Do Tiger Oscars need an air bubbler?

Answer 1

OK, yes, fish need oxygen, but that's not really the answer to the question or the why behind it.

To answer the question, no, oscars don't need an air bubbler. No fish does, for that matter. What they do need is gas exchange. Contrary to popular belief, bubblers don't add oxygen to the water by blowing bubbles of air in the tank. They do add oxygen by the ripple effect at the top of the tank. That's where the gas exchange occurs.

You can achieve this gas exchange (btw we are talking about getting rid of CO2 and bringing in O2) with many other mechanisms that you may already have running on the tank. Most filters "disturb" the water surface from their output -- this is enough for gas exchange.

A powerhead (or other pump) can get the same effect for gas exchange. A trickle filter or wet/dry filter (usually used in saltwater) also results in high gas exchange. A really large tank with a lot of surface area results in high gas exchange.

No matter how it's done, that's what you want is disruption of the surface unless the tank is quite large (and it's still a good idea there, too). Your upper limit is making too much and disturbing the fish with a lot of water movement.

Oscars consume a lot of oxygen (and everything else) so give them a good deal of surface agitation and they'll be fine. If you want the bubbler for aesthetic reasons, go for it, but they don't need it.

Hope it helps!

Answer 2

Tiger Oscars

Answer 3

I can give you the proper answer without writing a book... The only reason people use oxygen supply is if the tank is over crowded, if not all you need is a good filter, the air tube would just be a waste. Sure I helped..

Answer 4

Yes they need oxygen.