Oscar Crap

[RadioHitandRun]

many people ask me what can be put with oscars, i usualy tell them nothing.

what, if any, are some ways to put other fish with oscars, and when having multiple oscars what is to be done to not have them kill each other. I understand there are a few techniques.

 

[mrjames]

i came into this section to ask exactly the same questions!! lots of replies please!!

james B)

 

[jollysue]

Actually, I believe, oscars are New World not African. I saw a large (both fish were 12" w/o the tail) a large Kingoma frontosa survive. But he was stressed. Try apple snails with very strong shells. The oscar will try to eat them; he will probably throw them against the tank wall in his annoyance with them.

 

[Ferris]

I have allways found oscar's to be fine with medium/large non-cichlids. My current O is in with 4 large Bala's and he completely ignores them, he has never chased/bitten them or shown any aggression towards them whatsoever. I also have a Blue Acara and some Plecs, which he also ignores.

If kept with other large NW cichlids like Jack Dempseys, Green Terror's etc, it is very often the O that gets picked on despite being the larger fish

 

[jollysue]

I think it must depend on the oscar and how he was raised. The oscar at work is over 12" w/o the tail. Until recently he was fed goldfish. He killed crawdads (bit their antenae off), bass, everything but the frontosa and the apples. The boys killed the apples. They threw them away. That oscar believes if it is in his tank it is his to eat and torment.

 

[Ferris]

I think it must depend on the oscar and how he was raised

That is a very good point. As with most cichlids you can never rely on them behaving in a certain way. A general rule with Oscar's is don't keep them with anything that could fit in their mouth's because they can and will eat anything. Bearing in mind the size of a full grown oscar's mouth, you have to be very careful when choosing tankmates.

 

[scrufts]

Hi, Reading this topic with interest! I've just got a new companion in the form of an Oscar- I've always wanted one and now my 4 yr has been given a five foot tank (!) and has consequently swiped all my community fish from my 3 foot tank except for a large 20cm plec. "buster" is a small oscar and is currently sulking a bit, hanging around the filter and refusing to venture across the tank - Is this normal "settling in" behaviour?

 

[Ferris]

Very normal, Oscar's can be unbelievably moody. They normally take some time to settle in but after that they are usually very responsive to the owners, especially at feeding time.

Mine is a big softy, I hand feed him and he likes a good stroke but if i re-arrange the tank, he goes all moody for a few hours - doesn't last long though.

He also loves the 2 cats, if they appear near the tank, he immediatley comes to the front but i think that's because the daft idiot thinks they'll feed him.

 

[SamUK]

Hi, Reading this topic with interest! I've just got a new companion in the form of an Oscar- I've always wanted one and now my 4 yr has been given a five foot tank (!) and has consequently swiped all my community fish from my 3 foot tank except for a large 20cm plec. "buster" is a small oscar and is currently sulking a bit, hanging around the filter and refusing to venture across the tank - Is this normal "settling in" behaviour?

sounds like you have the tanks backwards.


the oscar needs atleast a 5 foot tank (75 gallon bare minimum).


im sure the plec would appreciate the space too.

 

[ox5477]

Hi, Reading this topic with interest! I've just got a new companion in the form of an Oscar- I've always wanted one and now my 4 yr has been given a five foot tank (!) and has consequently swiped all my community fish from my 3 foot tank except for a large 20cm plec. "buster" is a small oscar and is currently sulking a bit, hanging around the filter and refusing to venture across the tank - Is this normal "settling in" behaviour?

sounds like you have the tanks backwards.


the oscar needs atleast a 5 foot tank (75 gallon bare minimum).


im sure the plec would appreciate the space too.

I would agree whole heartedly. The Oscar can live in the 75G but 100G would be best, especially if the plec is a common. The plec being able to be 18 to 20" easily (maybe bigger), being very messy along with the Oscar's messy feeding habits, the filter would love more water volume to dilute the waste.

 

[vancouver]

The temperment of the oscar and fish it's with makes a big difference..

I tried 4 different severums with my oscar to find 2 that didn't attack it.. my chocolate cichlid attacked it, my festivum didnt.. it really depends on many factors.

 

[Ferris]

Absoultely right, too many people asume that an Oscar will be the tank aggressor due to it's sheer size but i have seen an Oscar shy away from the onslaught of a Gourami less than half its size.

 

[Rocky32189]

Oscars usually go fine with plecos and large fast moving fish such as tinfoil barbs.

 

[scrufts]

It seems my Oscar is now settled in! He's stopped sulking and is now a very active little chap- especially when I come up close to look at him. I made a mistake in his size - he's only about 10-15cm but I will be looking for a larger tank in the near future. he is still a bit wary of the plec, but they seem to be getting on ok.

 

[catfish_mad]

i was thinking of having a tiger oscar the other day as my LFS had some in they were about 2 -2 1/2", but didn't one as the tank i have is way too small for one. i dont fancy getting rid of the other in the big either so i'll wait on til my missus allows me a other tank