the fish right away they will keep it seeded. Thus instantly cycling.

5. you can even take some decor out of the 70 and put it into the 155. The decor will have beneficial bacteria on it helping to "instantly" cycle the 155.

I do this all the time. I've got multiple tanks and have for many years. I haven't "cycled" a tank since 1986... matter of fact. Stock changes so quickly here that I'm constantly (or so it seems) setting up and taking down tanks...


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## Strohs58 (Aug 3, 2009)

Ok spent the evening last night switching water and fish and filters over to the 155 just like you outlined above. The only problem I ran into was the Aqua Clear 70s aren't going to work on this tank. The lip on the top molding that the hood sits in is to wide for the up tubes on the filters they don't cover the propeller enough to get adequate suction. So going to have to sell them and upgrade to a bigger hang on the back filter, if additional filtration is necessary.

I was surprised the O's didn't sulk at all after putting them in the tank they weren't to happy with the netting procedure and both gave me my 2nd and 3rd shower of the day. But once in the 155 spent the entire time swimming around and checking out the new digs. Hopefully tonight I can get some Pics up, theres more work to be done, I still need a background, and the additional filter, but happy with it so far.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Were you able to move some filter media over to the new tank somehow then?

Yeah, I find when you move oscars to something bigger they rarely sulk. It's when you put them in some sort of transport device like a bucket or bag... then to the new tank is when they sulk...


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## Strohs58 (Aug 3, 2009)

The XP3 hooked up fine after replacing the hoses for being to short, and I took the sponges and the bio media out of the Aqua Clears and put them in the Wet dry filter. I also picked up a bottle of Tidy Tank on the way home yesterday and added that as well. It made things cloudy at first but it cleared up pretty fast.

Do you think that's enough to stop the spike?


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

You still might get a spike, but you're not dealing with juvi fish either... I think you'll be fine. Did you move any decor? Like some "dirty" gravel or anything like that?


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## Strohs58 (Aug 3, 2009)

Oh yea definitely, this tank was up and running when I bought it and all I did was scoop the gravel into buckets, it was in the buckets for a week and I kept it wet, but was pretty dirty when I put it back in, also all the decor from the 70 went into the 155. The water was pretty dark when I set up and started the filters, thats why I thought the Tidy Tank might be a good idea.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

You'll be fine then  Get some pictures up...


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## Strohs58 (Aug 3, 2009)

Thanks for the input, I'll work on the pictures however I don't have a good history of successfully taking pictures of my tanks. So quality pics can't be promised.


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## Strohs58 (Aug 3, 2009)

Ok Pictures as requested.



















And as predicted terrible pictures. :lol:


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

The pictures arn't bad... All you need to do is take pictures with the flash but you've got to be on a bout a 30* angle when you do, that way the flash doesn't show up on the glass


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## Strohs58 (Aug 3, 2009)

I'll have to give that a try. Any thoughts/critique or ideas for the tank?


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Personally I like to paint the atleast the back of my tanks... gives em a little more security.. Actually the tanks in the fish room are painted on the bottom back and sides...


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## Strohs58 (Aug 3, 2009)

Well I think my plan is going to be to add enough of that ivy to cover the back of the tank, and once it gets some algae built up on it will look more natural. They seem to prefer hanging out by the Ivy since I added it. Hoping that looks better than a picture background.

One side is already painted.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

That's cool, I like the natural look too.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

I think you did an excellant job on the hardscaping and wouldn't change a thing with it!!! :thumb:

Until you picked up the ivy, I would do a black background though. I have even used construction paper before. Use the ivy to hide the equipment and you'd be golden. Leaving a sliver of black visable would add a look of depth (widthwise) to the tank.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Black pain works too :wink:


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## Strohs58 (Aug 3, 2009)

Depth is good will give it a try. Thanks for the tip and the compliment. 8)

Black paint might be a little harder to get off If I'm not sold on it. :?

I'm hoping the cover supplied by the Ivy, helps bring the fish up from the bottom more, the silver dollars especially like to hang out around the rocks in the bottom, would like to get more movement near the top of the tank.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

TheFishGuy said:


> Black pain works too :wink:


This sounds like it hurts :lol:


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## Strohs58 (Aug 3, 2009)

Yea this hobby shouldn't be painful.


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## Morcs (Jun 1, 2009)

I just had a 65g made for me with tinted sides and bottom, and a dark tinted back, with black silicone. Looks a million bucks and my O will love it


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## Strohs58 (Aug 3, 2009)

Morcs said:


> I just had a 65g made for me with tinted sides and bottom, and a dark tinted back, with black silicone. Looks a million bucks and my O will love it


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

:lol: :lol: :lol: That's great!

And painful it _can_ be...


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

I deffinately prefer paint, but construction paper can be put on while the tank is full and against the wall rather easily. Of course, I used it on nonsplashing dwarf cichlid tanks. I imagine an oscar would get it wet rather quickly.


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## Strohs58 (Aug 3, 2009)

Made a trip down to the local river for some more rock. Here's some updated pictures. Still need to get more of the ivy and work on blacking out the background.























































Can you find the Catfish?


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## Strohs58 (Aug 3, 2009)

Updated pic...


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## Diaster (Aug 17, 2009)

Awesome tank the green helped it out a ton! =D> O's are very pretty :wink:


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## Strohs58 (Aug 3, 2009)

Thanks, I'm still not happy with the lighting of it. Need to try something else the 2 10k light bulbs are way to bright.


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