Many aquarium hobbyists love Oscars because they are unique among freshwater aquarium fish species. Oscars are a type of cichlid and they grow large – up to 18 inches long. Not only are Oscars beautiful, but they have a lot of personality; many aquarium hobbyists describe them as dogs in the body of a fish because they beg for food and seek attention from their owners. Although Oscars make wonderful pets, they do present some inherent challenges. The biggest obstacle with Oscars is keeping them from destroying your live plants. Related: Top 8 Best Aquarium Plants for Beginners When you think about Oscars and the challenges they present for the freshwater aquarium hobbyist, there are several factors to consider. The main obstacle, of course, is related to the size of the species. These fish have the capacity to grow up to 18 inches long, though they tend to top out around 10 inches in captivity. The large size of this species necessitates a large aquarium – at least 55 gallons for a single Oscar, or 100 gallons for a pair.

In addition to the tank size, you also need to think about tank requirements like temperature and water chemistry. Oscars prefer warm waters between 77 and 80 degrees with a pH between 6.0 and 7.5. Cultivating the proper tank conditions for Oscars isn’t difficult, but you will come across some challenges if you try to keep live plants in the tank with your Oscars. Oscars don’t usually eat live plants – the challenge Oscars present is that they have a tendency to root through the substrate in their aquarium which can cause damage to the plant roots. Oscars tend to “rearrange” their tanks a lot, pushing tank decorations around and digging through substrate. Many aquarium plants are unable to tolerate this kind of treatment and they are likely to die if their roots are damaged. Related: Let’s Talk About Amazon Sword Plants If you do plan to keep live plants in your Oscar tank you need to be intentional about where you place them. If you have a sizable tank (about 150 gallons or more), your Oscar might leave part of the tank alone.

Another option is to protect your live plants by surrounding them with large tank decorations that your Oscar will have a difficult time moving. fun fish tank games onlineFor example, you could place your live plants in the corners of the tank and then protect the roots with large rocks or other decorations. small fish tanks priceThis is not a fool-proof plan, but it may help you to keep your plants around a little longer.marine fish tank live rock Best Tank Decorations for Oscarsfish tank kent gumtree Though Oscars and live plants do not tend to do well together, there are certain decorations that are recommended for an Oscar tank. fish tanks cost to run

Large, flat rocks and rock caves can be great additions to the Oscar tank because your fish will have a hard time moving such large objects. Slate is a particularly good choice for the Oscar tank because it is flat – this will provide your Oscars with a surface on which to spawn, if breeding is an interest of yours. orb fish tank usedLarge pieces of driftwood can also be added to the tank to give it a natural appearance. When using large tank decorations, just be careful to position them so that they will not injure your fish if they fall over. You should also avoid sharp points or rough edges that could hurt your Oscars if they try to push them around. Keeping Oscars is challenging but it can be rewarding for the aquarium hobbyist as well. Because these fish can be such a challenge, it is even more important that you do your research before setting up your tank to be sure that everything will go well.

If you think there’s something fishy about Kate Barrington, it’s because she’s been a lifelong lover of pets, particularly aquarium fish. Since receiving her first 10-gallon tank as a birthday present in 5th grade, she has become an avid aquarium enthusiast as well as a freelance writer specializing in the aquarium niche. Kate is a regular contributor to several aquarium fish websites and has a column in a bi-monthly pet magazine.Eriocaulon seeds BUY 3 GET ONE FREE - Live Aquatic Aquarium Plants Your cart is currently empty.Live MacroAlgae Saltwater Reef Tank Refugium vital nutrients and nescessary food to the marine environment. Among aquarists, Caulerpa sp. is the best known marine macroalgae. There are 75 species of this green algae which come from a variety of geographical areas. Caulerpa are beneficial in several ways. They provide food for other tank inhabitants by offering a favorable environment forThe microfauna are eaten by fish and other

Some fish eat the Caulerpa itself. of large modern public aquariums Caulerpa is raised because ofIll fish often recover rapidly when Caulerpa is in the aquarium.Caulerpa has also become quite popular for use in "algae-scrubbing filters" to remove excess ammonia, nitrates, and phosphates from the aquarium. In addition, it helps remove heavy metals and neutralize's toxins. a pH buffer and produce chemicals which protect the skin, intestines, and gills of aquarium fish. That's an alwful lot of help! generally require about 8 hours of light from daily to continueThis can be either flourescent or pc's. produces oxygen and will also increase the pH. and the species collected throughout the year will vary. Caulerpa will contain either Grape caulerpa, Needle caulerpa, Lettuce caulerpa or Feather caulerpa. $19.99 Caulerpa Algae - 1/2 pound bag weighed $39.99 Caulerpa Algae - 1 pound bag weighed dry $79.99 Caulerpa Algae - 2 pound bag weighed dry

= No Pesky Pests are along for the ride! Excellent addition for Water Quality Management. The Hawiian Red Mangrove propagule is both a freshwater and marine plant that can be used as a natural method of filtration and means of Natural Nitrate Reduction in either saltwater or freshwater aquariums. have been taken directly off the tree, therefore they can be placed in either Saltwater or Freshwater. addition for Water Quality Management: Mangroves absorb nutrients from the water in order to grow, and help lower nitrates and phosphates in the aquarium. The use of mangroves plants for filtration in a saltwater aquarium, particularly for helping to reduce and control nitrates is notHowever, this is changing because more and more aquarists are looking for a "natural" method of filtration for their aquariums, so mangroves are drawing lots of attention. Mangroves not only have the ability to absorb nitrates, but phosphates

and other organics as well. In fact, they remove organics so well from the water that they act as a replacement for a proteinWhen using mangroves you will notice your protein skimmer working less and less all the time. The more the mangroves grow and mature, the more they absorb the excess organics in your water, and the skimmer has nothing to remove and becomes obsolete. If you are a naturalist and don't want to have to use chemical additives or compounds to reduce and control nitrates in your aquarium, this is a very effective filtration method to consider. Last note, It is important for nutrient control in the aquarium, that when leaves are dropped from the plant that they are not allowed to decay in the aquarium. propagule can be planted in an open topped aquarium, illuminatedWhen adding a mangrove propagule to your aquarium, you can plant it directly in the sand or gravel, use a rubber band or tie to attach it to the top of rocks or driftwood, or

allow it to take root in the water with no substrate. will quickly take hold in either a sand substrate or in liveWhen planting a mangrove propagule, be sure the growth tip are out of the water. If you have a canopy over your aquarium, simply plant the tuber towards the back of the aquarium, so it will eventually grow through the area where the plumbing is located. Hawiian Red Mangrove sprouts are shipped with just a little water to keep them damp. we have found that exposure to less light for the first few days of acclimation is better for the plants. Purchase Size: 6" to MacroAlgae Saltwater Reef Tank Refugium Gracillaria Chaetomorpha Macro Algae, Chaeto, pronounced "kay-toe", is a great way to naturally turn the nitrogenous compounds of your tank into plant food!!! Algae, also known as Spaghetti Algae , is an excellent macroYour Chaetomorpha algae recieved will be filled with tons of amphipods and copepods. Macro algae is a

great way to "go green" in your aquarium. changes by quickly dropping your nitrate and phosphate levels , it will increase the dissolved Oxygen levels in your system and increase overall health of your system the natural way. forms include varying shades of green, light green, and a yellowishIt is well known for its excellent benefits for use in wet / dry sump areas, main tanks and refugiums for marine aquaria. Algae removes both phosphates and nitrates from the water. increase the amount of nutrients this algae exports, use moderate to high lighting and keep it in an area of high water flow. waste by-products of life, along with the light you provide for photosynthesis, will help the chaetomorpha increase in size onEach cell grows end to end, creating long, stiffIt grows in filamentous clumps, resembling a ball ofYou can "prune" it and throw it away--or you can compact it for even greater nutrient absorption. If you have a refugium, just throw this clump like Brillo pad

in there and it stays together fairly well. You can also put it into a mesh bag for use in your main tank. different ways you can contain the chaeto in your main tank all the while providing great hiding spots for the tiny "critters"This algae is fast growing and is not palatable to herbivorous species such as Surgeon fish (Tangs) so it won't be eaten up if left in the main tank.How much should I get? Well there is only 832 different variables that could be taken into account, if you'd like to go over all of them, feel free to contact us. But to keep it simple we recommend if you have a 40 gallon tank or smaller with a mild nitrate problem(20-30ppm) go with at least 1/4 lb.. if you have a 90 gallon tank with a mild nitrate problem(20-30ppm) go with at least 1/2 lb.. could go smaller if you are patient and in no hurry to take care of the excess nutrients, or you could go larger if you ave a larger nitrate problem, hate doing water changes, or would like