2 Oscars + 3-4 Bottom feeders in 80-100g's?

First off I'd like to say hello, You see I am new here. Anyway, I'm paying off an 80-100g freshwater tank. I'm sorry I can't be more precise on the amount of gallons in it. The staff don't even know precisely how big the tank is themselves, But to me it looks around, Like I said before, 80-100g's.

Anyway, I thought of some lists for when I get the thing. The 3 lists go a bit like this: 2 Oscars with 4 Pakistani Loaches, 2 O's with 3 Synodontis Ocellifer Catfish's and 2 O's with 4 Clown loaches. I'm having second thoughts about the last one . If any of you guys have a better list please share it with me. Thank you

first of all maybe you could measure the tank (height * width * lenth) we could calculate the size. What filtration will you have? Any pictures?

Welcome along.
You're right to ask the questions before stocking.
I would steer clear of the Oscars. Firstly they will outgrow your tank in no time, secondly they will eat most of your proposed tankmates and thirdly, they are messy as f*** and will create a bioload that will require daily water changes.

I'm not into cichlids myself but there are plenty of South American cichlids that might suit your tank better.

Good luck with the tank and enjoy the forum.

Paddy

@smitas5
The tank is 5 foot long, Around 30 Inches thick and about 35 inches high

paddyc1
Thanks for your reply, But I choose to want to have O's. They may be dirty, Messy and all but I like them, There Intelligent and entertaining fish to look at and observe. I'm pretty sure (Correct me If I'm wrong) that 100g's (I think) is big enough for 2 O's. This is not even the final say on what fish to put into the tank. I have thought of putting some Africans in though.

Thanks

5 foot would be arround 450-500L, so you would probably be ok, but I never had O's so other people can advise regarding fish. But you will need good external like Fluval FX5 or so.

CarbonFiberDuck wrote:

@smitas5
The tank is 5 foot long, Around 30 Inches thick and about 35 inches high

paddyc1
Thanks for your reply, But I choose to want to have O's. They may be dirty, Messy and all but I like them, There Intelligent and entertaining fish to look at and observe. I'm pretty sure (Correct me If I'm wrong) that 100g's (I think) is big enough for 2 O's. This is not even the final say on what fish to put into the tank. I have thought of putting some Africans in though.

Thanks

100 gal is fine for a couple of juvenile Oscars and will be fine for a while, but I would think that in the long run it'd be just enough space for a single adult. Like Smitas says, you will need a good external.
You will inevitabley do what you want to do but that's my 2 cents.

Paddy

Thanks for your replies everyone, At least I know it's 100g's now . Any advice on the list?

if your measurements are right (5ft * 30" * 35") then your tank is 1014L, which converts to 224 UK gallons.
that is theoretical volume.. you would have to discard gravel and other decorations and add external filter arround 20L
correct me if im wrong

BUMP

CarbonFiberDuck wrote:

BUMP

no need to keep "bumping" your post?

as for Oscars i would say go for it! with that size of a tank 2 Oscars would be be fine,
these are are fantastic fish!
yes they do make alot of mess but have great personalities, as long as you have a good filtration and do around 40% water changes per week you will be fine.

as for tank mates i would think along the lines of maybe a pleco and syno catfish, a group of silver dollars can also work.

good luck with the Oscars...you wont be disappointed...

dyco619 wrote:

CarbonFiberDuck wrote:

BUMP

no need to keep "bumping" your post?

as for Oscars i would say go for it! with that size of a tank 2 Oscars would be be fine,
these are are fantastic fish!
yes they do make alot of mess but have great personalities, as long as you have a good filtration and do around 40% water changes per week you will be fine.

as for tank mates i would think along the lines of maybe a pleco and syno catfish, a group of silver dollars can also work.

good luck with the Oscars...you wont be disappointed...

BUMP . 40% Per week for a 200G tank? Lol... Anyway, Yeah about the pleco, I've been thinking about a galaxy pleco, Quite hardy and easy to care for fish. Any special Info I would need on keeping a pleco?

Thanks

Thanks for the replies everyone

plecos in general are the gardies fish in the business. at least the ones I everkept for the tank like that, nice specimen of common pleco will look great. as a lot of fishkeepers purchase them and then bring them back to LFS when they outgrow their tanks, you can get big ones pretty easy

i like oscars
they recommend 50gallons for a single oscar and 100gallons for a pair so your tank is huge
the bioload won't pose the same problems in your tank as lets say if you were keeping them in a 100gallon tank so once you have decent filtration and as said do weekly changes you can keep all fish, especialy tankmates, happy but i'm sure that you know the score considering you have considered these fish in the 1st place
they are fantastic and i hope to keep some in the not too distant future
Aquatic Village have some nice juveniles in stock along with quite big pleco's (i'd advise getting a big pleco because they are much slower growers)

davey_c wrote:

i like oscars
they recommend 50gallons for a single oscar and 100gallons for a pair so your tank is huge
the bioload won't pose the same problems in your tank as lets say if you were keeping them in a 100gallon tank so once you have decent filtration and as said do weekly changes you can keep all fish, especialy tankmates, happy but i'm sure that you know the score considering you have considered these fish in the 1st place
they are fantastic and i hope to keep some in the not too distant future
Aquatic Village have some nice juveniles in stock along with quite big pleco's (i'd advise getting a big pleco because they are much slower growers)

Thanks, But I thought with a tank that size you would only have to do water changes every 3-4 Months?
I've been to Aquatic village, Amazing place, Nice staff.

Thank you

Draco wrote:

CarbonFiberDuck wrote:

....Thanks, But I thought with a tank that size you would only have to do water changes every 3-4 Months?....

Thank you

we humans have this comfort, that we can use the toilet, fish unfortunately (for them tank is a dining room, bedroom and toilet) would like to spend four months in their own feces?

Don't get smart mate... I've read in a lot of places that tanks of that size need cleaning out only every few months.

Welcome along mate. I don't think Chris is being smart here. He is one of the members on this site that I personally would listen to and would seek advice from regularly. He really does know his stuff. Any-ways as for your water changes every 3 - 4 months, I would say that it would vastly depend on what stock you have more so than what size the tank is. I would dread to think about the state a any tank would be in after 4 months of Oscar business. I could be wrong doh, I am no expert by any means. Sounds like a savage tank doh man, would love to see pics when you have it up and running. Best of luck with it.

Draco wrote:

firstly I'm not your mate (too big age difference), and secondly if you read so much and know better then why you ask a question that you know the answers?!?
all the best and good luck

I asked a very simple question I did not know 'mate'

wastegate wrote:

Welcome along mate. I don't think Chris is being smart here. He is one of the members on this site that I personally would listen to and would seek advice from regularly. He really does know his stuff. Any-ways as for your water changes every 3 - 4 months, I would say that it would vastly depend on what stock you have more so than what size the tank is. I would dread to think about the state a any tank would be in after 4 months of Oscar business. I could be wrong doh, I am no expert by any means. Sounds like a savage tank doh man, would love to see pics when you have it up and running. Best of luck with it.

Thank you

Draco wrote:

firstly I'm not your mate (too big age difference), and secondly if you read so much and know better then why you ask a question that you know the answers?!?
all the best and good luck

personaly thats the first i've heard of a 3-4 month w/c gap in this way... that might be possible depending on what substrate and fiter media to allow for for breaking down the waste is in the tank, would also depend on occupants also because with minimal stock of certain non-messy fish it may be possible but as said above oscars are very messy fish and i'd hate to think of the level of ammonia would be like after 3-4 months.
you could possibly try it to see how it fairs out but my advise would be test regularly and have a spare tank setup incase youneed to get them out of there.

If you can't take advice that you sought, FROM VERY EXPERIENCED FISHKEEPERS then I'd advise you to look for a website that will tell you what you have already decided is right for you.

Kev.

stretnik wrote:

If you can't take advice that you sought, FROM VERY EXPERIENCED FISHKEEPERS then I'd advise you to look for a website that will tell you what you have already decided is right for you.

Kev.

How have I not taking advice?

Can you all please keep the conversation civil here ?

Do remember that typing on your keyboard doesn't come across as if you were talking to the person face to face over a pint.

Thanks - Valerie

I think OP missunderstood some googled info earlier.
to my opinion anything longer than 2 weeks is not great for the fish.. could work when you are on holiday, but not as a regular thing.
there is such a thing like organic Aqua. that might help you with this, but it aint maintenance free and will come at a cost on the size of tank you have.

smitas5 wrote:

5 foot would be arround 450-500L, so you would probably be ok, but I never had O's so other people can advise regarding fish. But you will need good external like Fluval FX5 or so.

I stand to be corrected, but I reckon that tank is just over 1000 litres

christyg wrote:

smitas5 wrote:

5 foot would be arround 450-500L, so you would probably be ok, but I never had O's so other people can advise regarding fish. But you will need good external like Fluval FX5 or so.

I stand to be corrected, but I reckon that tank is just over 1000 litres

1000 Litres? No way

convert your dimentions to centimeters and multiply all 3, then divide by 1000

smitas5 wrote:

convert your dimentions to centimeters and multiply all 3, then divide by 1000

Thanks for your reply, But That may be so and from what I know (Correct me If I'm wrong)Is that 1000 Litres would equal to about 300-500G's? This tank only looks at the highest about 100g's.

My calculation was 224

Grab measuring tape and check your dimentions in cm, not in inch.