Common Sense Has Kicked In

[markandhisfish]

i have decided not to get a bichir to go with my oscars , or any other fish for that matter , i have decided that at 120 usg my tank is only just big enough for 2 adult oscars and that adding anything else would be asking for trouble . i do plan on looking for a 2nd hand 6x2x2 in the new year , but until then im going to say no tankmates as the happiness of the fish is more important than catering to my own whims .

 

[star4]

So when you get the 6 x 2 are you getting tankmates? if you are thinking along this line, personally I would add something sooner rather than later, once they get bigger they might not accept anyone else.

 

[holidayinn]

you'd want male and female for them to live in harmony, but that also means less likelihood of tankmates being accepted. If they're not male and female then you run the risk of them falling out when maturing, in which case tankmates may help disperse aggression...a bichir might be an easy target, altho tough as nails.

 

[markandhisfish]

my only concern is that with all the best intentions in the world , come the new year i may not be able to buy a 6 foot tank , so the best thing for the fish is to leave it at such a way that i can give cheech and chong a good life long term. on the other hand things might get really good and i manage to get a 6 footer AND keep the current tank running so i could have other fish in this tank

but for now the welfare of my boys has to come 1st plus these boys are so much fun they will do me

 

[star4]

aaaaaaaawwwwwwwwww they have really got to you havnt they!!!. I thought before Rusty and especially Chops that an oscar was like any other fish, but it is true there is just someting so different about them.

 

[markandhisfish]

yeah im kind of attatched to them already . i cant explain it but they genuonely seem able to communicate how they are feeling , they can show excitment , moodiness etc . i love em

 

[star4]

I feel a little better now knowing I am not the only one crazy about their oscars. (all my others too)

 

[markandhisfish]

have to admit i was the same , i thought ok so they may be cool fish but they are still just fish , but even at this small size its like having an aquatic dog. these 2 are not just fish they are actually pets. i didnt expect them to have this much effect on me but i love em to bits already . dont think i could ever part with them . just came back from having a meal with my dad and gave them their supper . you could tell i was late because as soon as we walked in the living room they were up front wagging as if to say come on dad we want our dinner

 

[foley69]

haha i got an oscar a month or so ago and i am the same at first i thought whey another fish for my tank but i was wrong they are like aqautic dogs like u said and they grow on you so fast, mine has grown from about 2" from when i got him a couple of months ago to 4-5" now and he eats like theres no tomorrow also my argentea is keeping up with him as well and there is perfect harmony in the tank... for now

 

[kaivalagi]

Not even fancying a biggish plec in there? I heard they got on well with Oscars...

I have to admit I am getting the bug just watching youtube vids of Oscar behaviour....some people actually stroke their Oscars and the Oscars like it to the point they push into their owners hands like a cat or dog will do to get attention...I have also seen it back fire and owners getting bitten

 

[star4]

That is a bit of a myth that oscars & plecs get on. Plecs are tough enough to live with oscars, mine dont like them much, they are rather mean to the plecs.

 

[foley69]

i have never tried to stroke my oscar might give it a go he seems to harass me enough for his food lol its just sods law that the snakehead will swim up and have a bite of me aswell haha

 

[markandhisfish]

wow foley69!!! well hello stranger long time no see . hows it going mate? hope all is well. youre right there is something about oscars you cant understand until youve had em. admitedly ive only had mine for 2 weeks but they really are like aquatic dogs. more like proper pets than "just" fish. my missus calls em fugly . ie effin ugly . and i find myself saying to them dont listen to her boys dad loves you!!!!! then they just look at me as if to say yeah great now stop being soft and give me another mealworm

kaivalagi the reason i decided not to have any tankmates is purely for the happiness of the oscars . with 2 in my tank im fully stocked , and you cant even describe the mess they make , so its a space and water quality driven decision.

 

[walkers101]

kaivalagi the reason i decided not to have any tankmates is purely for the happiness of the oscars . with 2 in my tank im fully stocked , and you cant even describe the mess they make , so its a space and water quality driven decision.

if you think its bad now wait till they are older

 

[mattlee]

i would add a couple of catfish to clean up the mess they drop when eating. maybe a couple of pictus or humbugs