Does this setup look ok for a beginner?

Question
Hi!  I used to have a small fish tank (15 gallons) 20 years ago.  I'm getting a strong urge to get back into fish.  So, I found this listing on my local Craig'sList(http://syracuse.craigslist.org/for/1996690485.html)...can you look at this listing?  It doesn't say much, but I asked the seller some questions and she said the tank has 1 cichlid and 2 goldfish and that it originally had 5 goldfish but the cichlid ate 3 of them and that now they are about the same size and are easy to take care of, she also said she thought it was a 30 gallon tank....I guess I'm concerned that the cichlid might be an Oscar (I would like an Oscar) BUT I'm pretty sure I also read that an Oscar requires at least a 55 gallon tank...also I'm pretty sure I read that you are NOT supposed to feed goldfish to an Oscar.  Can you tell if the fish pictured is an Oscar?  I take this seriously and don't want the fish to die.  Does this look too much for essentially a beginner?  Thank you for any advice you can offer!  Merilee Woodcox

Answer
Hi Merilee,
 That tank looks to be about a 20 gallon tank, though it might be a 29 gallon.   The cichlid appears to be a firemouth cichlid.  You are correct that if it were an oscar it would need a much larger tank. A firemouth would be fine in that tank.  And yes, you should NOT feed an oscar with goldfish -- goldfish carry all sorts of diseases, notably ick.  I do not think that that tank is "too much" for a beginner.  In fact, larger tanks are much easier to care for than smaller tanks.  The typical 10 gallon tank that many people start with is notoriously more fussy than say a 50 gallon tank. The larger volume of water and the added space in a larger tank make it more foregiving.

-- Ron C.
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
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