I've just got my first oscar. He's a really cool fish, but I guess I've got to go buy him a bigger home. My neighbor gave me a 40 gallon tank and 6 fish one 4-5 inch albino tiger oscar, two 3-inch heart shaped blood parrots (poor things), one electric blue cichlid, and I'm not sure what the other two are but they are both about 2.5 inches. I know this tank is over populated and I've found an 85 gallon for a GREAT price, I just have to wait till this weekend to go get it. They all seem happy and healthy.


I did a 25% water change yesterday and added a penguin 200 HOB to compensate for the crappy internal sponge filter.

After my water change chemistry is Nitrate 5.0, Nitrite 0.50, Ammonia 0.50, PH 7.8

Is there anything I should do in the mean time? Also should I cycle the new tank first or should I focus on thinning the crowd by moving a a few to the new tank?

You've got one, or two Oscars? Okay, 85 gallons is going to be big enough for one Oscar and maybe one small tank mate, certainly not big enough for all the fish you've got at the moment. I would get rid of the electric blue, that's an African Cichlid and will be much better off living with its own kind.I would also find a new home for the blood parrots, you will not have room for them as well as the Oscars. so really, you're just left with the Oscar and the fish that you don't know the name of.

Okay, your nitrites and ammonia are too high. You will only have the same problem if you transfer the fish into an uncycled tank, I would suggest that you cycle the new tank before adding the Oscars, we will try and sort out the small tank and make it safe for the time being. unfortunately, I think you're going to have to get rid of some fish. I would also suggest you get something like prime, this will detoxify ammonia and nitrite so at least it will take some pressure off the fish until you have cycled it properly. For the time being, do a 25% water change on the 40 gallon tank every other day making sure you use a water conditioner to remove chlorine. I would leave your filtration alone for the time being, if you start washing it out, you're just going to start removing beneficial bacteria.

Test the water everyday so you can monitor ammonia and nitrite.

Unfortunately, it's very difficult to get get on top of poor water conditions if you have too many fish. Ammonia and nitrites are fish killers, if you have anything above zero, you are putting your fishes health at risk.

i agree with ofl. rehome most of yur current stock and watch your level carefully. you should be alright with the forty gallon until your 85 gallon is properly cycled. just be careful not ot overstock.

good luck with your new oscar

you could keep the 40g for the 2 parrots if you like them but you would have 2 tanks to care for? are you going to buy a new filter for the new tank as this would also need bearing in mind?? 85g would be ok for the oscar and a mate but if you move them all in you just move the problem as they will soon grow then your problems come back.

sorry miss read that thought you had the 85g (( you may need to rehome some now.

Thanks for all the replies.

I've just re-tested my water and My Ammonia and Nitrite have risen to 1.0 My Nitrates rose to 10 and PH is still 7.8 .

Should I do another 25% water change?

Also I've just found out the 85gl I plan on getting this weekend is still up and running with two silver dollars in it. Cycling the new tank shouldn't be an issue as long as I keep the filter media and substrate wet correct? If true then i should be ok, although I may have to find homes for the two silver dollars; Or will they be ok with the Oscar?

BTW, just to clarify I don't plan on moving everything to the 85 probably just the Oscar, and maybe the BP's until i figure out what to do with them. I will keep the 40 probably for the African and maybe one or both of the yet unidentified tank mates.

Wow who knew a free fish tank would cause so much drama. LOL

Once again thanks for sharing your knowledge and experiences.

if you found that your ammonia and nitrites have risen i would do a 25% water change on the tank. i would also so a daily water change and hope that this reduces the harmful toxins.
also keep an eye on your water parameters and do the water changes as needed

and if the tank your getting is running now try to keep the filters running as long as you can and reset them as soon as you can to keep the beneficial bacteria alive

btw the silver dollars can be good tankmates for your oscars

Thanks for the help. I just did another 25% water change and will just continue to monitor daily until I can get the 85. Also I just read my original post and now I see why people are getting confused (bad wording on my part). To clarify I only have one Oscar "the one that came with the tank". I'm just trying to get everything squared away and in proper balance.The only things I've done is I added some live plants and added the penguin 200 HOB, but I haven't removed anything. I would not normally have these problems as I would have researched prior to making any purchases.

I'm just not sure what I want to do with the Blood Parrots. I feel sorry for them having been mutilated to look heart shaped.