Oscars+ friends(?)

[hi567119]

I'm thinking of getting an oscar but I don't know what other fish one will get along with, besides a Pacu (Too big) and an jewel fish (I'll get one of those too). I'd get the oscar as a juvinile, same with the jewel fish. Are there any smaller fish (Besides th alege eaters) that I could get safely?

 

[freddyk]

I do not agree that Jewels and Oscars are compatible in any typical sized tank, Jewels are much more aggressive.

What size tank is this? Keep in mind when you start mixing ciclhids that they are natural enemies - pack enough fish in the tank and the oddest mixes can work, if you like a set up that looks like a fish store sales tank.

Unless the tank is at least 100 gallons the Oscar should be kept alone or as a pair (not just two Oscars, but a compatible pair), if you have an interest in what's best for the fish.

Exactly how small do you mean when you say 'smaller'?

 

[hi567119]

Well, my mom and dad used to keep Oscars and jewels in the same tank, and the tanks are 20-30 gal, and I mean.... erm... Fish like bala sharks(?) and and others, sm to med size, I figured I'd get Ideas here and research those Ideas on othe websites.

 

[freddyk]

I mean how big is YOUR tank going to be?

 

[Kajuki18]

For one oscar you should at least get a 55 gallon and you should not put a bala shark in there.

 

[Warrior]

Jewels are to agressive for Oscars? wrong, the only thing thats going to happen here is the oscar will grow much faster and larger than the Jewel and then one day see it as a feeder. Try getting a Severum or a Convict.

 

[Ben]

Warrior, you oviously havent seen a full grown male jewel.
I've been breeding jewels for quite a while and the only tank mates i would put with them are rocks, even when they're not breeding.
I gave a male to my LFS and they put him in a display tank.
He killed three archer fish,2 full grown bala sharks AND one oscar. in the space of a week.

Back to the topic
When getting tank mates for a oscar, i recomend the tank size should only be at 80 gal minimum. If you want to add bigger fish, i recomend getting a 120+gal tank as these guys are messy

DD

 

[Chrisv32]

Surprisingly, I put a few rosy reds in with my oscars to eat them, and they have been living happily beside each other for a few weeks now without accident. I guess that obedience school stint for my two oscars worked well!

 

[jollysue]

I am totally ignorant and will probably mess up here, but here goes. We have a 10" Oscar at work. He was getting moved to a larger tank (not large enough, but ...) so the deciders decided to get something to go with him. Now there are two monsterous fish in too small a tank. But they get along and are striking.

The LFS recommended a Frontosa of the same size. He also recommended that they be put in the new tank at the same time so neither fish would naturally assume ownership dominance. They postured for a few days but have settled down to a truce in their 5x7 cell.

 

[freddyk]

but have settled down to a truce in their 5x7 cell.

And wouldn't you rather keep a compatible pair of cichlids that actually have a working 'relationship' then two natural enemies (or in the case of Frontosa and Oscars, unnatural) that merely truce because.. well... what other option is there?

Some of the most interesting behavior with cichlids is in their relationships with conspecifics and the behaviors that accompany it. Mixing unnatural tankmates inevitably leads to a lack of natural behavior. I'm surprised that so few people who keep or even want new worlds can understand this.

Chris, it's just a matter of time.

 

[jollysue]

Actually the frontosa wasn't the aggressor, the oscar was. But the frontosa after a few days of putting up with the oscar opened his mouth wide. The oscar opened his as wide as he could but the frontosa has a bigger mouth. Oscar lost and settled down. They are amicable and sleep close.

This match was made at an lfs cichlid specific store by recommendation to people looking for a tank mate for their grown up oscar.

I would rather see them suitably tanked. Neither has done anything to deserve POW status. But it's not my decision. And my input has been rebuffed.

So if I'm not mistaken the question was what is a good match for an oscar?

 

[Dwarfs]

I'd like to see an oscar try to swallow a 6" full grown jewel cichlid

That jewel ripped my mogurnda gudgeon's lip off once, cranky 7 year old fish

As its been said, an oscar can be kept singly in a 55g (With a lot of filtration and water changes), and it can have another couple tankmates in a 100g. IMO, a severum would be good if you have a large tank, they aren't too aggressive, and would probably do very well with an oscar If the tank you have is 20-30 gallons, forget about oscars and try to research some smaller cichlids

 

[jollysue]

Now I know what a jewel is. I keep reading of them.

Good looking fish, Dwarfs. Has he eaten many oscars lately?

Good pic. I haven't figured out yet how to take a good fish pic. I think my camera should be ok but it just isn't happening. Everything is blurry.

So hi5, did you find your tank mate/s yet?

 

[Warrior]

Dwarf_Dude, a Oscar will out grow a Jewel very fast. He is talking about getting them both at a small size, Jewels grow fast, but not as fast as what a Oscar can/will. Jewels are not agressive in a tank that is large enough, as for any cichlid for that matter besides the beani. If the tank is big say 100g+ I can bet the fish will get along. My father has a friend on WW has a 400g tank with a Dovii in it, and it gets along with every fish, but if that Dovii was in a 180g it would kill every single tank mate. IMO get a fish that a Oscar will get along with really good, like a Severum or somthing.

 

[k3vin2k3]

It may sound weird but I had a Oscar with a jellybean parrot in a 90 gallon tank, got along perfect.