Could It Work?

[snake007]

I wanted to add an oscar to my 200g, could it work with my current stocking which is in my sig?

Thanks

 

[soybean]

I say no. You've already got potentially aggressive and territorial cichlids in there, the bichir which has the potential to be a bit of a nightmare, and tricky-to-keep bala sharks which need to be in a larger group, which I'm not sure you have room for bearing in mind you have the 6 clown loaches too.

Oscars really belong on their own in a 75G, in my opinion.

Are you trying to collect one of every fish?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Why not get the bala shark numbers where they belong instead of adding another specie?

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Why not get the bala shark numbers where they belong instead of adding another specie?

yup yup +1

 

[snake007]

My sig is old, I no longer have the loaches or balas or firemouth as theyve moved to my friends 400g, all I have now is a common pleco, bichir, 2 cons, tanks 6 1/2 long, I dont think its reached its stocking limit yet, Would it work with current stocking?

EDITorry for saying my currents stocking in my original post, I thought I changed it.

 

[soybean]

I still say no on account of the convicts at least.

 

[snake007]

I know they are territorial but isn't the tank big enough for them to co-exist?
Most people keep cons and Oscars in 75g, this a 200g, I understand what your saying but why cant they co-exist when there's enough room for them all?
This WAS going to be my stocking -

1 Tiger Oscar
2 Pink Convicts
1 Common Pleco
1 Senegal

IMHO this is very under-stocked

Am I wrong?

 

[soybean]

Honestly, are you going to add one regardless of what anyone says? If you want to add one, it's YOUR tank, so you can. Personally, I wouldn't keep an oscar with another cichlid, especially not such a territorial one. Others may disagree. But you asked for opinions, and that's mine.

If you DID add one, I'd add a larger one rather than a young one, to make it more of a challenge for a convict to take on. Especially if the convicts decide to breed, and the oscar fancies a snack...

 

[snake007]

I did not say I am definitly going to do it, Ive listened to you and accepted your opinio but I just wanted you to explain further which you have so Ive decided not to get one as I agree with you but what I do want to add instead is a blood parrot?

 

[soybean]

Well again that's a cichlid so you take your chances with mixing the two in the tank. I think it would be a rather tense tank. Also I believe they may even cross breed with the convicts - I'm sure I read that somewhere, I might be wrong, double check that.

Personally I am against blood parrots, they're just deformed inbreds in my eyes. If they do breed with convicts, goodness knows what you'd end up with.

Edit: From aquaticcommunity-dot-com's page on them:

They are suitable company for a large number of species such as Danios, Barbs, Cory cats, silver dollars and other South American cichlids. Do not keep them with convict cichlids since there is large risk for cross breeding.

But that's just one site, do more research.

 

[snake007]

Scrap that idea then - What is good tankmates for a convict, Obviously no community fish, but if I cannot have any cichlids then what? I thought people have cichlid tanks, Convicts are normally seen in cichlid tanks so how come its different in this case?

 

[soybean]

Just clarify for me - are your cichlids a breeding pair? That makes all the difference to the levels of aggression from them.

 

[snake007]

No they are not.

There 2 Females

 

[soybean]

So potentially you have a little more leeway in adding another large fish as you won't get any breeding aggression. But if you add anything that has the potential to cross-breed with convicts, you'll probably run into problems if they do. Also bear in mind the females might not get always along either, although with such a large tank that's less of a problem.

 

[snake007]

Okay thanks for the help - I think I might leave the stocking as is for now and just wait til next month.