Tank Mates For Oscar!

[Ronananator]

hey i got a 60gallon tank with an oscar and bala shark(soon to be givin away) and some sort of pleco its not common but its some weird type he is black and yellow and one chines algae eater i need a tank mate for the oscar but i need something that wont get to big to fast i prob getting 100gallon when the oscar gets big enuf =] what would u guyz recomend ? will upload pics later

 

[micko]

My severums do well with my oscar. I think I'd prefer to get the bigger tank firstly then I wouldn't be as limited. Just my opinion.

 

[Ronananator]

ya its only this 60gallon is brand new and cost me a good 400 euro and im only 15 so ya know lyke =] so im hopefully getting bigger one for next year birthday ill look into them im thinking a jack dempsey aswell not sure

 

[Fish Guy]

Oscars do well with most medium sized New world cichlids, such as Severums, Jack Dempsey, Convicts ( I know they may be a bit small but tough ), pretty much any fish that isn't small enough to fit in the oscars mouth and that is not too aggressive as oscars can be big babies.

 

[Ronananator]

thank u so much a convict should do good our a severn.. yar right baby oscars are dangerous i was holding fish flake over tank and he jum ped out and bit my finger with the flake in it lukily he ant got to big teeth

 

[james_fish]

Why not some Silver Dollars? Over 5 inch would be okay. But like said, look at a possible upgrade in the future

James.

 

[Ronananator]

thanks a million i went up and had a look and i bought a nice jack dempsey he still small but he changed color once i put him into tank he is also way to fast for oscar to try and catch him

 

[jollysue]

You might get more responses in the New World Cichlid Forum than here in the African/Old World forum.

Nice tank tho

 

[mattlee]

oscars if cared for right will grow very fast and easilly out grow most other cichlids. its best to get a small oscar and larger tank mates so hopefully as they grow they catch each other up....
i had Keith in with several big cichlids with no aggression at all but as soon as he had the tank to himself and i added a 8 inch green terror he bacame very teritorial and aggressive and within a week the green terror was dead!
my oscar is now alone again with just a few catfish a BGK and a group of 8 arulius barbs and he doesnt see them as a threat so leaves them well alone.

as the others have said a bigger tank is essential if mixing big cichlids so they have room and arent on top of each other which will lessen aggression, in theory..... i feel if i had 2 or 3 green terrors in with mine then they would have been ok but a single fish can get bullied too easily.

 

[midnight-blue]

Your Oscar is stunning just how i remember mine being as a kid all i can say is WOW. i have two oscars a white/grey one and a tiger oscar such lovely fish.

oscars if cared for right will grow very fast and easilly out grow most other cichlids. its best to get a small oscar and larger tank mates so hopefully as they grow they catch each other up....
i had Keith in with several big cichlids with no aggression at all but as soon as he had the tank to himself and i added a 8 inch green terror he bacame very teritorial and aggressive and within a week the green terror was dead!
my oscar is now alone again with just a few catfish a BGK and a group of 8 arulius barbs and he doesnt see them as a threat so leaves them well alone.

as the others have said a bigger tank is essential if mixing big cichlids so they have room and arent on top of each other which will lessen aggression, in theory..... i feel if i had 2 or 3 green terrors in with mine then they would have been ok but a single fish can get bullied too easily.

 

[ChilliPepper]

A 60g or even a 100g isn't big enough for a full grown Oscar. I'd skip the 100g and go straight to a 150g. That way you will have a happy and healthy Oscar and some tank mates. 60g will be OK for a few months, but that is it. Honestly, they grow very quickly. And a stunted Oscar is a very sorry sight.

Tank mates with Oscars, well mine gets on with just about everyone. I'd recommend Severums, Jack Dempseys and Geophagus especially. It should be noted that my O is the biggest and the boss of the tank, everyone else is fine as long as they accept that. I had a GT who I had before my O and they got on fine at first, but as my O grew she used to antagonise him so much that eventually he snapped and started fighting back. I made the hard decision to rehome her, and kept Bo, but no regrets whatsoever.