Oscar without Heater?

Does anyone have experience keeping an Oscar without a heater?

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

Jonathan Wood wrote:

Does anyone have experience keeping an Oscar without a heater?

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.

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.

"Jonathan Wood" wrote in message link.net...
Does anyone have experience keeping an Oscar without a heater?

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


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

Cookie wrote:
"Jonathan Wood" wrote in message
link.net...
Does anyone have experience keeping an Oscar without a heater?

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


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

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/Galler...car/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
--

E-Mail:-
Website:- http://www.ftscotland.co.uk
IRC:- Sandyb in #rabble uk3.arcnet.vapor.com Port:6667
#Rabble Channel Website:- http://www.rabble.ftscotland.co.uk
ICQ : 41266150
Want a webhost? Try http://www.1and1.co.uk/?k_id=2966019

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.

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

Please see my reply to Cookie.

Thanks.

Jonathan

"Polarhound" wrote in message
...
Jonathan Wood wrote:

Does anyone have experience keeping an Oscar without a heater?

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.

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.

Thanks for your comments Sandy.

Jonathan

"Sandy Birrell" wrote in message
...
Cookie wrote:
"Jonathan Wood" wrote in message
link.net...
Does anyone have experience keeping an Oscar without a heater?

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


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

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/Galler...car/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
--

E-Mail:-
Website:- http://www.ftscotland.co.uk
IRC:- Sandyb in #rabble uk3.arcnet.vapor.com Port:6667
#Rabble Channel Website:- http://www.rabble.ftscotland.co.uk
ICQ : 41266150
Want a webhost? Try http://www.1and1.co.uk/?k_id=2966019

"Jonathan Wood" wrote in message link.net...
Does anyone have experience keeping an Oscar without a heater?

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

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

Jonathan Wood wrote:

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.


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.

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.

Thanks for the comments.

Jonathan

"Mark Stone" wrote in message
om...
"Jonathan Wood" wrote in message
link.net...
Does anyone have experience keeping an Oscar without a heater?

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

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