Hi again guys i know oscar tank size has always been a big topic so dont want any heated arguments lol just wanted some opinions on keeping an Oscar and Severum in a 90Gal tank? im running an FX6 doing 50% water change a week. if i think the tank gets too cramped in the future i have a friend who can take the severum but i really wouldnt want to get rid of him unless i really had to. Ill also add they are both around 4" at the moment so space isnt an issue
Minimum tank size for Oscar and Gold Severum?
- Thread starter Aaron619
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I’d say 180 minimum for an Oscar.
I'd say a standard 120 4×2×2 foot print for an Oscar would be ok, bigger is better of coarse. You gotta think it's a 14 to 16" fish when full grown. 18" width isn't really enough. On the part of them ok together it's possible depending on temperament of the two fish. I had a severum beat up any other fish in any tank I put him in. In a 4' tank I think there will be issues. Like @fishhead0103666 said a 180 may be acceptable. Still depends on temperament.
It’s been done, but like @fishhead0103666 said, 90 isn’t really big enough for a single Oscar, let alone with others.
As far as temperament, as long as one of them isn’t an incredibly aggressive individual they should be able to coexist.
As far as temperament, as long as one of them isn’t an incredibly aggressive individual they should be able to coexist.
When I was young and not very experienced I kept two severums with an oscar in a 90 gallon with some other assorted fish. The oscar I had was a stunted rescue that I got as an adult and never grew more than 12". Eventually i remember one of the severums got a bite which got infected and ended up dying from it.
Is it possible, sure, is it Ideal, nope. The oscar alone will be cramped in a 90 eventually, they can get quite a bit larger than mine did and I feel mine was still a bit cramped. You will also need more than one 50% water change a week once they are adults, if you go this route.
Is it possible, sure, is it Ideal, nope. The oscar alone will be cramped in a 90 eventually, they can get quite a bit larger than mine did and I feel mine was still a bit cramped. You will also need more than one 50% water change a week once they are adults, if you go this route.
Yeah, in about six months maybe more or less it's going to be a tight squeeze. You could probably keep the Severum solo or maybe with something else besides an Oscar. A 90g just doesn't have the proper space for those two fish, especially the Oscar, even alone. Oscars grow quite fast too. Maybe try to find another tankmate for the Severum. Just my 2 cents. GL
Agreed. Bigger is almost always better for most fish. They can behave completely different in just 24" more of space. Depending on the fish that could be desirable or not.
Beyond the territorial and space issues mentioned above.
A 90 is a decent grow out tank until the oscar reach @ 7 or 8 ", but at that point a 50% per change once per week may be insufficient.
As soon as the fish put on enough size to compromise water quality with nitrate, that water change will need to be doubled, and doubled again when they reach true adult size.
One of the most common maladies of oscars, severums and other Amazonian fish (commonly found posted in disease section) that have evolved to live in almost 0.00ppm nitrate , low mineral content, low pH water, is HLLE (hole in the head disease).
So unless water changes are large and frequent enough to hold nitrates to low levels, these diseases become chronic and scar up oscars and severums just when they come to point the aquarist has waited forth to look substantial.
And if your tap water is above neutral, and mineral rich (as most tap water in the U.S, is) the bacteria that cause these maladies is then quite common, and problematic, so water changes are even more important if this is the case.
A 90 is a decent grow out tank until the oscar reach @ 7 or 8 ", but at that point a 50% per change once per week may be insufficient.
As soon as the fish put on enough size to compromise water quality with nitrate, that water change will need to be doubled, and doubled again when they reach true adult size.
One of the most common maladies of oscars, severums and other Amazonian fish (commonly found posted in disease section) that have evolved to live in almost 0.00ppm nitrate , low mineral content, low pH water, is HLLE (hole in the head disease).
So unless water changes are large and frequent enough to hold nitrates to low levels, these diseases become chronic and scar up oscars and severums just when they come to point the aquarist has waited forth to look substantial.
And if your tap water is above neutral, and mineral rich (as most tap water in the U.S, is) the bacteria that cause these maladies is then quite common, and problematic, so water changes are even more important if this is the case.