South American Cichlids • buying a oscar to go with my other one

[cichlid_beast]

my oscar lives in 220 liters and ph at about 8 or 7.8 he lives with 1x peakcock, a convict and a cat fish i know he prefers 7.0 but he seems fine at the moment, anyway im getting a new 450 liter tank with about 25 afrcians pluss 50 babys, i will make my 220 l into a south american setup , anyway today i want to buy an oscar who lives in 7.0 water will it be save to add him to the 7.8/8.0 tank instantly?
what i was thinking later was to lower the ph to 7.0 but not till i get the acfians out into my main tank
cheers

[SinisterKisses]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but 220 litres is about 60 gallons, yes? If so, your tank is much, much too small for two oscars. Personally, I wouldn't even be comfortable keeping even one oscar in a tank of that size.

[cichlid_beast]

It's not bad I am aware of the fact I should upgrade that tank and I will I've just got a 450 liter for my African setup and I will do the same but I'l have got very good filtration,however canyou advise on the ph change?

[aggriffin3]

Whats wrong with the setup as you have it minus the single African? You could Keep the 60 gallon and add some dithers to the tank with the Oscar, and not overcrowd it without having to upgrade to a much larger tank. What type of catfish do you have?
I know a lot of people put Silver Dollars in with Oscars? What would be wrong with them, a catfish, and the Oscar as your single wet pet.
I think a single Firemouth, an adult Blue Acara or Female convict might even work?

Enjoy

Art

[jd lover]

It's not bad I am aware of the fact I should upgrade that tank and I will I've just got a 450 liter for my African setup and I will do the same but I'l have got very good filtration,however canyou advise on the ph change?

over filtration does no good filtration can only go so far. besides that 2 oscar in a tank rarely works out

2 male = 5% success
1 male+1 female= 50/50% success
2 femal= 90% success

[cichlid_beast]

well , my oscar is such a nice guy i want to give him a mate! plus i think the pair will look good and also i want to get into breeding

[cichlid_beast]

but still no one has answered the key question ! from ph 7.0 to my tank at 7.8-8.0 will the new oscars fall ill? or die cos of the change,

p.s i appreciate all the feed but but pls let me know regarding the ph

[aggriffin3]

I think the reason we havent answered the PH question is we are more concerned with two Oscars in the same tank of that size.
Personally, I wouldnt worry too much with the PH difference, but thats me. I have no problems with my fish in a different PH than noted, as they usually are raised in a local PH whatever it might be without having to changing it.

Art

[Tiktaalik Owner]

A 220 liter is barely big enough for one Oscar all by itself. You're already overstocked. Your fish produce ammonia that your filter turns into nitrates. Oscars are extremely sensitive to nitrates: it lowers their immune system and causes hole in the head (HITH). Filtration doesn't lower nitrates; only water changes do, and in a tank that size you couldn't do enough to keep your nitrates at a safe level.

Your Oscar needs clean water, not a mate. Two Oscars will be swimming in their own filth -- if they don't kill each other.

[cichlid_beast]

Ok point taken but

I am doing weekly water changes treated with a.p.i stress coat before and then placed in the water is clear and I know I'm getting rid of the nitrates cos my Oscar has no hole in the head,all the sand #%$& is getting syponed out I'm actually quite OCD about it,

I must shamefully,say I used to neglect that tank I'm talking when water changing no treatment and doing a lot of novice things like cleaning filters out under the tap once I didn't. Water change for 6 weeks. I was going though a really bad time I didn't even sypon the #%$& out from the sand and the tank was basically green only in the last 2 months have I stepped my game up.
But the reason why I'm saying all this is because I'm surprised my Oscar made it and he was still in good shape now it makes me happy that he is having the time of his life,well maybe I could do with lowering the ph but regardless he seems in great health, the point is surely if he made It past that horrible long time an extra Oscar of his size might be fine provided Im on the ball?


I now have a 220l treated water butt with a heater in it and a submersible pump which pumps 115l liters a min water changes have never been so fun

[cichlid_beast]

450liter African soon arriving
220liter south American

[Tiktaalik Owner]

"... the point is surely if he made It past that horrible long time an extra Oscar of his size might be fine provided Im on the ball?"

You got lucky once. Your first Oscar survived mistreatment. An extra one definitely won't be fine. I don't really know what else to tell you. If he's having the time of his life why mess with it?

Don't adjust the PH. As long as it's stable it's fine. If you put two Os in that tank PH will be the least of your worries.

Oscars can get crazy big. Look at this one, solo in a 75 gallon:


How on earth could TWO of these fish share a 220 liter!? Two Oscars need a 6 foot 125 gallon -- minimum. Even then aggression could be an issue if they're males, and there's no reliable way to sex them. Nothing can spoil your enjoyment of the hobby like an overstocked tank.

[cichlid_beast]

He looks lovely well I'll rethink my options I value your advice,

[Tiktaalik Owner]

My pleasure. There's nothing better than a harmonious tank. (And that's not my O. It's an example of how freaky big they can get. That tank is 18 inches wide and he has about an inch to spare! Fish stores should keep a pic of this guy above their Oscar tanks. )

[cichlid_beast]

Yes that tanks a joke,