Rope Fish (reed Fish) With An Oscar

[fry_lover]

The Tiger Oscar is aboout 5"

The x4 Rope Fish are between 9" and 12"

The tank would be 5x2x2

 

[KraKen]

No, but I once saw a picture of an oscar eating a reed fish so I wouldn't suggest it.

 

[severum boy]

For about a month this may work, then the Oscar would realise that the ropeys cna be eaten, and gobble them up.

 

[fry_lover]

so, do you think if i threw in a load of bloodworms one day, the Oscar will make himself a spaghetti bolognase?

 

[fry_lover]

thanks for the feedback though guys, hopefully there is more to come

i have a theory that going by the sizes of the rope fish and oscar at present, by the time the Oscar gets to a size where the risk would be greater, the Oscar may simply have got habituated into having the Reed Fish about and not see them as a food source. Now i am not saying this can be relied on and i could sit back and say the risk is over, i am just throwing it out there.

I just went back to an old thread of mine on another forum and worked out that my Reed Fish are growing about 1.5" per month.

However, I know that its the fact they are skinny thats the risk/problem here.

I am not trying to win this debate and say there is no risk, but i would like to hear from Oscar owners about their experiences with Oscars in a mixed tank where certain tank mates in there, might traditionally be seen as "prey" for an Oscar.

Cheers peeps

 

[simonas]

my experience with oscars is that they eat anything. they tolerate plecs and then for whatever reason attack and eat them . great fish but a nightmare to keep tankmates with

 

[fry_lover]

my experience with oscars is that they eat anything. they tolerate plecs and then for whatever reason attack and eat them . great fish but a nightmare to keep tankmates with

yeh i feel like i am urinating in the wind with this, i sense feelings of "gutted" as i want this to work, you know the thing....peep asks for advice....ignores advice.....does his own thing anyway....... (not saying that will happen) but there's a risk of me doing that and i am being honest.

trying to keep open minded, even gone onto some dedicated Oscar forums to seek out some feedback....

theres no gaurentees either way, its just weighing up the risk

By the way the tank will be either a 5x2x2 or a 48"x 30-deep x 24-high, not that it really changes anything and it doesnt change the size of the Oscar's mouth obviously

 

[Eviltoon]

I think the thing to keep in mind is that predators are predators and they see other fish as food. Yes they may take a while to go for dinner, but eventually they eat. I do not think you can train a young predator fish to grow up thinking benevolent thoughts about a tank mate. One day, it will be invited over for dinner.

I had myself convinced that a spotted gar and a ropefish could live together. Didn't work.

 

[Genesis]

I'm afraid this is what may happen

 

[afghan]

i no u probly know this already but be carefull if your getting rope fish
as they are quite escape prone lol
my cuzzins rope fish escaped his tank and fell down the back off it and we didnt know where it dissapeard to
until we found it dried out and hard as rock at the back ov his tank