Best tank size for a full grown oscar?

[redmare]

I have a baby oscar in an 80 gallon, and I'm already fantasizing about her upgrade. I've got a savings account that will be released in a year set aside for that purchase! Obviously a 9000 gallon would be the best, but realistically... What's the ideal size for one single full grown oscar to have lots of room to move about, still have decor/caves, a reasonable bioload, and still fit in my living room? I've heard a 125 is a great size gallons-wise, but I feel like having a bit more depth would be better since 18" for a potentially 14" fish to turn around isn't a ton. I feel like 6'x2' footprint would probably be pretty ideal, and with 2' of height that puts it at 180 gallons I believe. What size do you keep your solo adult oscars in?
Also, how much filtration would a tank like that need? I've got an FX4 on her 80 gallon, would perhaps a second one of those or the FX4 and an FX6 be a good amount?

 

[Rusty91]

I have a baby oscar in an 80 gallon, and I'm already fantasizing about her upgrade. I've got a savings account that will be released in a year set aside for that purchase! Obviously a 9000 gallon would be the best, but realistically... What's the ideal size for one single full grown oscar to have lots of room to move about, still have decor/caves, a reasonable bioload, and still fit in my living room? I've heard a 125 is a great size gallons-wise, but I feel like having a bit more depth would be better since 18" for a potentially 14" fish to turn around isn't a ton. I feel like 6'x2' footprint would probably be pretty ideal, and with 2' of height that puts it at 180 gallons I believe. What size do you keep your solo adult oscars in?
Also, how much filtration would a tank like that need? I've got an FX4 on her 80 gallon, would perhaps a second one of those or the FX4 and an FX6 be a good amount?

I would say 125 gallons is ideal for 1 Oscar. 180 is perfect for a pair in my opinion.
I keep 2 oscars in a 107 gallons, but will upgrade in the next months (they are still small)
80 gallons will be hard for life-long. If u keep him in the 80 u will have to do many waterchanges.
Good luck with your oscar ??

 

[Kelly_Aquatics]

I think 80g would work perfectly for ONE oscar with NO other fish my pair is living happily in a 125g I think a 125g is the best tank for one oscar or a pair but bigger is obviously better

 

[Rocksor]

180g, 24” width makes for easy turning for a 14” oscar. If you have driftwood or other decor, it can easily avoid them in a wider tank

 

[duanes]

Beside size for enough room to turn around, and get minimal exercise for reasonable health.
My biggest problem with an oscar , (or any moderately size cichlid) in a small tank (under 100+) gallons, is the tanks ability to maintain water quality.
If you are willing to do large daily water changes to maintain nitrate (and other metabolic substances) at a reasonably low level, then maybe an 80gal for one, is minimally adequate.
But in these minimalist size tanks, nitrate produced by the oscar, and by the metabolism byproducts of biological filtration will easily overwhelm the system, and as is commonly found in mature oscars, HLLE (AKA hole in the head disease) usually forms and scars oscars with age.
My largest tank at the moment is a 180, and I wouldn't consider it sufficiently large enough for more than 2 mature oscars, or other cichlids of similar size.
And even with the few full grown 5"-7" cichlids it houses at the moment, I try to do daily 25-30% water changes, or if I'm lazy, 40%-50% water changes every other day.

 

[Toiletcar]

Good point on excise Duane made. Large fish need room to move about. Even smaller faster moving ones need room to be happy. Oscars are active fish despite what a lot of people think.

 

[Gourami Swami]

I agree with 180gallons + being "best". Could an O be kept in a 125 or 90 gallon, sure, but if we are talking optimal, the 6' length and 24" width would be very comfortable.

 

[FINWIN]

Yeah people think Oscars are big lugs that lurch around. But they need room for exercise/play. Mine does loop-de-loops after water changes and skims his ball across the surface. It's a sight! 24" depth is definitely the way to go if you can do it...a big O will find 18" tight especially with decor.

 

[FreshyFresh]

I agree that any fish oscar size is best kept in 72" x 18" footprint tanks or larger. Height is less important. Can they be kept in 48"x18" tanks? With proper care absolutely, but I don't necessarily recommend it.

I keep an oscar and a green severum together in a 75gal and have since they were tiny babies back in 2013. I feed decent pellet food as the main staple and supplement with veggies and other dry foods at times. Occasional guppy/endlers and red cherry shrimp too. I feed 5 days/week, keep the water temp on the cooler side and can keep nitrates not to exceed 20ppm with one weekly fin-level (80-90%) water change. My oscar is on the smaller side at 10-11" and the sev is a solid 8" and fat. They're both wide.

 

[hunterthompson]

It's a sight! 24" depth is definitely the way to go if you can do it

Totally agree