agabr123

This isn't for anything right now (I live in a dorm and can't get nearly a big enough tank in here), but I was wondering if anyone knew of any websites that had oscars/oscar pairs for adoption/sale that had been taken in from people who didnt want them/didnt have space for them/etc?

I know that oscars are similar to angels in that they are 1. hard to sex 2. need to pair off and i have a chance of getting a pair if i buy six and then return the rest, but i really don't want to return the rest . I was looking for a place that i could eventually adopt an oscar pair from that needed rescuing, so i wouldn't have to buy six little ones and take them back.

as you guys probably know, i am definitely a "wal-mart rescue" kind of person, and that's where most of my fish have come from, so i would have a hard time returning four fish to probably be bought by someone with a 20 gallon tank.

oh, and just for reference i plan on either getting a 125 gallon or a 180.....probably the 180

any links/info would be really helpful!!!!

thanks!
alex

Shawnie

I see them on craigs list all the time...so keeping an eye out there would be your best bet...otherwise, this is a great site with lots of info http://www.oscarfishlover.com/

mathas

Monsterfishrescue has oscars for adoption occasionally... I've never seen a pair there, but I don't really check all that often, so who knows!

There's also a sale/trade forum at oscarfish.com that might be worth keeping an eye on.

agabr123

yeah, i see people getting them all the time at stores and i KNOW that their tanks arent big enough, so i was hoping that i could rescue a couple instead of buying 6 and having to return the other four.

thanks!

Shawnie

you can get two juvies and they will be fine

agabr123

really? i thought that since there was no way to sex them, and they need to pair off on their own, that they could possibly not get along later on?

Shawnie

getting juvies they will get along growing up and having a big enough tank...you dont need a pair for that...all combos m/m, f/m, f/f will get along if raised together...most adult oscars who have paired up are same sex (we assume) because they never spawn...now and then you get lucky and have m/f that will spawn ...

agabr123

oh that's awesome!!! i didn't want to breed at all (at least i dont right now.....) i just wanted them to get along and not have to return any

i'll still look into adoption though, lots of those poor guys need good homes

Nick G

If you buy they together as juvies they'll do great. Mine were about 2 inchs when I got them and they're now 6 inchs and inseparable! They do have the odd minor scrap(usually over food!), but 99% percent of the time they get on great! If I need to remove one for some reason then when I net him the other attacks the net, trying to help him I presume! They hate being separated, even if just for a few minutes!

Shawnie

be prepaired nick they scrap all their lives LOL ...epspecially if they are a mating pair....lip locking is never ending as well as head butting

Nick G

Is lip locking a sign of a mating pair? Mine do it all the time, and head butting!

Shawnie

not necessarily ...its a common thing with all oscars

edit: make sure you have a huge piece of flat slate in your tank...if they are a mating pair, they spawn on flat surfaces and mine loved the piece of slate..as well as it wont hurt them while wrestling around

Nick G

Thanks Shawnie! I've got a couple of BIG flat rocks in the tank just in case! They're lip locking as I type this. Is there any way to tell their sex that you know of? Except if they spawn?

Shawnie

nope...and usually with a proper diet and tank size, they start breeding around 14-18 months old..so you cant even go on size mine were 8 years old and never spawned until the last year I had them LOL ...so dont sit back waiting hahaa

Nick G

Thanks! Mine are only about 7 months so I won't hold my breath!

Shawnie

whether they spawn or not, they are amazing fish and their love for their owner keeps them even more majestic and fun