Oscar Fish Aquarium Setup, Live Plants, Filtration, Tank Lights, Heater, Care Guide, Maintenance & More:
Oscar fish is an aggressive
species, & it could prove deadly to the other fish that you have in your
aquarium. It is recommended to find suitable tank mates for Oscars if you want
to keep Oscars in a community tank.
They look very attractive &
are available in a variety of beautiful colors, & they are quite genius.
Only experts can take proper care
of Oscars. They like an omnivorous diet so it is simple to feed them because
they eat almost anything.
Oscar Fish Origin:
Oscars belong to the Cichlidae
family. Most of the cichlids originate from Africa or South America. Oscars
originates from South America.
Oscars are able to live in the
aquarium for about 20 years.
Oscar Fish Aquarium Setup:
Oscars are both aggressive &
territorial, so think before adding them to your aquarium because they could be
dangerous to other fish.
They don’t fear fighting &
will fight any fish that enters the area they are guarding. If they are mating
or feeding, they can be aggressive too.
Swimming Behavior of an Oscar Fish:
They like to swim in the
mid-levels of the aquarium, & they swim more. They can look for food in the
bottom of the tank. They have another problem of uprooting live plants while
finding food, so make sure everything is fixed.
Oscar Fish are Territorial:
Oscar fish can form a large or
small territory depending on their size & level of aggression. They will
chase other fish that enter their territory.
If you provide enough room for
the fish to form its territory & setup things well inside your aquarium,
then it could lower their aggression.
Design a separate aquarium for
Oscars because they could be aggressive towards other species.
Care Level for an Oscar Fish:
Caring for Oscar fish is not a
simple task. Those who have been caring for other fish for a few years can take
care of this fish. Oscars are not recommended for beginners. If you start
caring for Oscar then they will teach you to take care of other Cichlids too.
Oscar Fish Aquarium Care Guide:
Oscar fish grow quickly in
aquariums. They grow approximately one inch in a month until they are fully
mature. Keep Oscar fish in at least 55 gallons of aquarium or otherwise they
will be stressed, & could get sick & die.
Maximum Size of an Oscar Fish:
Oscar babies are very little like
other tropical species but they can reach a length of 1 foot.
Due to their large future size,
it is recommended to setup a large tank even if you introduce Oscar babies to
the aquarium.
Maximum Lifespan of an Oscar Fish:
Oscars can live a life of up to
20 years in your aquarium if cared properly.
High Maintenance is Required for an Oscar Tank:
They are very messy & need
more maintenance than many other types of fish. They poop too much so need a
quality filter to address this issue. If you keep them in a smaller aquarium
then they will need high maintenance & frequent water parameter tests.
Recommended Water Conditions for an Oscar Fish:
Despite being the Don of the aquarium, Oscars are sensitive fish when it comes to water conditions, & they are prone to a variety of illnesses. Keeping them in clean water will not stress the fish, & it will enhance the immunity of Oscars.
In this video I can help you in setting up an Oscar fish tank:Ideal Water Temperature & pH for an Oscar Fish:
Keep Oscars in temperatures
between 75 to 80 F, & the preferred pH range for this fish is between 6 to
8.
Ideal Water Hardness for an Oscar Fish:
Oscars can live in a wide range
of water hardness but the ideal water hardness for this fish is about 12 dH to
15 dH.
Bad Water Conditions Stress an Oscar Fish:
Oscars are stressed due to
alteration in tank temperature along with rise of ammonia levels in the
aquarium water. Provide a better filtration for the fish & setup a quality
tank heater with a thermostat for keeping the same temperature throughout your
aquarium.
Maintain Same Temperature & Keep Ammonia Levels in Control in an Oscar Aquarium:
If you can’t keep the accurate
temperature & your aquarium water has increased levels of ammonia then it
could stress your Oscars, & they might lose their color, eat less, &
will not be living happily in their aquarium.
Test your aquarium water from time
to time to keep the water parameters controlled.
Does an Oscar Fish Like Living in a Planted aquarium:
Oscars do not need better
pre-settlement of tanks because they like setting up their aquarium on its own
so only introduce a few live plants, rocks & stuffs, & allow them to re
arrange their aquarium.
Oscar Fish are Moody & have Unpredictable Behavior:
Oscar fish are unpredictable
& it depends on their mood, how they react towards their environment. At
times they will love the plants but the next moment they could be aggressive,
& will be uprooting them & throwing them away in a rage. Only introduce
hardy plants in Oscar’s aquarium. Keeping floating plants are good in Oscar’s
tank because they provide a greenish appearance to their environment.
Best Live plants for an Oscar Aquarium:
Best live plants to keep in the
Oscar fish aquarium are:
- Java Fern
- Java Moss
- Salvinia Natans
Only Keep Live Plants in an Oscar Fish Tank that have Similar Requirements:
Only add live plants to Oscar’s
aquarium that have similar needs. Do not keep plants that need warmer water
than your Oscars. Do not just add a plant to Oscar’s tank but first do a net
research to find a compatible plant for Oscars. Many plants have similar needs
as Oscars so you will find a large variety of compatible plants.
Oscar Fish Need Frequent Water Changes:
Oscar fish needs frequent water
changes to keep the water parameters controlled. Also, adding fresh water will
add minerals that the fish need.
Aquarium Filtration in an Oscar Fish Tank:
It is very crucial to learn how
your aquarium filters work & how to setup filter media in a filter. Every
filter can do both mechanical & biological filtration, but chemical
filtration is optional & not every filter offers space to keep chemical
filtration media. Mechanical filtration uses foams & sponges, chemical filtration
uses activated carbon, & biological filtration uses bio media.
Mechanical Filtration:
Mechanical filtration is carried
out using sponges or foams. It can trap physical particles in the water such as
fish poop, excess food, dead leaves, dirt & other debris. If these waste
particles are not collected, they will release harmful chemicals that will be
toxic to the aquarium fish. Waste particles will be sucked by the filter using
a pump & they will pass through mechanical filtration media that will remove
every physical particle from the water & will allow clean water to flow
through the biological filtration. Mechanical filtration uses three types of
media: coarse, medium & fine foams / sponges. Coarse foam will trap all big
waste particles, while medium & tiny particles can flow through it. Medium
foam will trap all medium sized particles while fine foam will ensure that
every tiny particle is stopped.
Q) If fine foam can even
collect large & medium particles, then why do we add coarse & medium
foams?
A) Because if large & medium
particles are trapped in fine foam then it will clog the media very quickly
& will soon reduce its cleaning efficiency.
Order of Mechanical Filter Media:
Order of filter media is very
important. Coarse foam should come first followed by medium & fine foams
because coarse foam will take care of every large particle, while medium sized
particles will be stopped by medium foam, & fine foams will take care of
tiny little particles.
Biological Filtration:
Biological filtration is very
important in all types of filtration. Ammonia byproducts released from fish
waste are wiped out by biological filtration. Biological filtration is natural
because every aquarium contains good bacteria that are produced after the
nitrogen cycle. It is very important to cycle your aquarium before adding fish
to it so that useful bacteria are thriving in the aquarium. Beneficial bacteria
need oxygen for survival & it can’t live outside water. Large surfaces
provide room to grow heaps of beneficial bacteria. Biological filter media has
an outer surface, & tiny little pores that add more room for the growth of
beneficial bacteria.
Nitrifying Bacteria:
Nitrifying bacteria grows in
oxygen rich places & they grow everywhere in the aquarium & especially
on the large surfaces of bio media. Nitrifying bacteria breaks down ammonia
into nitrites, & further into nitrates. Nitrates are less toxic than
nitrites, & nitrites are less toxic than ammonia. Nitrates are still toxic
to fish & presence of high levels of nitrates could be fatal. Nitrifying
bacteria can’t wipe out nitrates from the aquarium water.
Denitrifying Bacteria:
Denitrifying bacteria is used to
wipe out nitrates from the aquarium. Not every bio media is ideal for the
growth of denitrifying bacteria because they grow in oxygen less places like in
the tiny little pores of bio media. These pores are very tiny & it is
difficult to see them without using a microscope. These little holes are air
free & provide the ideal environment for the growth of heaps of
denitrifying bacteria. Certain bio media allows the growth of both nitrifying
& denitrifying bacteria such as ceramic rings.
Chemical Filtration:
Activated carbon is used as
chemical filtration media. They can wipe out various toxins from the aquarium
water. They are used to remove medication that has treated the fish, & now
the leftover medicine needs removal. Other purposes of chemical filtration
include treating water smelling. Overtime chemical media will be fully saturated
& in that case, toxins that it has accumulated will be released back in the
water so it is your choice if you want to use chemical media or not. Chemical
filtration media is not necessary.
For detail information about
Chemical Filtration, check out this article: Is Chemical Filtration Required
Which Filter is Best for an Oscar Fish Tank:
Oscars need a large aquarium,
& if it will need multiple small filters & just one big aquarium
filter. I would suggest you use a canister filter because it is designed for
large aquariums.
Canister Filter is Best for an Oscar Aquarium:
Canister filters are able to
provide three types of filtration: Mechanical, biological & chemical
filtration. Canister filter can filter large volumes of water & it is
located outside an aquarium so it is not taking up the space inside an aquarium
water. Water is sucked from the aquarium via an inlet hose. Water flows to the
bottom of a canister filter using an internal tube, & then it rises upward
through the filtration media. First it hits mechanical filter media, then
chemical (chemical filter media is optional) & biological filter media. A
pump is attached to the outlet hose then pumps clean water back to the
aquarium.
If you want to know how to Setup
a Canister Filter then Read this article: How to Setup a Canister Filter
Advantages of a Canister Filter in an Oscar Aquarium:
Other than filtration, canister
filters can circulate & aerate water. They are designed for large aquariums
because they clean lots of water, & they are energy efficient too. Some
Canister filters also come with UV sterilizer that can wipe out harmful
microbes in the aquarium water.
Problem with Normal Filters in an Oscar Aquarium:
Oscar fish are messy & they
make lots of poop, & it is difficult for a normal filter to address this
problem. I think that if you are keeping one Oscar in a 55-gallon aquarium then
use a filter that is rated for a double sized aquarium such as around 100
gallons of water.
Best Heater for an Oscar Fish Tank:
Oscar can live in an aquarium
that has a lower temperature of up to 21 Degree Celsius. The upper temperature
limit is 30 Degree Celsius. If you want to know the ideal temperature for an
Oscar then it is 27 Degree Celsius. Oscar is a messy fish & they mess
around with almost anything that you add to their tank. They usually don’t like
a tank heater. Oscars have the habit of breaking heaters so find the one that
is strong.
Best Lights for an Oscar Fish Tank:
Oscar fish can live even in the
dark, & any light is fine for their aquarium. Many lovely colored fish do
not look beautiful in the absence of quality light. However, many Oscars look
dull & they don’t show beautiful bright colors in the availability of
strong light.
Tank lights could also depend on
how you want to watch your Oscar fish. Many aquarists want to watch their fish
clearly so they need strong lights.
Choose Lights that meet the Requirements of Live Plants:
If you are adding live plants in
your Oscar’s tank then choose lights based on the requirements of the plants.
Live plants need light for photosynthesis so light must hit the plants located
at the bottom of the aquarium. If your aquarium water is dirty then lights will
not be able to penetrate through it & won’t reach the bottom with high
intensity. Also, if you are keeping floating plants then they are much closer
to the lights.
Which Lights are Best for a Planted Aquarium:
Choose lights that spread in the
aquarium so that it could reach the plants that are not directly below it. Many
LED lights offer high intensity & spread so if your tank light is shorter
than the entire length of the aquarium then still plants at the corner will be
able to receive direct light. Not every plant is hungry for the light because
many of them do not need direct light. They can grow even in shadows. If you
are keeping other fish & live plants in Oscars’ fish tank then make sure
you choose the lights that are best for every fish & live plant. LED lights
are more energy efficient than any other aquarium lights.
How much Lighting in Enough for an Oscar Aquarium:
Do not leave your aquarium lights
on for over 12 hours a day. Sunlight in the tropical areas is illuminated for
12 hours in a day so if you want to mimic a natural day / night then do not
leave your lights on for over 12 hours in a single day. Oscars originate from
the tropical areas so mimicking that environment is ideal for the fish.
If you want to know which Light
is Best for your Aquarium then read this article: Comparison of LED vs Other Aquarium Lights
Disadvantages of Aquarium Lights in an Oscar Aquarium:
You will witness algae bloom if
you add high intensity tank lights or if your tank lights are turned on for
longer periods. Algae needs lights for growth & they will magically appear
in the tank if your aquarium is illuminated with strong lights. Do not keep
your aquarium in direct sunlight because it will cause algae spikes.
Top Substrate for an Oscar Fish Tank:
It is good to use substrate in
Oscar’s tank especially if you are keeping live plants. Add a thick layer of
substrate because Oscars have the problem of uprooting plants. Adding sand
& gravel is fine for an Oscar tank. They are available in various colors.
Live plants should be fixed hard in the substrate if you want to stop Oscar
from uprooting them.
What are the Benefits of Wood in an Oscar Fish Tank:
Wood is good & adding it to a
fish tank can offer a natural appearance. Wood comes at a cost & large wood
is very expensive. Choose the one that does not rot when submerged in water.
Boil the wood before adding it to the fish tank so that every impurity is
removed. If you are keeping other fish in an Oscar’s aquarium then they could
use wood & other hiding places for hiding from the Oscar fish. Many aquarists
attach plants like Java Fern & Java Moss to driftwood.
How to Prepare Driftwood for an Oscar Aquarium:
Add driftwood to an aquarium but
remember driftwood will release tannins once submerged in water. Boiling
driftwood will wipe out tannins. When you boil driftwood, then you will observe
that the water in the pot will look like tea. Change the water & boil
driftwood again in clean water, & keep changing water until water color
does not change.
If you want to learn how to boil
a driftwood then check out this tutorial: How to prepare driftwood for an aquarium use?
Summary:
|
Category |
Rating |
|
Care Level |
Medium |
|
Behavior |
Aggressive / Territorial |
|
Color |
Multiple |
|
Lifespan |
Up to 20 Years |
|
Maximum Length |
Up to 12 inches |
|
Food |
Omnivorous |
|
Family |
Cichlidae |
|
Minimum Aquarium Size |
55 gallons |
|
Aquarium Setup |
Freshwater |
|
Tank Mates |
Large, Passive Species |
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