Pet Forum / Aquaria / Cichlids / May 2004

Please see my reply to Cookie.

Thanks.

Jonathan

live

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.

Cookie,

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

Thanks for the comments.

Jonathan