# Tiger Oscars minimum reguirements?



## celticwarrior (Jul 18, 2004)

Can i keep 2 tiger oscars in a 55g tank for life??Ive seen them at a lfs store today after seeing some on here and i want them bad but thats the only tank ive left,someone make my day and say yes.Nothing else in with them and not going overboard with decoration?I looked in the stickys and couldnt find the answer so sorry if its been asked before
Thanks in advance


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

the absolute smallest tank you could keep 2 oscars (a pair) in is a 75g. to do this you would need to do frequent water changes, have lots of filteration, and keep the water crystal clear since they do sh*t alot! but i would recomend a 125g.\

a 55g is too small for even one oscar... they can get up to 14"+ if given the right enviroment and fed the right diet


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## The Wave (Oct 22, 2003)

A UK 55 gall or US gall tank ? the UK gall is 20% bigger than ours.


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

physco 1 said:


> A UK 55 gall or US gall tank ? the UK gall is 20% bigger than ours.


 i never even thought about that









what are the dimensions of the tank?


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## The Wave (Oct 22, 2003)

Yeah, dimensions is best to help you decide.


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## User (May 31, 2004)

A 55 would be ok IMO, they would reach close to there full adult size. A 75 would be bigger though. I've found out that fish hardy ever grow pass the width of the tank, but of cource this is MO.


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

User said:


> A 55 would be ok IMO, they would reach close to there full adult size. A 75 would be bigger though. I've found out that fish hardy ever grow pass the width of the tank, but of cource this is MO.


 no, in that tank an oscar should get full grown. and 2 13-14" long fish will not do well in a 12" wide tank


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## User (May 31, 2004)

I wasn't clear enough, no 2 wouldn't be ok in a 55g


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

User said:


> I wasn't clear enough, no 2 wouldn't be ok in a 55g


 not even one would work in that tank for life









it would ok for a grow out tank though







just make sure they get a 75g+ once they get about 9" long


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## User (May 31, 2004)

lemmywinks said:


> User said:
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> > I wasn't clear enough, no 2 wouldn't be ok in a 55g
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 Ahh well, Grow out then.
















I got to upgrade my 2 little bastards (O's) anyway, hoping to get another 150g by thanksgiving.


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## yorkshire (Jul 27, 2004)

These two tiger oscars have been in a 180litre tank since under an inch long. measured them today and they are just over 9 inch. As long as there is absolutely brilliant filtration and have room to turn and charge about they are happy. 2 of the best (and happiest) fish i have ever had







the problem with oscars is they are the dirtiest eaters ever, and they shred plants. Its important to keep an eye on the water parameters as it quickly becomes poluted without good filtration. I've had these two for a couple of years.


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## yorkshire (Jul 27, 2004)

Get some, they are excellent fish !


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## User (May 31, 2004)

Like usual awesome pics yorkshire









I currently have my 2 inch regular color wild oscar in a small tank, of cource I will probally upgrade later on, but a barebottom tank with are without gravel, I prefer no gravel with Oscars - waterchanges - good food, the fish will be fine for awhile. Your proves my point.










edit had to fix some typeos


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## yorkshire (Jul 27, 2004)

User said:


> Like usual awesome pics yorkshire
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 Cheers m8,









I'm trying my damnedest to talk the other half into letting me put a bigger tank in the living room. She thinks it will look like a lfs with two bow fronts and a 6 or 8ft tank. Women just dont seem to understand


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## User (May 31, 2004)

yorkshire said:


> User said:
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I use to know the feeling, my girlfriend use to hate fish now she actually likes some of them lol. She hated the big tanks, the the water, the time it takes to run a tank, ect, but hey I like my hobby.

I bought the little wild O yesterday and the bastard isn't shy of nothing. And he was 2 bucks which was cool also. My other tiger O is starting to get big.


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## yorkshire (Jul 27, 2004)

User said:


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 The oscars were originally the gf's, but after she lost her finger tip to my p's she wont have anything to do with the tanks.
I think the embarassment of having to explain to the hospital how she lost her finger tip cos she put her hand in a tank of p's has done it.


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## MR.FREEZ (Jan 26, 2004)

yorkshire said:


> I think the embarassment of having to explain to the hospital how she lost her finger tip cos she put her hand in a tank of p's has done it.


 say what!!???? damn i m suprised you have fish at all, you must have silver tounge man


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## yorkshire (Jul 27, 2004)

celticwarrior said:


> Can i keep 2 tiger oscars in a 55g tank for life??Ive seen them at a lfs store today after seeing some on here and i want them bad but thats the only tank ive left,someone make my day and say yes.Nothing else in with them and not going overboard with decoration?I looked in the stickys and couldnt find the answer so sorry if its been asked before
> Thanks in advance


 I'd say get them.









imo they'd be happy in there for quite a while,a few years at least.
Gives you plenty of time to work out how to get a bigger tank. You might not even need a bigger one. You just have to put plenty of time and effort in to maintaining water quality. Very entertaining fish.








Dont think you'll regret it.


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## smb (Jun 1, 2003)

yorkshire said:


> celticwarrior said:
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> > Can i keep 2 tiger oscars in a 55g tank for life??Ive seen them at a lfs store today after seeing some on here and i want them bad but thats the only tank ive left,someone make my day and say yes.Nothing else in with them and not going overboard with decoration?I looked in the stickys and couldnt find the answer so sorry if its been asked before
> ...


A few years? No, maybe 5-6 months and definitely not a year or few years! They'll be at about 10" each the end of the first year. And no matter how great your husbandry skills are, 2 oscars in a 55 for life is horrible.


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

definatly will not work for a few years, not even a year









they *will* need to be moved once they hit 8-9".


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## yorkshire (Jul 27, 2004)

lemmywinks said:


> definatly will not work for a few years, not even a year
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 just like rhoms, some grow exceedingly big and some dont. imo Its not just down to the species but also the genes.
some people grow to well over 6ft, some people dont reach 4ft. not everyone grows to exactly 6ft.
I've had my oscars in a 180litre tank for over two years and they still have enough room to move and swim, never bumping into each other (unless intentional!).
Decent water movement and quality makes a big diference.
I can guarantee my fish are happy and healthy and enjoy an excellent quality of life. personaly i dont feel that you can say exactly how big a fish will grow to. Mine are roughly 9"at the moment, nose to tail. still growing, but not as quick as you'd think. 
I've seen oscars kept in much smaller tanks grow much bigger than mine, much faster rate , and fed less frequently than mine.
I guess its pot luck. as i said, i dont think its always possible to say how big a fish will grow, might grow big,fast. or it might not.
Just be prepared to get a bigger tank


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## User (May 31, 2004)

smb said:


> And no matter how great your husbandry skills are, 2 oscars in a 55 for life is horrible.


Thats a low blow don't ya think? 3 little words make all the difference they are ="IMO"


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

yorkshire said:


> lemmywinks said:
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if your oscars were in a bigger tank I would almost guarantee that they would be bigger than they are now....

I have had my red oscar (which i got from walmart so im sure it has some great genes lol) for almost two years now and he is already 13". he is in a 75g by himself and is kept in near perfect water and fed 3 times a day. if a fish is kept in a bigger tank they will grow larger than they would in a smaller tank. i will guarantee you that.


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

User said:


> smb said:
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 that wasnt mean at all what he said. it is terrible to torture oscars like that


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## User (May 31, 2004)

lemmywinks said:


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Yea, but are you really torturing a Oscar in a 55G?

I really don't agree with putting 2 Oscars in 55, but I can't really stop anyone else from doing it. If someone kept and Oscar in a 10g and it never got passed 6 are 8" inches, of cource I think it's bad, but what can I do?


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

User said:


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would it be torture if you had to live in a closet for the rest of your life and you could barely turn around?

think about it


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## User (May 31, 2004)

I can't pretend to think like a fish would think. But of cource it would probally be torture - but does the fish think like that? Do you understand what I'm saying?


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

User said:


> I can't pretend to think like a fish would think. But of cource it would probally be torture - but does the fish think like that? Do you understand what I'm saying?


ya I understand what u are saying. even if the fish doesnt think it would be torture it actually would be though. ya know? it isnt good to keep a large fish that gets 12"+ in a tank that is only 12" wide. especially 2 of them...


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## User (May 31, 2004)

Yea I understand your side to. As I said, I wouldn't put 2 Oscars in 55G. But I can't stop anyone else from doing it, it turns out that the more you say not to do it, the more people wants to do it.


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## yorkshire (Jul 27, 2004)

lemmywinks said:


> User said:
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Sorry but i disagree, like i said, oscars have grown much bigger than mine in much smaller set ups, therefore i do not think that my tank has restricted my o's growth.
imo I'd much rather live in a small house with a mate and things in my environment to interact with. its much crueller to be kept in a completely empty environment, isolated from everyone. my fish are healthy and happy. I can guarantee that, otherwise they would not be as healthy and active as they are. They can also turn round easily. 
I ,personaly think imo would have been more apropriate!
As i stated in other posts, im intending to get a bigger tank, however, at the moment i do not think my fish are suffering cruelty like you state. a 180 litre is not the best set up, but imo it is adequate for my fish at the moment. if i am indeed stunting their growth, howcome many oscars have grown much lager in much smaller enviroments over a shorter period?

Cheers user







for the support. 
This is of course just my opinion and i do not claim to be an expert on oscars. just speaking from my own experience. no offence meant in any way to any persons


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## yorkshire (Jul 27, 2004)

By the way, do any of my fish look like they are being tortured?
personally i dont think so. i think some of the remarks are quite cutting!


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## Kory (Jun 5, 2003)

They may look happy to you but dont you think they would be alot happier in a tank like this?


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## Revolt (Jun 26, 2004)

Do you all know that most older fish sites list 30 to 50 gallons as minimum for 1 oscar? All the newer sites list 55 and 75 gallons minimum some even 90+ gallons for 1 Oscar.

Here's some definitions of suffering:

undergo (as of injuries and illnesses); "She suffered a fracture in the accident"; "He had an insulin shock after eating three candy bars"; "She got a bruise on her leg"; "He got his arm broken in the scuffle"

feel physical pain; "Were you hurting after the accident?"

"feel pain or be in pain"

Here's some for torture:

"unbearable physical pain"

"extreme mental distress"

"intense feelings of suffering; acute mental or physical pain; "an agony of doubt"; "the torments of the damned"

I don't believe fish think as humans do in a sense of suffering are "this is torture" - but hey that MO.


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## yorkshire (Jul 27, 2004)

Kory said:


> They may look happy to you but dont you think they would be alot happier in a tank like this?


 I'd be a lot happier living in a 12 bedroom mansion, however I live in a 3 bedroom "small" house. I certainly am not being tortured. As some of my pictures show, the fish can turn around very easily without banging into anything. Sorry but I take offence when people state that I am torturing my fish.


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## piranhasrule (May 31, 2004)

i have 2 agree with yorkshire, iv seen a pair of adult oscars which had been kept in a 36 inch tank all there life spawn and then raise the fry. the fish were perfectly healthy and must hav been happy enuf to spawn. it all depends on the individual fish


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## User (May 31, 2004)

yorkshire said:


> Kory said:
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 Don't you have another cichlid in there hiding? If so you have busted oscars needs the whole front yard myth to be happy, healthy, and not fight.

Those are 2 fairly large Oscars in what a 46 are 50 gallon? And you have another cichlid of some type in there and they all are doing better than some people who have there O's and other fish in 150g's.


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## Kory (Jun 5, 2003)

yorkshire said:


> Kory said:
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Sorry I take offence to people who think its ok to shove large fish into small tanks and claim they are happy.

Your Oscars are only 9 in and are over 2 years old? Come on man those are some severely stunted Oscars my O's were 9 inches in about 9 months. Gee does the tank size have something to do with?


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## yorkshire (Jul 27, 2004)

Kory said:


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Or could the fact that your fish is not my fish have something to do with it? I bet my height is not the same as yours. perhaps thats because we are different people. Your house is probably much bigger than my house (everything in America is bigger). To say that which ever one of us lives in the smallest house is being tortured would be stupid. different fish - different house.
Cheers piranhasrule







There's a dwarf pike ciclid in there. he's been in there since i got the oscars. At 8 1/2 inch he aint no dwarf!!! What was that about stunted growth? I dont think so.
All my fish have the best possible water quality.
They also have fast water to swim in (exercise)
They have places and room to rest up.
They can turn without hitting anything very easily.Fish 9"...tank width 16"...take 2" off for wood.....Hmmm 5" to turn in...Oh the fish bends when it turns so take off an inch from fish length....6" to turn in.....Wow is that ever such a tight squeeze.....i think not...dont forget its got a shallow bow front.
I can post a pic of any fish you choose, on whatever day you choose, and i can promise you that they will be in perfect condition. 
I made sure when i picked the oscars i picked 2 that had already paired up, therefore they never fight.
Obviously this is only my own experience and opinion. I am not claiming that some oscars dont grow very large indead, what I am saying is that some dont grow massive, and it may not be down to tank size.
I'd love a bigger tank for them and im working on it.
Im saying, IMO, they are not being tortured.


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

yorkshire, as much as you would like to think that your oscars are not stunted, they are. you oscars would be alot bigger by now if they were in a larger tank. a tank they actually saposed to be in, something like a 125g+. it doesnt matter how good your filteration is on the tank or how clean your water is on your tank, they are still stunted. for the sake of the fish, get them a larger tank. you will see a big improvement


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## yorkshire (Jul 27, 2004)

lemmywinks said:


> yorkshire, as much as you would like to think that your oscars are not stunted, they are. you oscars would be alot bigger by now if they were in a larger tank. a tank they actually saposed to be in, something like a 125g+. it doesnt matter how good your filteration is on the tank or how clean your water is on your tank, they are still stunted. for the sake of the fish, get them a larger tank. you will see a big improvement


 We'll have to see what happens when i get the bigger set up!
Kory, how wide is your tank. whats your tank dimensions? Whats the length of your fish and width of tank?

I've definately seen oscars grow to much larger proportions in much more cramped conditions, much faster. Why's this then? I still feel that the individual fish plays a much more important roll than the tank size. 
I've never claimed my steup is an ideal size,and I'd much prefere a bigger setup, what I was saying is that oscars will be happy in a 50 gall tank for quite a while. If the oscars are small to start with.Just be prepared to get a bigger set up if required.

I just take offence to people stating catagorically that I am being cruel and torturing my fish.

Oscars are boisterous fish, If mine were cramped then I'm sure they would occasionally suffer injuries from collisions with obstacles in their enviroment. My fish are in perfect health, as any of my pics will show.








There are many signs to indicate if a fish is stressed and mine have shown none. When i work out how to post vids I'll post one showing the o's are not stressed in any way.

AS far as the statement about " a tank they're supposed to be in" , That would be a river or lake at my guess! they're not supposed to be in any fish tank...But we continue to put them in. How cruel and torturous we all are.









All the above is of cours just my opinion, unlike some who know it all, and are willing to pass judgement on others.


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## yorkshire (Jul 27, 2004)

No one want to continue the debate?








Lemmywinks, theres a post in another thread that states they had an oscar that never grew past 3", and it was kept in a much bigger tank........Get my point. Different fish, different genetics.
I am not torturing my fish and I challenge you to prove I am. I'd just like proof of what you are saying, that ALL oscars grow to 12" plus.


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## Trimma194 (Mar 20, 2004)

celticwarrior said:


> Can i keep 2 tiger oscars in a 55g tank for life??Ive seen them at a lfs store today after seeing some on here and i want them bad but thats the only tank ive left,someone make my day and say yes.Nothing else in with them and not going overboard with decoration?I looked in the stickys and couldnt find the answer so sorry if its been asked before
> Thanks in advance


 dude take into mind that half of these guys that are telling you this stuff about your fish dont know what they are talking about. they might sound like they know but all they are doing is passing on info that they have heard from another fish keeper. dude do what you want when it comes to YOUR fish. you are the one taking of your fish...once again do what ya want.


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## Kory (Jun 5, 2003)

Your both f*cking idiots if you think a fish that is over a foot long can be kept in a tank that is only a foot in depth. Look up any Oscar profile and you will see they all state an Oscar grows at least a foot long. Big deal that kid got a runt Oscar. Ever hear of the runt of the litter? Does that mean all Oscars are going to be that small? No on AVERAGE all Oscars should be well over a foot long if kept in proper conditions. Face it man you stunted your Oscars growth. In my opinion that is torture.

Don't mind Trimma this moron is trying to stuff about 12 big fish into a 55-gallon tank too. I value his opinion about as much as gourami-master's


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## Kory (Jun 5, 2003)

> Kory, how wide is your tank. whats your tank dimensions? Whats the length of your fish and width of tank?


Tank is 72x24x30. My O's are 9, 10, and 15 inch.


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

Kory said:


> Don't mind Trimma this moron is trying to stuff about 12 big fish into a 55-gallon tank too. I value his opinion about as much as gourami-master's


 nah, this guy is a tard. gourami master is just immature










and trimma, who the f*ck are you telling us that we dont know sh*t about fish?


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## micus (Jan 7, 2004)

this is all bulshit, its alot down to the indevidual fish, and i dont think u guys should be throwin around names, yorkshire is a good fish keeper and he takes top notch care of his tanks, and his fish i assume,

i had 3 oscars that came with my tank when i bought it, its a 135 gallon tank

all oscars were 3 years old, they had all been raised in that tank since they were 3 inchs, and were all purchased at the same store, and were prolly from the same parents,

one was 14 inchs, one was 12.5, and one was a lil over 8 maybe 9,

all had been raised in the 135 gallon tank since 3 'inchs, yet there was a large size difference,

im not saying in anyway that its cool to put two oscars into a 55 for life or anything

im just saying that yorkshire has a good point that indevidual fish grow to indevidual lengths,

lay off, of the guy, damn there his fish,


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## Trimma194 (Mar 20, 2004)

hey i just gave my opinion....yal dont have to comment on my opinion...


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## Ihavebigpiranha (Aug 19, 2004)

55 for life, nope, no can do.

but for a year you could do it (then get a 75 or 90 and set it up with enough filtration for a 250g)

you can FIT a full-grown oscar in a 55 ( I had to do it for a few days once for a friend when his tank sprung a leak) but they don't like it and it shouldn't be a permanent thing for them, even if they only get to 10" in their lifetime, they're packin enough weight at 9-10" for it to be hard for them to turn in a 12" tank


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## yorkshire (Jul 27, 2004)

micus said:


> this is all bulshit, its alot down to the indevidual fish, and i dont think u guys should be throwin around names, yorkshire is a good fish keeper and he takes top notch care of his tanks, and his fish i assume,
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> i had 3 oscars that came with my tank when i bought it, its a 135 gallon tank
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 Cheers Micus















Thats exactly my point.
ihavebigpiranha, who's saying my tank is 12"? can you not read? I've already said its 16", and the o's have grown up in there, I havent squeezed them in.
Cheers Trimma







I think they are actually just quoting what they've read in books. This site is about experience and passing on the knowledge gained from it I hope. Lemmywinks and Kory just have to resort to slagging people off








IMO and the lack of it is what initially got my back up. I did not like the catagorical statement that i torture my fish.
Micus has proved my point. Fish size is individual to the fish. And my fish have never once shown signs of stress due to tank size, suffered any illness, or fought with one another. They CHOOSE to eat from my hand, showing that they are comfortable and at ease.
Im still saying not all oscars grow to 12" and bigger. Owners should take into consideration that theres a good chance they will though, and be prepared to provide a bigger tank.
Once again, prove I am torturing my fish. or admit that its just your opinion.
No offence meant to anyone.....its all just my experience/opinion.









Doesnt look tortured to me


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## User (May 31, 2004)

Damn people, the bottom line is right or wrong, there his fish, so he can do whatever he wants with them. Same goes for people who own mice, reptiles, dogs, ect. Some dogs are chained outside all there life, some mice are feed to p's, ect. Some people put Oscars, Pacu, Goldfish in "Goldfish" bowls. Fighting over this sh*t isn't going to change nothing.


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

yorkshire said:


> Cheers Trimma
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I've raised quite a few oscars. Im not quoting anything ive read, I am giving you my personal expeiences (but it's just common sence not to keep a fish that gets over 12" long in a tank that is only 12" deep). im not trying to piss you off or anything like that. im just saying that an oscar will not hit its full potential in that size of a tank. and if you want to continue to keep your oscars in that little f*cking tank for the rest of their lives more power to ya


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## yorkshire (Jul 27, 2004)

lemmywinks said:


> yorkshire said:
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 1.i never said they were staying in this tank for the rest of their lives 
2.Wheres the 12" depth come from? 36" by 22" by 16" my fish are 9" 
3.You are unwilling to acept other fishkeepers experiences i.e. Micus 
4.you have not explained why oscars kept in much smaller and overcrowded setups have grown much bigger than mine.
5.You have not explained why 1 of Micus' o's only grew to 8 maybe 9" in a 135g tank.
6. if my fish are indeed being tortured, why do they look so healthy. I've never known anyone undergo torture for 3 years (thats how long they've been in there) and not show signs of stress.
7.if they are cramped why do they not fight for space.
8.I realy cant be bothered with this debate any more. You obviously cant say any more than they all grow to 12 or 14" and anyone who doesnt agree with you is torturing their fish. I used to read your posts and respect what you said, but you dont even seem to consider what any one else has to say.
No hard feelings,







I guess there's just a differing of opinions, and we are all entitled to our opinions. I guess the word torture evokes strong emotions in me.


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

yorkshire said:


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 1. thats good, they deserve a much bigger tank
2. isnt your tank a bow front? and are you saying that it is 16" in the largest part or the smallest?
3. yes I will agree with you that there are ocassionally 'runt' oscars that dont get as large as other, but the majority of oscars do get 12"+.
4. I have no idea why an oscar would grow much larger in a tank that is smaller than yours. 
5. like I said ^^ there are the ocasional 'runt' oscars but there usually are not many.
6. when a fish is stunted it isnt seen from their outside apearence. they usuallyact just like normal fish. they just have a shorter life span.
7. not all oscars are agressive and fight w/ each other. ive seen oscars kept together many times. they dont usually fight over territory unless there is one that is agressive.


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## yorkshire (Jul 27, 2004)

lemmywinks said:


> 1.i never said they were staying in this tank for the rest of their lives
> 2.Wheres the 12" depth come from? 36" by 22" by 16" my fish are 9"
> 3.You are unwilling to acept other fishkeepers experiences i.e. Micus
> 4.you have not explained why oscars kept in much smaller and overcrowded setups have grown much bigger than mine.
> ...


1. thats good, they deserve a much bigger tank
2. isnt your tank a bow front? and are you saying that it is 16" in the largest part or the smallest?
3. yes I will agree with you that there are ocassionally 'runt' oscars that dont get as large as other, but the majority of oscars do get 12"+.
4. I have no idea why an oscar would grow much larger in a tank that is smaller than yours. 
5. like I said ^^ there are the ocasional 'runt' oscars but there usually are not many.
6. when a fish is stunted it isnt seen from their outside apearence. they usuallyact just like normal fish. they just have a shorter life span.
7. not all oscars are agressive and fight w/ each other. ive seen oscars kept together many times. they dont usually fight over territory unless there is one that is agressive.








[/quote]
The bow is 16" at its widest, although at its narrowest its probably14"

You say that "when a fish is stunted it isnt seen from their outside apearence. they usuallyact just like normal fish. they just have a shorter life span."

How many have you kept til their dieing day? and wheres the statistics/evidence to say they dont live as long?
If there is no evidence from outside apearance and behaviuor that a fish is stunted, except its size, could it not be said that it has adapted to its enviroment, and isnt actualy being tortured?

just curious.


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

yorkshire said:


> You say that "when a fish is stunted it isnt seen from their outside apearence. they usuallyact just like normal fish. they just have a shorter life span."
> 
> How many have you kept til their dieing day? and wheres the statistics/evidence to say they dont live as long?
> If there is no evidence from outside apearance and behaviuor that a fish is stunted, except its size, could it not be said that it has adapted to its enviroment, and isnt actualy being tortured?
> ...


 the only evidence that is seen from the outside is that the fish is shorter than what it should be. I have never kept an oscar til it died either but i have done quite a bit of research on this. when a fish is stunted its body doesn't grow, but its insides will continue to. eventually the fish's insides will get too cramped inside the small, stunted body (which is why they will usually die at an earlier age than a fish which is not stunted.)


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## yorkshire (Jul 27, 2004)

lemmywinks said:


> yorkshire said:
> 
> 
> > You say that "when a fish is stunted it isnt seen from their outside apearence. they usuallyact just like normal fish. they just have a shorter life span."
> ...


 Ok, its feasable i supose. Anyway, I hope I never have to find out. 
Soon to have a larger setup







.
just got to move house first.


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## aaron07_20 (Apr 23, 2004)

yorkshire said:


> These two tiger oscars have been in a 180litre tank since under an inch long. measured them today and they are just over 9 inch. As long as there is absolutely brilliant filtration and have room to turn and charge about they are happy. 2 of the best (and happiest) fish i have ever had
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Is that yours? That is an awesome tank..


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## tick (Apr 16, 2004)

I think most fish dont grow to there fullest in captivity.Its also like some animals dont breed in captivity.I would just keep one not two though in a 55.Also some times fish are inbred they dont grow like the ones in the wild.







To all of you and your opinions


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## redbelly4 (Sep 13, 2004)

hey what would it mean if an oscar got a huge hole in his neck is that from feeding them feeders???? cause minre got that once


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## tick (Apr 16, 2004)

They are know to get hole in the head.Im not sure if this happened to yours .Im not sure what could of caused it, could of been alot of things feeders,water conditions,malnutrition.Unsure


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## yorkshire (Jul 27, 2004)

aaron07_20 said:


> yorkshire said:
> 
> 
> > These two tiger oscars have been in a 180litre tank since under an inch long. measured them today and they are just over 9 inch. As long as there is absolutely brilliant filtration and have room to turn and charge about they are happy. 2 of the best (and happiest) fish i have ever had
> ...


 Thanks Aaron,








yup thats my tank with the "tortured" oscars. I tried moving one of the o's out into another setup but both oscars whent mad when I separated them. They've been in this setup together for 3 years and appear to be very happy, they started at about 1/2 inch and are now about 9".
Dont know much about "hole in the head" never had a problem with it!
If my o's are stunted I still havent had an explanation as to why I've seen o's grow much bigger than mine in much more cramped conditions, in much much smaller tanks, i.e. a 12" oscar in a 2ft setup. (it grew up there, wasn't put in once it reached 12")
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I'll respect them for it.


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## yorkshire (Jul 27, 2004)

lemmywinks said:


> yorkshire said:
> 
> 
> > You say that "when a fish is stunted it isnt seen from their outside apearence. they usuallyact just like normal fish. they just have a shorter life span."
> ...


 can you tell me where you read that internal organs continue to grow, causing the fish to die early? I've been searching the net and cant find any evidence of this !

Another pic of a tortured oscar


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## air*force*one (Mar 5, 2004)

well there was a 26 foot long once


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## TRomP (Oct 20, 2003)

Didnt you make that post some where else too


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## elTwitcho (Jun 22, 2004)

lemmywinks said:


> would it be torture if you had to live in a closet for the rest of your life and you could barely turn around?
> 
> think about it


 Ugh, I understand your point but I hate that example. If you think Oscars need the same amount of space a human does relative to their size then a 75 gallon tank is not appropriate either. Since people are rough 6 times bigger than an Oscar, that 48 x 18 tank works out to you spending your whole life in a room 9 feet wide and only 24 feet long, never venturing outside or being able to walk more than 6 steps in any direction. Sounds like a life of hell doesn't it? But then fish aren't people and people aren't fish, it's not a fair comparison to make.


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

yorkshire said:


> lemmywinks said:
> 
> 
> > yorkshire said:
> ...


damn you're persistant... your fish are not stunted severly. if they were severly stunted you would see a very deformed fish that is very fat. sorry but I dont feel like finding a place on the net that shows where a stunted fishs insides continue to grow but their body doesnt. but trust me, it does happen.

and I have no idea how an oscar could get 1' long in a 24" long tank. I have never heard of that happening









and also.... is it just the pic, or does your oscar have ick?


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

elTwitcho said:


> lemmywinks said:
> 
> 
> > would it be torture if you had to live in a closet for the rest of your life and you could barely turn around?
> ...


 ya that is a terrible comparison. sorry









best I could think of at that moment


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## yorkshire (Jul 27, 2004)

Sory about the persistance, had a bad day








its not ick, he'd just been diggin in the sand








guess I'm just wrestleing with my consience








torturing my fish ...bloody hell...


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