[Fishworks2015]

Hi Everyone,

I am looking to get about 6 Oscars together in a 450 gallon aquarium, but I just read that they will become highly aggressive when a mating pair is formed.
However, I am not interested in breeding.
Would coexistence work if I just get all females?

Note: I already read the Oscars 101 thread and am still confused.

Thanks,
-Harry

 

[Oscar6]

As absurd as this may sound, chances of success are very low. First, aggression will likely show long before sexual maturity. Oscars take roughly two yrs to form mating pairs, by this time fish could be well over a foot long and weighing two plus pounds. Sexing Oscars is as difficult as any fish in the hobby, both sexes are virtually identical. Females can be just as nasty as males, toward each other, towards any other fish. And, this might be the absurdest sounding part... Even a giant tank at 450 gallons isn't big enough for 6 adult Oscars, regardless of aggression issues. Realistically, the tank will only offer about 70 gals per fish. Not good enough in the Oscar world. Bioload would be extreme. Twice weekly massive water changes, filter cleanings more often than you likely want to. It's a great idea, of it would work. I'll tell ya, been there done that, lesson learned. Form a new game plan, perhaps a pair of O's as the center pieces, and a variety of other smaller SA cichlids as background

 

[Fogelhund]

Then there is the challenge when two females "pair off" and exclude the other fish from their territories.... ah yes, been there, seen that, had both lay eggs... for some reason, they didn't hatch... :lol:

 

[Auballagh]

A 450 gallon aquarium sounds pretty amazing. There really is a LOT you can do with something that size.
But I agree - growing out six, adult-sized Oscars in that tank, would NOT work out very well. Keeping just two would definitely be best. Adding a third Oscar would probably work, but you're going to be dealing with one who is probably stressed and sort of 'washed out' looking all of the time. Adding even more Oscars, will just make that problem worse.
Here is something I can share from my own experience, that may help to explain a bit about Oscars,

https://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/vie ... 0&t=453977

Placed in a big community tank, with some larger, more 'robust' tank mates to go with them, a well-kept pair of adult-sized Oscars would look very nice.

 

[gabby harold]

But I agree - growing out six, adult-sized Oscars in that tank, would NOT work out very well. Keeping just two would definitely be best. Adding a third Oscar would probably work, but you're going to be dealing with one who is probably stressed and sort of 'washed out' looking all of the time. Adding even more Oscars, will just make that problem worse.
192.168.100.1 192.168.1.1

that would be too tight yeah