Hey, Im pretty new to oscars.
I got a small Oscar. its about 5 Cm or around that.
But the thing is, I have like 9CM + Blueclaws yabby's in my tank?
Will it survive?
Does it need a heater?
When i first got it would kinda go into the deep corner of the tank, My little brother said it was like this at the petshop, i replied, he was probably the outcast of the group?
Am i right, or what is wrong?
He is starting to go higher, and eating baby snales etc
Thank you

hey dude,

I've had those blue claws, never with oscars but. they might get a bit nippy with the O that small but if it survives in 6-8 months or so they will be O food.

How big is your tank? Is it cycled?

Your in queensland hey? if the weather has been like it is here in nsw then your sweet for a heater until summers over, they like temp to be around 26C but can handle it up to around 30.

When we all buy our oscars they usually sulk for a few days laying on the bottom even on their sides, give him time(a couple of days) he'l get used to his new tank and own the place lol. they are heaps big pussies.

some good questions from Johnlogy. invertebrate and oscars don't mix to well cos when the fish is laying on the bottom sleeping it can get nipped causing small cuts that can become infected. I personally wouldn't mix them. also when your oscar becomes bigger the clawed pets most likely become food.

we will need some more info about your setup. for the best reply to your questions give tank size
fish number and size
filter type

did you cycle the tank? a new tank needs to be cycled before putting fish into it.
Have you tested the water? testing the water for
PH
ammonia
nitrites
nitrates

is a very impotant part of fish keeping and a liquid test kit will be needed so you know what condition your fish water is in.as already said temp needs to be around 26-30c

Ok thanks for the answers guy's.
Well the yabby's are going to have to stay till tomorow, I think my tank would be around 35 + Gallon.
And i filled my tank up today. tap water. Cleaned it right out. Rocks and everything.
Umm Im not like a expert at fish, So i don't really know what kind my filter is, My oscar isnt really eating anything except for the snails i got with the plants?
My setup?
Just a regular tank, But its deeper then a normal tank, not as wide.
He is swimming up and down at the moment haha being a weiner
And yeah, it's stinking hot up here :@
Great weather for yabbying.
Wish i had another tank so i could keep my yabby's had them for ages

Tank - Aqua One
- Ar - 510

Filter
Powerhead 510/620
Impeller.

I know its far from the best gear, but i got this stuff when i was like 13 im 15 now

75 litres, So not even 30+ gallons, not even close. Ah.. ****

some good detective work ). ok you say you filled the tank with tap water? did you treat the tap water to remove chloramine/chlorine from the water. all tap water needs to be treated before it comes into contact with your fish. seachem prime is the cheapest way to treat your water and a very good product. you will need to add this to your tank ASAP as chlorine and fish just don't go. its poisonous to them.

your tank will take about 6 wks to cycle. in this time you will need to check the water for ammonia/nitrates/nitrates. the first 2 being very important as these are poisonous to your fish too. they will build up as the filter breaks down the fish poo. changing the water often is the only way to remove the ammonia and nitrites. testing the water is the only way to know when to change water.

please read the link below.

www.oscarfishlover.com/how-to-cycle-a-tank

Thanks, Can i get this stuff at my local petstore, Bluddy bastards told mum that all you needed was a tank and food basically, i knew there was way more to it then that cause i was reading up on them 55Gal minimum etc,
Australia is real ripoff equiptment so this shit will probably cost me about 50 bucks haha

yes your local pet store will stock it. get a small bottle (seachem prime). 1 and half capfuls will treat 75g so it gose a long way. I will be surprised if its more than $10 but dont hold me to it. £5 uk price for a small bottle.

a test kit will be very helpful and almost a must. this will cost a little more £25 uk price. don't buy much more. shops sell you all sorts that you just don't need. reading through the site and asking questions is your best bet. the more you learn from this site the happier your fish will be.

Alright sweet, Do i need the testkit? Can't i just add the stuff to the water anyway?

when we give advice we like to know what the water conditions are in your tank. its a vital bit of information we all use to give advice. without knowing the water structure its impossible to guess whats going on. its a bit like asking someone to fix a car but not tell them whats the problem with it. without a test kit my best advice to you would be change 20% of the tank water daily or every other day for 6 wks. then do a 30% water change every wk after that for maintenance.

Yeah i understand, If i don't test it, Do i have to keep changing the water everyweek after 6 weeks??

How long can the fish hold off untill i get the test kit, i bout it about 15 hours ago.