New to this

[Cberry]

Hello Everyone,

I recently purchased a 55 gallon aquarium with Eheim 2217 filter (used).  I have had it running now for about a week with some mollies just to build up the correct water balance.  Everything seems to be going pretty smooth I just have a couple of concerns on the filter they may seem a little crazy but I'm lost here.

Where does the intake line go in a 55 gallon tank?  Currently I have it placed on one side as far down as it will reach and the return on the opposite side forcing the water from left to right to the intake.  The return is closer to the top but is fully submerged in the water.  Is this how it should be set up?

Also I only have one air pump supplying air to about a 5 inch (blue) air bar.  Is this enough air going into the tank.  What other recommedations do ya'll have.

I have a 5" Oscar I will be putting in there in the next week or so.  I was planning on getting some other cichlids to go with him.  He was part of the purchase when I got the tank and has been living in a 10 gallon so far.  The fish store recommended some Parrot cichlids to go with him, but I see a big controversy with Parrot fish any fish recommendations.  My kids are really looking forward to getting this going.

[CichlidFan]

Re: New to this

I'd like to welcome you to the Houston Fish Box, and let you know that you will find, that there are tons of nice folk around this site with tons of advice, and most of it good advice too.....

In my humble opinion the placement of the return line, is a matter of personal preference, I would place the return line horizontally in the tank about 4 inche's under the water line with the "stream" of water pointing towards the surface.

There are many fish, again, in my humble opinion that can be kept with Oscars, and I like Sevrums, check them out.

More folks will have more good input, I hope I have been of some assistance.

CF

[geoff_tropheus]

Re: New to this

The filtration is a good setup for this.  When you peform maintenance on the filter, be sure to close the valves while the spray bar and suction line are submerged still.  Also do the same for when you re-open them after maintenance.  

this way you will not loose your siphon to get the filter re-started, which can be a pain on the Eheim Classics.  I don't know how many gallons of fish tank water I have drank because of this.  The worst part is those lines are not the cleanest.

55 Gallon in the long run, will be cramped for your Oscar, but your good to go for a while.

Sounds fun for the kids!

[Cberry]

Re: New to this

Thanks,  I have really been worried about the filter lines.  Sounds like I got lucky though.  Will check out the Sevrums.  how many could go with the Oscar?

[CichlidFan]

Re: New to this

As Geoff mentioned in his post, the 55 is a bit small for the oscars, and sevrums, which can grow to about as big as oscars, so keep the numbers low until you can tell how comfortable the fish are in their new environment. You may want to keep an eye on the fish market on this site for a larger tank down the road....????

CF


Years ago, I kept 2 Oscars with 3 Sevrums in a 100 gallon tank with less than a dozen other smaller cichlids.

[sproett]

Re: New to this

An oscar by itself is a lot of fun.  Once he's bigger you may find yourself doing frequent water changes to keep the nitrates down.  Silver dollars would work.  Just don't get anything small enough to fit in his mouth or anything very aggressive (he'll most likely end up killed).  Be careful buying feeder fish, often times they carry disease that your oscar could catch.  If you still want to feed him feeders than use the 10G as a quarantine tank and feed them high quality food so they are a healthier treat.

[Cberry]

Re: New to this

I keep hearing may need to get bigger tank down the road or once he's bigger.  I thought 55 gal was pretty big.  How big do these guys really get under normal care?

and, yes the kids love watching him and feeding him.  That's why when I gave the choice of trading him in and having a community tank or keeping him and being very limited on tankmates they wanted to keep him.

[armthehomeless]

Re: New to this

Welcom to the box, Cherry.

I've had oscars that were up to 14 or 15 inches. As for possible tankmates in the future (if you are planning on getting a bigger tank), you could consider Jack Dempseys, other types of Oscars, Tinfoil Barbs, Silver Dollars, Green Terrors, Severums, Texas Cichlids, or Nicaraguan Cichlids to name a few...

[sproett]

Re: New to this

12 inches minimum.  they're awesome fish, easy to get hooked on them!

[Darbex]

Re: New to this

I have read that you can actually teach an oscar to roll over for food and allow you to pet them. I would have no idea on how to do that though. Once you start filling up the tank in no time you will want a larger tank to add more guys. I know from experience I am currently saving for a much larger tank.  

[Zulaab]

Re: New to this

Cberry - I have a 58 Gallon tank right now with 2 six/seven inch Oscars which both are about 2yrs old.  (They live to be about 10)
With the tank I have 3 pink convicts and 2 Green Terrors and 2 Pleco's.
Its WAY crowded in it.
Next year I am going to going to replace the tank with a 150 or 180 gallon tank which will be sitting in the place where the 58 is today.  From reading on here and everywhere else, they tell you that an Oscar should not have many more than 1 to 2 pair of other fish in the tank in a 55, as long as the Oscar is not over 6 inches.  Once over that size and you want to keep 2 pairs of other fish in the tank you too will need to look to get a bigger tank.
You are lucky that you are asking before you did what I did.. get fish you think looks cool and know will work well with the Oscar and then realize to late that there is a tank size change coming soon because you are out of space.   My Green Terrors and Pink convicts work well with the Oscars.  All the fish have with the exception of the breeding pair of Pink convicts left everyone else at peace...  The Green Terror male and female have not paired up and therefore he chases her (remind me one of these days to put another unpaired set of Green Terrors in there once they are all in a new bigger tank)  because I would love to breed my Green Terrors.. I have a beautiful male I want to breed.

[Cberry]

Re: New to this

Thanks everyone I have been on other forums and not had near the response I got today.  All the information was very helpful.  I can make much better descisions for our new hobby now.  Will keep posting and keep you guys advised of how things go.  

Fish Lady thanks for the new fish.

[fishlady]

Re: New to this

your so very welcome indeed.....i enjoyed meeting you and your daughters very much....hope you enjoy the fish...i know he'll be well taken care of......


fishlady....

[eklikewhoa]

Re: New to this

In the 55g I would do the oscar and maybe a pair of severums or even a pacu but better yet a mate for the oscar. If the fish are small they will be fine in the tank for a while but make sure you stay on top of your water changes.

With feeding I would invest in a little tub of pellets vs feeders that way you know what you are putting in the tank. NewLifeSpectrum makes a large fish formula which is what I would feed them.

The output of you filter IMO should be about an inch from the water surface spraying right under the water surface to cause a slight ripple of the water surface to aid in gas exchange. Also being me I would add another filter in there to help with circulation/filtration probably an aquaclear HOB filter.

Wlecome to the box btw and it sounds like your off to a good start!

[PhishPhreek]

Re: New to this

I have a Oceanic 68g (taller version of the 55g) with a dual HOB filter.
I had 2 - 7" oscars in the tank and they were doing great untill last October when I wound up in the Hospital for 2 months.   The water evaporated untill the level droped down low enough to break the syphon intake on my HOB filter and the tank went stagnant and I lost one of the oscars before I was able to correct the problem.   So.. IMHO a 55 is not big enough for 2 - 6" fish, unless you have a generator or other emergency power system.  Best of luck with your tank.