Re-decorating/stocking 120 Gallon

[Raechal]

So my friend bought me a tiger oscar for christmas, he knew I have been wanting one forever. So I donated all of my fish to someone who just didn't have the time to pick out his own fish since he had broke his arm and was recovering from that.

I now have a bulldog/rubbernose plec, common plec, a clown loach, a bumblebee catfish and my oscar.

The bumblbee catfish hides all day and barely comes out at night so I was wondering if it was safe to keep him in my tank with a full sized oscar? The bulldog pleco will probably have to be re-homed?

The oscar only nips at the common plec, which is about 6 times the oscar's size. The common plec doesn't seem to mind, he just swims to a different part of the tank, then the oscar seems to leave him alone.

I am re-doing the sand in my 120 gallon. Filling it up about 2-3 inches of white sand. I was wondering if I should add some decorations or live plants or what? Because I figured if I start filling up the tank with log like decorations and rocks and stuff, it would leave less swimming room for an adult oscar.

Should I just plant it up nicely? Will the oscar uproot these and destroy them?

I am also adding 3-4 more clown loaches for my lonely clown loach. I think he'd appreciate it a lot.

Any other ideas for decorations, plants, substrate, and stocking?

I am also feeding my oscar frozen brine shrimp and flakes for right now as he is only about 1.5 inches long. Is this okay?

 

[Valyrian]

I'm pretty sure that the oscar will uproot plants.

 

[Ethos]

I'm pretty sure and Cichlid of large size will uproot plants.
I'd say other agressive large cichlids.
Ask Synirr, she has a midas and a oscer together.

 

[Raechal]

Hmmm I might try live plants, if he uproots them I could always re-plant them in the sand again.

I am not sure yet

 

[Ethos]

You want to replant them everyday? casue you'll need too....
Plus in the process of up-rooting, they might destroy the plant.

 

[Raechal]

You want to replant them everyday? casue you'll need too....
Plus in the process of up-rooting, they might destroy the plant.

Hmmm would fake plants be better or would he dig those out of the ground as well?

 

[Ethos]

They love to re-decorte. Basically, if he can lift it, he will.
This includes other fish too.
My cichlids LOVE moving around all the rocks and making little caves.
The plastic ones won't break as easily, but he'll still uproot em.

 

[Raechal]

They love to re-decorte. Basically, if he can lift it, he will.
This includes other fish too.
My cichlids LOVE moving around all the rocks and making little caves.
The plastic ones won't break as easily, but he'll still uproot em.

Should I get some rocks then? Would he be able to crack my tank by moving the rocks around?

 

[Fella]

What sort of bumblebee cat do you have, South American or Asian?

 

[grumpymole]

not sure about cracking the tank but when i had a couple of tiger oscars with some rocks and live plants, every morning i would come down to find plants uprooted, rocks shifted and sand in a big pile in one corner of my tank.
they used to drive me MAD until i removed all plants, ornaments etc. wich the plec was not happy about so i had to get rid of the plec and then a month later the oscars went and died on me

 

[Raechal]

What sort of bumblebee cat do you have, South American or Asian?

I am not sure what kind he is. He is about 2.5 or 3 inches in length and I have had him for about a year.

not sure about cracking the tank but when i had a couple of tiger oscars with some rocks and live plants, every morning i would come down to find plants uprooted, rocks shifted and sand in a big pile in one corner of my tank.
they used to drive me MAD until i removed all plants, ornaments etc. wich the plec was not happy about so i had to get rid of the plec and then a month later the oscars went and died on me

I suppose I'd let my oscar re-arrange the tank to his liking. As long as he is happy and my nocturnal fish have a few dark spots to hide.

 

[Fella]

What sort of bumblebee cat do you have, South American or Asian?

I am not sure what kind he is. He is about 2.5 or 3 inches in length and I have had him for about a year.

It's pretty important to find out really. I had one of each, one would eat small fry and grow big, the other was harmless and would stay small.

Microglanis iherengi

Stays small. South American.

Pseudomystus Siamensis

Grows big.Asian.

If you knew which you had it might make it easier to say what might happen

Craig

 

[Raechal]

What sort of bumblebee cat do you have, South American or Asian?

I am not sure what kind he is. He is about 2.5 or 3 inches in length and I have had him for about a year.

It's pretty important to find out really. I had one of each, one would eat small fry and grow big, the other was harmless and would stay small.

Microglanis iherengi

Stays small. South American.

Pseudomystus Siamensis

Grows big.Asian.

If you knew which you had it might make it easier to say what might happen

Craig

It's definitely the south american bumblebee catfish. He used to eat the molly fry when I had mollies

 

[Fella]

The south american isn't really known to eat fry

EDIT - I'm not saying it couldn't though.

 

[sylvia]

Large rocks or wood, as well as large ceramic pots kept in place by rocks so they won't roll, would make for sturdy decor Live or plastic plants or anything light is going to get uprooted/moved around.

About the bumblebee catfish, ignore the genus/sceintific names of these fish as there are several synonyms but here are some mroe pics from planet catfish:
south american:
http/www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/pseud...rocho/721_F.PHP - the bumblebee I see most often
http/www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/pseud...rogla/303_F.PHP - the one Fella posted a pic of
asian:
http/www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/bagri...udomy/708_F.PHP

Those may be useful for identifying yours there are some other species that look similar and/or are sometimes labelled 'bumblebee catfish' but they are less common. Post a pic in teh catfish section if you're still not sure.

BTW, the food you are feedin now is fine as long as the other fish are getting their share as well and I think moving the bulldog plec out is also a good idea.

Sidenote: Post oscar stuff in the New World cichlids section in future