Oscar without Heater?
Jonathan Wood
I have some local fish in two tanks (50g and 125g) and the water is room
temperature (around 64). I was wondering if an Oscar could live in such a
tank.
Jonathan
Polarhound
Not without developing the urge to grow arms so it can grab you by the
front of the shirt and demand to know why $40 for a couple of heaters is
too much to ask.
Cookie
No they cannot. Oscars are TROPICAL fish NOT coldwater fish. That
would be like putting you in the Artic without a coat. Break down with
yourself and buy a heater! The water should be anywhere from 75 F to
82 F.
-Cookie
Sandy Birrell
Not according to this report from the Florida Museum of Natural
History.
"Dispersal northward in Florida appears to be restricted by
temperature. A 1982 Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission study
determined the lower lethal temperature for this species is 12.9° C.
In its native range, the oscar is valued by artisanal fishers as a
food fish."
Thats approx. 55ºF.
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/oscar/oscar.html
I don't have heaters on in my tanks at night, although they are on all
the time the lights are on, containing angels, red eye tetras, rummy
nose tetras, plecs., and harlyquins, they all do fine and even the
plants, all crypts., grow like mad. The temp in the tanks can drop to
68ºF, the lowest I have recorded is 64ºF but that was a very cold
night and I hadn't left the central heating on to compensate, the
heaters when the lights are on maintain the tanks at 78-80ºF. When
doing water changes I remove 20% approx. and replace it using the
garden hose direct to the cold water tap adding de-chlorinator. I live
in Scotland so it isn't as if the temperatures are tropical :)
It works for me, and has done for years, but I wouldn't recomend a
newcomer to do it, you have to watch the temp in the tanks doesn't
drop too low too quickly, especially in winter, I sometimes have to
stop and wait a while before filling all the way.
--
Don`t Worry, Be Happy
Sandy
--
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Jonathan Wood
> No they cannot. Oscars are TROPICAL fish NOT coldwater fish. That
> would be like putting you in the Artic without a coat. Break down with
> yourself and buy a heater! The water should be anywhere from 75 F to
> 82 F.
Well, I appreciate the response; however, I would point out to both you and
Polarhound that buying a heater is *not* the issue. As I pointed out (I
thought quite clearly), I have fish that do not want to live at 82F and I'm
hardly about to kill them off so that I can buy an Oscar. I was just curious
if an Oscar could survive in the tank I have. I guess not.
Thanks.
Jonathan
Jonathan Wood
Thanks.
Jonathan
"Polarhound" <Polar...@comcast.net> wrote in message
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Jonathan Wood
Jonathan
"Sandy Birrell" <ne...@ftscotland.co.uk> wrote in message
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Mark Stone
No. Ideal Oscar temperature is about 78 degrees F. When the aquarium
temperature drops below around 75, he'll lose all his color and lie
down on his side in the gravel. The stress would kill him in about a
week. --Mark
Polarhound
It doesn't need to be at 82F. Oscars can be happy in the mid 70's. The
ideal temp range for Oscars is 73-82.
Keeping Oscars at 64 will get you a lethargic unhappy fish. As well,
what happens if your heat goes out during the colder months? Even in
the south the temps can get down to frost-forming levels.
Jonathan Wood
Jonathan
"Mark Stone" <bird...@juno.com> wrote in message
news:7fba8525.04052...@posting.google.com...
Jonathan Wood
> It doesn't need to be at 82F. Oscars can be happy in the mid 70's. The
> ideal temp range for Oscars is 73-82.
>
> Keeping Oscars at 64 will get you a lethargic unhappy fish. As well,
> what happens if your heat goes out during the colder months? Even in
> the south the temps can get down to frost-forming levels.
What happens if my heat goes out during the colder months? Probably the same
thing that would happen if I use a heater and the power goes out during the
colder months. :-)
The fish I have now can handle colder water no problem (many of them can
survive the winter in lakes here and I live in Salt Lake City, UT). I've
been toying with the idea of heating my smaller tank up into the 70s but I'm
just not sure I want to take that route.
Thanks.
Jonathan
Mark Stone
>
> History.
>
> "Dispersal northward in Florida appears to be restricted by
> temperature. A 1982 Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission study
> determined the lower lethal temperature for this species is 12.9° C.
> In its native range, the oscar is valued by artisanal fishers as a
> food fish."
>
> Thats approx. 55ºF.
>
> http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/oscar/oscar.html
>
I clicked on the above link and couldn't believe what I read -- I'm
starting a new thread. The Florida Museum must have posted this web
page as a practical joke ------ --Mark
Scribner...@hotmail.com
I also have a tank with local fish in it such as bull head cat, pumpkin seed sunfish a couple brookies and a few large shiners, and a few tropical, an Oscar be one of them. My tank reaches temps of almost 80 in the summer and not above 64 in the winter. Mostly because it’s kept in my garage