New tank

[Poet8102]

I am setting up a new tank for two oscars. I have a 29 Gallon tank and I am going to purchase the oscars at about 2in each. I also plan on getting a bigger tank as their size increases. But for now I need to know what the best ph level should be along with temp and any other suggestions that people might have. I would really appreciate any help that I could get from you guys. Thanks

Also I would like to know if I can add some other fish to the tank like maybe a pitcus or two or some other bottom feeder, but I would really like to stay away from pleco's (I really hate those things).

[Rex Karr]

Just to make sure......, you know that you'll need a 75g+ tank in about 3 months right?

A temperature of 78-82 would be fine, and if you keep it on the lower end and feed sparingly they won't have extremely fast growth which may give you an extra month. A pH of 6-7.5 would be best. I wouldn't try keeping them at a higher pH because it can help cause Hole-In-The-Head disease, and oscars are already prone to it. Look around for the healthiest, nicest looking oscars you can find. Lots and lots of oscars are so inbred that they have deformities and imune deficiencies (Spelling?). So make sure you don't buy them at PetsMart or any where like that.

Good Luck
Rex

Also, Welcome to the Cichlid Forums!

[Poet8102]

Thanks Rex I really needed the help and I will take your advise. I was expecting to get a 90 gallon tank in about 6 months, do you think I can wait that long or should I get it sooner. Also is there any bottom feeding fish that you think I can add to help keep the tank clean cause I know that they are messy eaters.

[Rex Karr]

A 90g sounds good. You may be able to hold out for 6 months. But I can't say for sure. It really depends on how fast they grow and how well they like each other. If you buy them real small, feed sparingly, and keep them temp on the low side, you could probably hold out on the bigger tank for 6 months. If the oscars have territorial disputes and are really bothering each other before then, you can install a divider to keep them separated until the larger tank is ready.

Most catfish are actually Predators (You may have known that), but there are a few that are excellent scavengers. Any of the Synodontis genus are excellent scavengers, and do great with American cichlids. Pictus cats are also good scavengers. Also Hoplo cats and any other Armoured cats will be good scavengers (they are just like giant cories). All of these various catfish will reach 4-8" depending on species.

There are also a number of Loaches available. Laoches cat be excellent scavengers in a cichlid tank. I know Horse Faced Loaches and Clown Loaches are both highly recommended.

If you have any more questions we will be happy to help you out.

Rex

[Poet8102]

Thanks for the advise again Rex. Just one more question and I'll stop bothering you guys. I just need to know how much filtration I should have in the tank. I am thinking about getting a 500 gph filter for the 29g tank and keeping it for the 90, is that okay or is that too much for the 29g and not enough for the 90? Thanks in advance for all of your help. Oh yeah, how many pictus cats should I get?

[Rex Karr]

Don't worry, your not bothering anybody.

A 500 gph filter would make a tsumani in a 29g :) And I don't think they Oscars would liek it to much because they are not active swimmers. If you get something smaller for the 29g it would be better.

A 500 gph filter should be enough for a 90g with 2 Oscars and some pictus as long as regular water changes are also carried out. But what kind of filter are you looking at? Not all filters are made equal, and one fitler running 500 gph may not be doing half as much filtering as another style of filter. Wet/Dry's are the best (and the most expensive), Canister's are great (but still pricey), Power Filters can work very well (and are very cheap), Undergravel filters are of no use with large cichlids.

Rex

[Poet8102]

I was looking at the TETRA TEC PF 500 FILTER but since you say that it is too big for my tank do you have any suggestions for me. Right now I have a 150gph filter that came with the tank setup so I don't know the name of the filter. Please give some suggestions, thanks so much for your help so far.

Also I wanted to get two pitcus cats with the oscars, is this okay or will it be over crowded. Once again thanks for your help. 8)

[Rex Karr]

Oops, sorry for not answering the Pictus cat question earlier. I forgot about it. In the 90g you would be fine with 2, or 3, 4, 5, 6, what ever. They aren't real big (about 4-5" usually) and they won't be takeing any space away from the Oscars. Plus they really do a lot better in a group. They may even be schooling fish, I'm not sure though. You could even go with 3 of the regular Spotted Pictus, and 3 of another similiar pictus species. I'm pretty sure there is a 4 lined pictus, but it may be a larger species.

I don't have any experiance with the Tetratec filters, but I just took a look at some on the net and they look good. As long as you have real good water changeing schedules in the 29g you should be alright with the filter you already have for a few months. But if you would like you could buy one of the Aquaclear filters to help on the 29g and then move it over to the 90g later. Thats actually a good idea because you really can't have to much filtration (just to much water movement sometimes). The Aquaclears are cheap and very reliable. You can get them through a mail order compoany for $30 and less. And be sure to order all equipment like filters online. I've seen Aquaclear 500's sell for $90 at a Pet Shop, when you can get that model for $30 almost anywhere on the net or through catalogs.

Good luck
Rex

[DC DON]

Poet..I too am a new Oscar owner and experienced many of the highs and lows with a 29 gallon tank. Highs.

1)Water quality is good. My remaining Oscar and Green Terror have no disease and are very colorful
2)I've used a 150 gph Aquaclear filter that has done a very very good job.

Lows
1) I lost a pictus, 2 oscars, and a chinese algae eater in the first few months of the tank. 1 Oscar and a pictus were lost to disease(mainly b/c i did not cycle the tank), and another oscar and the pictus were killed by the remaining two tank dwellers. The algae eater was eaten by the oscar who has grown to a healthy 7 inches and grew like a madman.


So I'd suggest to listen to the advice given here. You can't go wrong b/c these guys know they're stuff. I'm going to try and house my GT and Oscar in this 29 Gallon, but I don't expect it to last long. However, was planning to get a bigger tank but then my wife got pregnant, so that's out the window for now. Good luck with your tank and most people i know with pictus get them in like two's or three's...the spotted grow to 4"-5", and the lined get to about 8"-10"....you can introduce a healthy 4" lined pictus to a full grown oscars tank if it has caves to hide, so they do very well with oscars and are really pretty.

[Poet8102]

Guys thanks so much for the help. You have really helped me with the advise you have given me. So let me just inform you on the decision you guys have helped me make. I am going to get the two oscars with 3 spotted cats (I want them to be able to be in a group plus I love the way they look). I will replace my current filter with one of the aquaclear models probably the 150, and I am going to hope for the best. But with all of your advise I don't think I will have any problems.

Thanks so much DC Don, and Rex
8)

[Rex Karr]

Everything sounds good. You did the right thing by doing research before you bought the fish. It will save you head aches in the long run. And you mention replaceing the filter on the 29g with the Aquaclear. Well, I would run both on it intstead of reomoveing the existing filter. It will help a lot when the oscars start growing and get a bit bigger before they're moved.

Rex

[jonah]

Let me chime in here. I have a 29g with an AquaClear 500 on it right now. They have an adjustable flow that will bring it down to under 200gph. I think their website said something like 168gph. If you did it that way you could still use the 500 on the 90g later on. I don't have oscars though, it's Neolamprologus brichardi in that tank.

BTW, I'd just go ahead and get a 125g if you can. You'll want one eventually anyway. :wink:

Go ahead and get two. :D

[WorldNation]

bah! get 2? 2? what are you telling him these crazy things?!?!?!....he should at least get 3, i mean thats like the minimum! :lol: :wink:

i got a Neolamprologus brichardi, he's the 3rd in command of my tank, mean lil guy, lol

[Poet8102]

What do you guys mean get three? Get three what, oscars, filters? I am a little confused here. Please explain.

[jonah]

2 or 3 125g tanks. :wink:

I've got two, but I want more.

[Rex Karr]

Yeah, they're just screwing with your head :)

[Poet8102]

Thanks 8)