A few question for my tiger oscars.?
We have two tiger oscars, about 11" long, one female and one manly. We have them in a 75 gal. tank and are assume about getting a 110 gal. tank some day. Our cistern only has two larger stones in it, probably more or less the size of an adult hand. We had more but I took them out b/c I be afraid they needed the room. We also put several small river stones in b/c the oscars like to move them around. We do not have any plants contained by the tank. My questions are...
1. Do we need a bigger cistern?
2. Should I put the other larger stones back in?.or other stuff?
3. My poor fish look really bored. what other stuff can oscars play with bar ping-pong balls? Right now they keep running into the radiator rod and have got it knocked lose from the container wall. (That appears to entertain them, but their going to break my heater.)
4. I am afraid to do too big of water change and to do them too often, but since they have gotten so big the tank get "dirty" rather quickly. Is there any style to clean the bottom without having to convert the water? How often can I do water change and how much is okay at once? Right now I do one every 3-4 weeks and change out about 25-30 gals.
Thanks for any help out!
75 gallons is the bare minimum for 2 oscars. I had one years ago within a 55 gallon, and I was doing 50% water changes twice a week, and still purely barely keeping the nitrate levels in the pleasing range. For a normal stocked tank, you should be doing 25% river changes weekly, but for your tank and because they're oscars, I would start on a twice a week schedule shifting at least 50% a week(2 25%) at a minimum. I don't know how you're doing your water changes, but you should be using a gravel vacuum/siphon, and while you're sucking the poop sour the bottom water is removed. For your size tank, probably would be a good investment to pick up a Python. Will squirrel away you lots of time, much easier then hauling buckets of water splashing all over the floor.
If it's going to be awhile till the trial tank comes in, I would recommend if you don't own it, get a second filter on your tank. I run the largest Penguin hob(hang on the back) filter and a canister filter. The extra filter and the increase in the water change will definitely improve the "dirty" water. Also, pick yourself up a interview kit if you don't have one. Make certain your ammonia and nitrites are at 0 ppm, and you want to keep your nitrates under 20 ppm. If you're only doing dampen changes every 3-4 weeks, I guarantee your nitrate levels are off the charts. High nitrate level can lead to hole in the leader disease, which oscars are prone to.
For the other stuff, I would leave it out at this point. You want to allow as much water volume in the reservoir for them. They're not bored. Fish don't need to be "entertained" like a dog lol. You've heard of the ping pong ball, I would just stick with that if you want. For your stove, you may want to check into a heater guard. Oscars have been certain to crack heaters, which can send electric currents into the water. Not good.
I could probably solve cleaning the bottom.
I dont know what everyone elso calls it. but i christen it a syphon. and if you put that into youtube it will give a demenstration on how to use. another way is the python. google/youtube adjectives these to see them.
Hope I helped. lol
Answers: Assuming that your pair has bonded and been through the experiment of power that Oscars do, you could see them mate at any time now. It's good to have a manly and female pair becuase the risk of having two males is not a polite thing in a 75. The need for a bigger container is some, but not as stressing as it would be if they were in a 55. I wouldn't recommend keeping a pair in a 75, though I'm sure it could be done. I one-sidedly feel a 90 is better and the minimum I'd use for a pair, but that's me. One thing approximately these fish and with most fish, you are not going to hurt anything by having too big of a footprint. A 110 is good, and as big as you can afford is even better. As long as you own the space and money for it, get the biggest one you can. The smallest I advise going is 90.
Oscars are not as much of a substrate dweller as African Mbuna are, though they will spend time in the lower parts of the container. You have to keep in intellect, these are South American Cichlids which come from large areas of water. When we keep fish within a tank, we are only taking a tiny imprint of their enviroment, so trying to provide as much as we can within the waters they would naturally inhabit is a good thing. Plants are frozen to keep with Oscars, but the addition of driftwood, and slate pieces are going to help out some. I also have found bricks provide both cover for smaller fish and bottom feeders, and give a solid foundation for one to stack other rocks and things upon. My bricks have holes contained by the middle to allow me to peek in.
Ping pong balls are ok, and this might tend to draw them into the upper subdivision of your tank. Oscars have a little more person then other fish, but boredom isn't something I would associate with a fish either. They can mope around and not be as busy, or they can be all over the tank. They do have "moods" surrounded by some sense, but not in the same way we do. I'm certain there have been times that Oscars could defile glass with rock objects, but generally this is going to ensue with 2 males in a tank too small, that are conflict, or when a male and female go through their testing of power. After that, the aggression levels should bottom out since a male and female duet bond and mate for life. I'd say the risk of your glass getting destabilized is very minimal at best.
You may find artificial plants entertain them a bit, as they could pick these up and move them around. Maybe a floating plant as well, some sort of vine that doesn't require self planted in the substrate. A big open decoration such as a castle or treasure chest near holes large enough for them to pass within and out. If you can get enough rocks, and use the bricks to support it, build up a rock formation that acts similar to a cave, with an arched opening. This should appropriation a good deal of interest.
Mix up the diet too. Provide them good sized pellet one day, try krill or brine shrimp another, bloodworms or earthworms, but have a staple food of spiralina coated flake. I would change out hose much more sooner then every 3-4 weeks though. You can change up to 50% and not be at risk for altering your temp or pH too drastically, but if you consistency that's too much, then stick with a 25-40% at least weekly. As pointed out, these are cloying eaters, thus heavy waste producers too. Nitrate build up could be a reason for the apathy. Test your water. You want to aim at keeping your nitrates at 40 ppm or under. That might assist them in becomming more live too.
Should you need to ask more questions or seek proposal, feel free to avoid this forum all togeather too. YA does not scan over answers and weed out answers that are inaccurate, and this place promotes imprecise answers as well with a points based system. The group I abet manage doesn't have these issues. You can access it via the link on my profile, and whether nothing else, you can access our library of articles on fish keeping for advice.
1 Yes, you call for a bigger tank. Preferably acrylic.
2 No, don't risk any sort of pebbles or rock that are big enough for the oscars to move around with consummate contentment. From experience they'll smash you glass.
3 I found a length of drain pipe worked well, this isn't cosmetically appealing but the oscars like it. Just experiment beside different things nothing small enough for them to swallow though.
4 Small and frequent water change, stick to what your doing the fish sound like they're healthy ample. Stick to 10-15% every 3-4 days, depending on how messy they're being. good luck..
