With regard to the number of Oscars to keep together there are lots of things to take into consideration. Firstly lets consider keeping a solitary Oscar on its own. Oscars like every other living thing on this earth exist for one reason and one reason only to pass on its genes to the next generation. If they do not succeed in doing that then the species faces extinction. To me it therefore follows that keeping Oscars on their own is not right. Many of the questions on any Oscar forum can be answered by explaining how Oscars spawn. So we have to realise that Oscars will spend a great deal of there time exhibiting behaviour that is in some way connected to spawning. How then does an Oscar cope with that when he or she is left for their whole existence on its own. Does it exhibit the same behaviour as it would if it was in a tank full of Oscars. I think not. Now lets consider keeping two Oscars together, fine I here you say , yes great if they end up as a pair and are able to live peacefully and happily ever after. What if they are two males? What happens then when they get to maturity and there are no females around and they start to fight with each other what do you do with two Oscars that wont live together.
In my opinion by far the best way to keep Oscars is to buy a group of them and then grow them on. What about the huge size of tank you will need ? Well dare I say it I have kept 6-8 full grown Oscars in 120 gallons with no problems. No problems with aggression or with disease. However and there is a huge however, if you want to try this method you have to be totally dedicated to your Oscars and willing to spend time and money on them. Mine were kept in tanks linked to filters i designed and built myself. I designed and built a water changing system that made this job easy so i could do it regularly without it taking up so much of my time. Anyone who has watched my oscar dvd will have seen that i have kept my Oscars exactly like i have said above. It is possible but it takes dedication time and money.Oh and probably a screw loose somewhere along the line. Please dont see this as a green light to go and buy Oscars and stuff them in small tanks, as i have said it takes time dedication time and money.

Great article It should be pinned.

I agree with you artemis

Could you help me out?? This is probabley a stupid question but I still have to ask lol. You said that you can keep 6 - 8 oscars in a 120 gallon aquarium....thats only 15 gallons of whater or so to a fish right? If thats right why can't you keep 2 oscars in a 30 gallon tank with the proper filtration? Thats still 15 gallons of whater each....

Please explain to me!!
** sorry if this is a stupid thing to say

Topic has been stickied

cpeckford, do note he said this is only with special care. However, that is not my main point because even with special care you can't keep one oscar in 15 gallons of water. In a fifteen gallon tank, the oscar may not even have enough room to turn around, while in a 120 gallon tank this is different. I don't really have a good way of explaining it, (hopefully dinger454 or someone else will) but the amount of gallons per oscar can be reduced after the tank is so big. Hope that helps, Art.

Thats what I don't understand. I would never imagin keeping a 10 + inch fish in a 15 gallon tank. It wouldn't be able to move. But say it were a 30 - 50 gallon tank (29" x 14" x 18&quot Could 2 live like that. With the proper care for the size of tank?..Larger filters and what not......

Again sorry. I'm just trying to learn **