What is the best substrate for a oscar sand or gravel?

What is the best substrate for a oscar sand or gravel? I have experience with using gravel, what is easier to keep up and how to vacuum sand without sucking it all up?

 

I like the look pf sand better, and doesn't seem super hard to maintain in comparison to gravel. I just wish that my first tank with sand in it also has a lot of small fry, so i haven't really got my vac process down yet.

 

Sand, oscars like digging!

Vaccum sand from above, a normal siphon should work fine, picking up waste. There's a couple more tips and tricks, I recommend watching some youtube videos.
Also, rake the sand to prevent pockets of toxic gas from forming.

 

Cleaning sand isn't hard. I use a regular gravel siphon and just hover it really close to the top and it picks up the junk. Sometimes a bit of sand gets sucked up but I use a bucket and dump it back in the tank with the clean water. I have light cichlid sand and you will see it start to turn grey in spots. That just means it is time to move the sand around to release any debris and gas trapped. Oscars dig so you may not have to do it very often or at all depending on how active he is.

 

Cleaning sand isn't hard. I use a regular gravel siphon and just hover it really close to the top and it picks up the junk. Sometimes a bit of sand gets sucked up but I use a bucket and dump it back in the tank with the clean water. I have light cichlid sand and you will see it start to turn grey in spots. That just means it is time to move the sand around to release any debris and gas trapped. Oscars dig so you may not have to do it very often or at all depending on how active he is.

Can I add chopstick snails to release the games for me they burrow in the sand, but would the oscar eat them?

 

Oscars pretty much eat anything that will fit in their mouths and will try to eat things that don't so I think snails would be a waste of money. Also Oscars need strong currents and will uproot plants. If you add live ones I would say potted plants or hornwort that can you can weigh down and they will grow tall enough to float at the top to cut down on the lighting.

 

I just found out that oscars like currents. Should I install wave makers amd how many? By the way this tank is not yet set up im just preparing.

 

Keeping Oscar's require powerful XL filtration. The big powerful HOBs or canister you choose should provide plenty of aeration & circulation for the Oscar.

 

Keeping Oscar's require powerful XL filtration. The big powerful HOBs or canister you choose should provide plenty of aeration & circulation for the Oscar.

I'm going to be using a fx4 filter would that be plenty?

 

An FX 4 is plenty big for a 125 to a 150 gal. tank.
Oscar's are really easy to keep. Be sure to feed a varied diet as to prevent Hexamita.

 

What is the smallest size fish that can be with a oscar? Can bearded Corydoras be with oscars they're 4 inches?

 

If the fish can fit in the oscars mouth, I feel there's a chance the oscar might try to eat it. Large oscars have pretty big mouths too. I'd guess a big oscar can open it's mouth a good 2-3 inches in diameter. Therefore, I'd also guess any tank mate should probably be at least 3 inches in at least 2 dimentions. I would not trust an adult oscar with corys...not even those big bearded corys.