My New Tiger Oscar

[fishguy101]

What do you guys think I should name him? I was thinking just "Oscar, The Tiger Oscar", or "Tiger, The Tiger Oscar".

 

[lock77]

I call mine Oscar, funny he's the only fish I've named! Any pics?

 

[dougie]

Toscar

 

[fishguy101]

Just a question, so I don't have to start a new topic. I put the Oscar in with smaller African Cichlids, (Probably A Bad Idea), and he keeps getting nipped by one of the assorted cichlids (Light Blue With Dark Blue Stripes). We have a ten gallon in another room, but it's saltwater, and we spent too much money just to throw it away. We also don't have the money for a quarantine tank. What should we do?

 

[dougie]

You can either give it a few days & see how it goes, or pick which fish you prefer & move the unwanted fish on. You are right in your assumption, it's not the best idea to mix the new & old world cichlids, for quite a few reasons. It can, but rarely works.
Good luck.

 

[bullit]

Yeah he doesnt want to be kept with africans

 

[Wills]

I would probably have researched the fish before I bought it to be honest. Especially such a common fish as an Oscar.
 
Sorry to be harsh but its true - its a lesson we all learn and please learn from this situation
 
Can we get some details on the big tank please  - size, filtration, exact number and preferably the exact species that are in there. Hopefully from this we can work out the odds if this is going to work out or if this chap is better off with an other owner or possibly back at the shop.
 
 
Hope that helps
Wills

 

[fishguy101]

Well, it is a 36 gallon bow-front (Oscar Is Going To Go Into A 55G Soon).
 
There are:
3 Assorted Afrrican Cichlids (Not Sure What Kinds)
1 Bumblebee African Cichlid
1 Electric Yellow African Cichlid
2 Blood Red Parrot South American Cichlids (They Get Along Fine)
1 Tiger Oscar (The Biggest Out Of Them All)
 
Although, today, I didn't see him being attacked.
 
Filtration:About Up To 40-45 Gallons
 
Number Of Fish:8 Currently
 
If you are wondering why we have overstocked, it is because people say that it will decrease aggression.

 

[Wills]

Okay, upto you what you do but for me I would forget the Oscar, try rehoming him via the classified on this site, you could try aquabid or you could take him back to the store but even a 55g is not big enough for the Oscar. You really want at least 75 gallons its a bigger foot print for the fish but thats a real bare minimum ideally you want to be nearer or over 100 gallons really.
 
As for the other fish a 36g is not the best size for africans as they end up being a big fish really your planned 55 for them would be great! I would also look at getting some pics up so you know what your assorted afriacns actually are - its not a great situation to be in not knowing what all your fish are.
 
The blood parrots - each to their own personally I am not a fan of them, but they seem to do about the same what ever tank they are in, preferably I wouldnt have them in an African tank upto you.
 
Your also correct on the overstocking thing with Africans but I would like to see these fish in a bigger tank just because of their adult size capability.
 
Hope that helps
 
Wills

 

[a7xAda]

The tanks that you currently have are far to small to house a fish such as an oscar. As wills said, they require at least 75g per oscar. Also, the fact that you are mixing them with africans is kind of scary and an oscar can swallow thos african cichlids whole once he reaches a certain size. I hope that you will research the fish you have and straighten out your stock before you have a serious problem on your hands.

 

[JT-SCFC-1912]

If you want my opinion get rid of your African cichlids, and just have Your Oscar fish, awesome fish fair do's

 

[fishguy101]

Alright, I see your point. I will do what JT-SCFC-1912 said. I will try to get store credit, or something like that. If not, they can just be taken away for free. And by summer time, we will try to get him a 75 or more gallon tank.

 

[fishguy101]

a7xAda:I know that, but like I said in the text where I put the info, he will only be there until he gets too big, like for a couple months.


W also have the only attacker out of the tank, and we are going to bring him to a store. We may have to do the same with the other African Cichlids.

 

[onidrase]

I'd say remove the oscar, use the 55 gallon for a fair set of malawi cichlids, with extra filtration, of course.
 
My 50 gallon african cichlid tank has 10 melanochromis cyaneorhabdos, 6 yellow labs, and a bumblebee, which is what an african cichlid tank should be, a lot of fish to disperse the aggressive behaviors of the adults. But these fish are messy, and need a large level of filtration, at the moment, the tank is running a eheim 2217 canister filter(rated for tanks up to 160 gallons) and it's gonna get a second one running on it soon as well.
 
The issue with keeping the oscar in any mentioned situation does not bode well for any fish involved. Oscars grow fast. I got a young less than 1 inch oscar back at the end of november 2012 for my 75 gallon aquarium and it's already nearing 6 inches long. This is normal for them, but they won't grow that fast in a small, dirty tank with a lack of filtration while being fed an improper diet. African cichlids are primarily herbivororous, and if you give an oscar veggie food, they're not going to grow. If you give malawi cichlids carnivore food, they're going to get bloated and die. Nobody wins. This is one of many reasons why you never keep the two together. Not to mention the big differences in ideal water perimeters, the differences in temperament, and the differences in the way they like to be kept. Centeral and south american cichlidstend to like to have space to themselves. Mbunas are more heirarchal and like to be kept in colonies, not only to exercise social habits, but to disperse aggression amongst them so nobody is getting singled out and plucked off the list. The aggressive cichlid you rehomed was probably aggressive for being on top of the food chain. Chances are he's just going to be replaced by another.
 
While the stunting growth rate of being kept in a cramped, dirty tank may seem like a good thing for a person who wats to wait another 2 or 3 months to get a bigger tank for said oscar fish, the effects of growth stunting are not going to be magically reversed from being moved to a bigger tank with adequate filtration and diet, if kept in a small tank for too long, they'll end up with skeletal deformities and ultimately a much shorter lifespan, which isn't fair for the fish. I'd never put an oscar fish in a "grow out tank" state because of their quick growth rate. Oscars aren't necesarily rare fish, imo just find somebody with a tank big enough for it, and pick up another when you actually have the tank for it.

 

[fishguy101]

The tank is not dirty, and we are getting a bigger filter. We feed our cichlids "Cichlid Flakes", fit for all cichlids. You do have a point about the cramping though.