How long can I keep a very small tiger oscar in a 10 gallon?

Question

I just bought a red tiger oscar that's an inch and a half. I was wondering how long people recommend that I can keep him in a 10 gallon. I have a 50 gallon that he/she will eventually move into. At what point in time will it cause it harm/stunted growth? It's the only fish in the tank. I briefly asked a vet and they said it perfectly fine to have it in a 10 gallon with water change; right food; good filtration, etc. But forgot to ask at want point should it be moved to a larger tank. Thanks for your help.

I bought it petsmart; they said a 30 would be fine.

Answer 1

when he gets up to around 4 to 6inches but i recommend now since he can grow big in 2 months or so really fast and so he can have alot of space to swim in.

I dont know for sure for him to get slow in growth in a 10 gallon is when hes in their for around 6 to 8 months or so but can be very stressful.

Hope this info helps.
WT

Answer 2

Actually Chop, I think catalyst has it totally reversed. While you're right about the fact the Oscar aggression is blown too far out of proportion, in addition to that, it's totally opposite about a Jack Dempsey. A Jack Dempsey is a RULE THE TANK TYPE, not someone that's going to just back off from an Oscar. A Jack Dempsey got it's name from the boxer, not from being a shy meek coward. Can you put them in a 92? Possibly. What I'd like to know more is the overall footprint on it though. The longer the tank the better the odds. It's certainly not the Oscar I'm going to worry about, but more the Demspey trying to take everything over as they typically do. I'd opt for a six foot length tank if at all possible, and if you go five or four feet, you're going to want to watch how they interact when they reach adult hood. I'd say it's pretty ideal to grow up in, but once they hit adult sizes, inside, I'm fearing it's not enough space. While a pleco is a bottom feeder, and an armored catfish, keep in mind, Oscars have a tendancy to try to eat anything they can fit in their mouth. There have been several occaisions here in YA where there have been Oscars trying to eat plecos, so this might not be a good idea in the long run.

Answer 3

Actually the sooner the better. The little guys growth rate would be better and he would be easier to care for in the larger tank. When he gets to be 2 1/2 inches long he will require more frequent water changes to maintain his growth rate. If the 10 gallon tank is properly cycled he should reach that size in a matter of a few months. Be prepared for the change to the larger tank by doing a fishless cycle about a month and a half before moving your pet.

Answer 4

hey,

i have 2 tiger oscars and 1 red oscar.

your lucky you didnt ask an @$$ at pet smart, they will refuse to sell you a fish if you dont have a 200 gallon tank =P. it depends on weather or not you have other oscars or not and if you are feeding them fish or large food. i'd recommend about 2-3 inches before you introduce them to the tank. if you put small oscars (not small enough to be eaten by others) the small oscars will try to eat the large food and abandon the other food you try to give them and they will inevitably die. i had a baby albino tiger and unfortunatly when i bought a 50 gallon tank i put all my oscars in, the others were about 4 inches a peice but the albino was about 1 inch and adorable but when i started feeding the other oscars fish the albino would try to nibble at the fish but it couldnt eat them at all and the albino died. once they get their mind set on eating the bigger food they will not want to go for the littler food.