[gavin]

What to avoid

When setting up an oscar tank, a few things need to be kept in mind. First, Oscars love to redecorate. If it is small enough for the oscars to move, it probably will be moved at one point or another. This rules out anything that is remotely breakable, such as ceramic ornamentation. It also rules out most plants (real or fake), since they will be killed/destroyed over time by the oscars.

Another consideration is that oscars move around a lot and are fairly clumsy. This means that they bump into things a lot. That rules out anything with sharp edges and/or rough textures, such as lava rock.

Finally, remember that Oscars are softwater fish. Unless your water is extremely soft, you will want to avoid anything that will tend to raise the pH of the water in the tank. This rules out any calcium carbonate-based minerals such as coral, aragonite, limestone, marble, sea sand, and sea shells.

Acceptable Items

So, what does that leave us? A mainstay of oscar tanks is driftwood. The tanins in the driftwood tend to buffer the water to the lower pH range that Oscars prefer. it is difficult for the Oscars to move it.

Another good decoration is large river rocks. They tend to be smooth, so the oscars are not likely to injure themselves if they bump into a rock. They also give the tank more of a natural look.

Finally, every fishtank with egg-laying cichlids should have at least one piece of slate. This gives the fish a flat surface on which to spawn.

CHEERS!!!