Two Oscars in a 90G Plus Pleco

Dan · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 1

Hello,

Will two Oscars be happy in a 90G tank (48X18). Also, is a Pleco
really needed? Is it difficult to manage the algae without a bottom
feeder? IMO, the Plecos get to big and take up valuable tank space.
Smaller bottom feeders will become lunch. Any thoughts?

Thanks, Dan

Archived from group: alt>aquaria>oscars

Mark Stone · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 100

dpj01@alltel.net (Dan) wrote in message news:...
> Hello,
>
> Will two Oscars be happy in a 90G tank (48X18). Also, is a Pleco
> really needed? Is it difficult to manage the algae without a bottom
> feeder? IMO, the Plecos get to big and take up valuable tank space.
> Smaller bottom feeders will become lunch. Any thoughts?
>
> Thanks, Dan

Hi Dan --

A 90 is plenty room enough for a pair of Oscars.

A Pleco is unnecessary, certainly, but there are advantages to using a
large Pleco in your tank. They get large enough that they do not
become Oscar food; they bear a tough shell so they are
abuse-resistant; and they feed both off of the gravel and off of the
glass, helping to keep the aquarium clean of uneaten food and the
glass clear of algae. The bio-load that a single adult Pleco would add
to a 90 with a pair of Oscars would be almost insignificant.

However, people maintain great Oscar aquaria without Plecos, too -- so
it's really a matter of preference.

--Mark

Mark Stone tractorlegs at msn dot kom
OSCAR Lovers! http://www.geocities.com/cichlidiot_2000/oscar.html
The ".Edu" meens i are smart.

KA05 · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 4

I agree with mark
I used to have 2 Oscars in the same sized tank with a plec, one oscar died,
so now sometimes its like the two of them are up close and best of pals,
then they have a squabble! The only prob./good point i see is the plec will
eat all the uneaten food/algae off glass but they excrete a lot. I think
their worth the effort though for keeping the tank clean, only prob is more
water changes, and their company for each other!
Ka05.

--

Ka05........he has ran out of theory's!
"Mark Stone" wrote in message@posting.google.com...
> dpj01@alltel.net (Dan) wrote in message
news:...
> > Hello,
> >
> > Will two Oscars be happy in a 90G tank (48X18). Also, is a Pleco
> > really needed? Is it difficult to manage the algae without a bottom
> > feeder? IMO, the Plecos get to big and take up valuable tank space.
> > Smaller bottom feeders will become lunch. Any thoughts?
> >
> > Thanks, Dan
>
> Hi Dan --
>
> A 90 is plenty room enough for a pair of Oscars.
>
> A Pleco is unnecessary, certainly, but there are advantages to using a
> large Pleco in your tank. They get large enough that they do not
> become Oscar food; they bear a tough shell so they are
> abuse-resistant; and they feed both off of the gravel and off of the
> glass, helping to keep the aquarium clean of uneaten food and the
> glass clear of algae. The bio-load that a single adult Pleco would add
> to a 90 with a pair of Oscars would be almost insignificant.
>
> However, people maintain great Oscar aquaria without Plecos, too -- so
> it's really a matter of preference.
>
> --Mark
>
> Mark Stone tractorlegs at msn dot kom
> OSCAR Lovers! http://www.geocities.com/cichlidiot_2000/oscar.html
> The ".Edu" meens i are smart.