I've Changed Me Moind, Other Options Please

[fenwoman]

I'm a woman so I'm allowed to change me mind right?
It seems that an oscar would not be happy or healthy in the tank size I have room for, which is 4 feet long by 2 feet high and 18 inches deep. So.............. What else can I have?
Bear in mind I already have a community tank. Or will have when everything has been set up. I want something else. I loved my oscar when I had him. He was like a dog. He would leap out of the water like a dolphin to take food from my hands. He was wonderful. He was kept in a tank of the size I have mentioned and seemed perfectly happy and healthy, but apparently I was doing it all wrong. So if I cannot have an oscar what else? I would like the tank to look different from the community tank above it so no shoals of small fish. I rather like the sound of cichlids, or discus.Perhsaps silver dollars? I want fewer fish of a larger size. Perhaps not as large as the oscar. Discus seem to fit the bill size wise but have they as much character as oscars? Or should I just give up, wait until I win the lottery, move into a mansion and have a room large enough to have a proper oscar sized tank? I only have a small cottage. I could move some of the parrot cages in the next room and install a 7 foot tank but that defeats the object as I don't spend much time in there.
oh decisions decisions.

 

[wendywc]

For that size tank, a cichlid setup would be nice. Or you could go brackish and have monos, scats, and gobies. I'm sure there's puffers that could work out for you too. Or maybe make it an oddball tank with a bichir or some kinda eel or knifefish.

 

[n3ont3tra]

Maybe you'd want some angelfish? I know they are considered community fish, but they grow large and you have room for a few of them.

You mentioned cichlids, as well, and I think that would be the best option. The tank is long and that's what cichlids like. There is always something going on, or so I've heard (never had any cichlids myself), and you could make a pretty good looking setup.

 

[fenwoman]

hmm. I do like cichlids. I must do some more research. I will set up the community tank first then spend my time doing research before I decide. I don't like angel fish I'm afraid n3on. I never have. It's nice planning and researching stuff and I'm always open to suggestions.

 

[dwarfgourami]

I would look into puffers if I were you. Great personalities.

 

[annka5]

Although I love discus, they are more work than other fish as they are more sensitive. If you're keen to go down that route, then research. Also, you wouldn't be keeping just one, so it wouldn't be like having an oscar.
How about African cichlids? Or, as already suggested, brackish fish?

 

[fenwoman]

Although I love discus, they are more work than other fish as they are more sensitive. If you're keen to go down that route, then research. Also, you wouldn't be keeping just one, so it wouldn't be like having an oscar.
How about African cichlids? Or, as already suggested, brackish fish?

I agree wholeheartedly about research. I can take my time thinking about it while I am setting up my community tank. Thank goodness for the interweb thingy I say. I wish it had been around 20 years ago.
I am always open to suggestions and may yet go for cichlids since I so admired the cichlid tank in the shop. I would welcome species suggestions too if anyone has cichlid experience. Whats the difference between new world and old world ones for example?
I will look into brackish fish too.

incidentally and slightly off topic. I am an experienced poultry and parrot keeper (I sucessfully show poultry) and run a pet advice line for most commonly kept pets like cats and dogs. I have shown/groomed/trained and now rescue and foster dogs, so if anyone needs any advice on these I would be more than happy to offer help.

 

[annka5]

New World cichlids come from S America, and generally are soft acid water fish. African cichlids come largely from the huge inland lakes like Victoria and Malawi, and so tend toward alkali, hard water. They are also a lot more aggressive than New World ones, and are typically kept in tanks with huge amounts of rockwork to give them hidey spaces / territory markers. The tanks are typically heavily stocked to even out aggression.
New Worlds are more kept in planted tanks.
I'm generalising a lot here, obviously!

 

[fenwoman]

New World cichlids come from S America, and generally are soft acid water fish. African cichlids come largely from the huge inland lakes like Victoria and Malawi, and so tend toward alkali, hard water. They are also a lot more aggressive than New World ones, and are typically kept in tanks with huge amounts of rockwork to give them hidey spaces / territory markers. The tanks are typically heavily stocked to even out aggression.
New Worlds are more kept in planted tanks.
I'm generalising a lot here, obviously!

hmm so it seems I may be more interested in old world ones since I plan to keep them in a planted tank although I still want a rock formation. Could you recommend any particular species for size, colour and the ability to live in a community of other similar species?
You know, I actually find the researching half of the pleasure