Juveniles?

**SamethP** · 09-04-2011, 02:03 AM

Hi guys & girls,

I'm relatively new to this and I have a question. I am interested in getting an oscar and another fish that will grow to the same size (maybe a devil or something) while they are juveniles so that they grow up to be tankmates.

At the moment, I simply can't afford to purchase a nice big 4 or 5 foot tank so I'm going to get one put on layby or something along those lines.

My question for the moment is, if I set up a smaller tank (probably around 40L, give or take) how long can I house the juveniles in there before I have to relocate them to the bigger tank?

Cheers,
Sam

**Fisharefriends27** · 09-04-2011, 03:04 AM

They grow too fast, stock the tank you have not plan to have.

**SamethP** · 09-04-2011, 03:29 AM

Alrighty, thank you :)

Another question, suppose I do get this bigger tank and set it all up like that, would it be fine if I put my juvenile ghost knives in there (I currently have 2 about 7cms long at the moment) and then let them all grow up together?

**Lady Hobbs** · 09-04-2011, 07:51 AM

As I said in your other thread, ghost knives get too large and grow too fast as do Oscars and Red Devils. One Oscar alone should have at least a 75 gallon.

If you are just getting into this hobby, the worse thing you can do is start stocking a 4 ft tank with fish that will outgrow it in a year. Way too many people do that thinking they will "someday" get a tank large enough and it doesn't happen and the fish suffer for it. Best to buy the giant fish when you have the giant tank?

You can easily add another $500 onto a large tank just for the filtering.

**Lady Hobbs** · 09-04-2011, 08:01 AM

Forgot to mention this, but has anyone mentioned yet that two black ghosts should not be kept together? Never had one but always read they get very aggressive with one another and should be a solo fish.

**SamethP** · 09-04-2011, 08:29 AM

Originally Posted by Lady Hobbs

As I said in your other thread, ghost knives get too large and grow too fast as do Oscars and Red Devils. One Oscar alone should have at least a 75 gallon.

If you are just getting into this hobby, the worse thing you can do is start stocking a 4 ft tank with fish that will outgrow it in a year. Way too many people do that thinking they will "someday" get a tank large enough and it doesn't happen and the fish suffer for it. Best to buy the giant fish when you have the giant tank?

You can easily add another $500 onto a large tank just for the filtering.

What do you mean by the $500 comment? o.O

Anyway, very good point, I'm looking to get into breeding at some point (haven't decided which fish yet, but that will come with experience I guess), and I could fairly easily convert the 4ft tank into a breeding tank or divide it up as a nursury for the baby fish (of whatever species I decide on) in the future.

But I am looking at getting at least 7ft tank eventually (depends how long it takes me to find my own place haha) which will be my tank for messing around with. Also, the guy who I am purchasing fish from said he will either buy the grown up fish back from me, or is willing to do trade ins for more juveniles plus food if I haven't got my bigger tank sorted by that point (or something along those lines.

Would that work?

Edit:
Oh and with the ghosties, yeah they can be very territorial towards each other if they haven't got enough space to themselves. But I purchased the second one because the original one wasn't coming out of his hiding place and was looking very dull and unexcited. Since adding the second one, they had a little tussle, worked out territories and now work together to hunt down my tetras at night. But both are very active and seem to live peacefully at this stage.

**Lady Hobbs** · 09-04-2011, 08:54 AM

I mean $500 for filtering for a big tank. Darned filtering costs as much as the tank. Only thing cheap in this hobby is the fish.

UNLESS you're into saltwater or Discus and then the fish are costly, too.

**SamethP** · 09-04-2011, 09:09 AM

Ahh yes, I did have a look at the filter needed for a big tank, nearly fell over in shock of the cost! Haha.

But that's that though, if I can get some fish breeding enough then the tanks should be able to repay themselves :D

**Rollins4Miles** · 09-06-2011, 05:57 AM

Is this a 40 long or a 40 liter aquarium you're talking about?

**MCHRKiller** · 09-06-2011, 06:19 AM

To house an oscar with anything youll need a 6ft tank...a complete setup will cost you around $1200 for a basic 120-150G. Red Devils are much more aggressive than Oscars, I would not suggest mixing the two. Better choices are large Geophagus, Severums, Acara, Chocolate Cichlids, CA cichlids in the 5-7" range, larger Plecos, adult Silver dollars, etc.

A 40G tank would do an Oscar for around 6-8 months depending upon its dimensions.