[samnewb]

Hi there,

I will start by explaining my current situation with the tanks I have, the ones I am thinking of changing around are both 90 gallons, but the dimensions are different.

The first tank, in the living room, is 40"x22"x24" the current stocking is an oscar, a severum and 2 ornate polypterus. My second 90 gallon is the standard size, 48"x18"x24" and has 4 hujeta and 1 indo datnoid.

The idea for the reshuffle of fishes came about because of the living room tank (40"x22"x24"), the main problem being it looks baren, thats because the severum will not tolerate plants and is increasingly being a bully to the oscar. With the tank being in the living room I would very much like plants and to have it look nicer, so recently I have been thinking about returning the seveurm to a LFS and having the oscar as a 'solo' fish.

This got me thinking about the oscar, and myself increasingly thinking that the tank won't be big enough for the oscar when it grows. So I have had an idea of switching the oscar into the standard 90 gallons (with the current fish in the 90 gallons being rehomed).

So basically, what I'm asking is would an oscar be happy in a 40"x22"x24" tank, or would it be better to move it to the 48"x18"x24" tank?.
If I do move the oscar to the standard 90, I was thinking of adding a convict and/or a salvini, (any ideas or suggestions on this) for tankmates and something to clean up the particles (say some sort of lone catfish, any suggestions?).

Hopefully you will understand what I'm asking, and any responce would be appriciated.

 

[dwarfpike]

My first thought is, once fully grown, the oscar would probably like the 4 inch extra width moreso than the 8 inch extra length. Foot long fish just seem cramped in only 18inch wide tanks to me.

A stripped raphael would be a good choice, as they get bigger than spotted or chocolate raphs. Just make sure you find one big enough the oscar won't try to swallow it ... they can do wicked nasty damage with their hard spines.

 

[Oneeyedgeckz]

I agree with dwarfpike about the tank. The extra width as opposed to length will probably be more comfortable to the oscar.

I have a catfish in with my oscars and they get along famously. I can never remember what kind of catfish he is, but from doing a quick google search I think he's a four-line pimodella catfish. Or at least somewhere in the family of that fish.

 

[samnewb]

So its pretty much a concensus, the 40"x22"x24" is better than the 48"x18"x24"?

The severum is pretty much going back I have decided, which will be a shame because he is a nice fish, but I always intended for the tank to be the oscars domain.
I'm also thinking about swapping the ornate polypterus, my mum's keen on them though, I've had them for about 7 years now, they're chuncky .

So if I did have an empty 40"x22"x24" tank, with the oscar in, what would you recommend stocking with? I would like something that eats all the particles that come from the oscars gills when its eating. So maybe my original idea of a convict and a catfish? Or arn't the dimensions suitable?

 

[Oneeyedgeckz]

I have my 140 gal. oscar tank divided in half because my oscars decided they no longer wanted to get along with each other and my catfish stays pretty much on one half. He can go through the divider to the other side but I think he likes one half of the tank better than the other. So the dimensions he stays in are 36Lx24Dx24H and he's perfectly happy. As long as you provide a hiding place for it, a catfish should be fine. Mine comes out usually at night and at feeding time, besides that he stays in his cave.

Thinking about feeding time, my oscar and catfish get along so well that my oscar will sometimes purposefully spit slightly chewed food out for the catfish. Also, at night the catfish snuggles up against the oscar.