Thinking Of Swapping Out Oscar

[always4lora]

Hi' Guy's,

I've a wild oscar in my tank which is around the 5" mark but it's just always hiding away and sulking at the back of the tank. I've had it since June so was hoping it might of come out of it's shell by now! For whatever reason it's just not a happy chappy. It's in with mostly Bichir;s which dont bother it at all and theres nothing else which is likely to scare it off.

I was thinking of possibly replacing it in the new year if it doesnt grow on me but i'm a bit lost as to what with. My tank's well planted so don't want anything thats likely to need bare bottom tanks, it must be big enough not to be eaten by the bichir;s which the largest is not much over a foot and when fuly grown the largest will be around the 2ft mark.

Current tank mates are in my sig, tanks currently running an fx5 but upping with another filter shortly. Possibly getting a Green Terror through a friend as well. Mainting water quality for me is ok with 50% weekly water changes.

I've had a look on differernt websites and these are the only one's ive come up with :

Female Parachromis managuensis - Jaguar Cichlid - don't think this would bother the bichir;s
Red Devil / Midas - i know these are agressive but is this only with other Cichlids?
Paratilapia polleni- (after seing shroobs


I Shall be upgrading the tank next year , most likely too 5x2x2 or 6x2x2 (depends on what i can fit in the space i have) so the Bichir's will be getting put in the new tank leaving this un less stocked.

Any sugestions / recommenations?

 

[indigoj]

Do you have any dither fish and/or floating plants? Remember a wild caught fish is more likely to need need to feel secure in a tank than one bred in captivity. Adding extra floating plants/dithers may bring the O into the open more.

 

[always4lora]

I did have silver dollar's but got rid as i fancied some plants in the tank , i did have 6 Bosemanni rainbow fish but these shot down to 2 left in the space of a week , however the 2 are still there over a month on! The tank has quite a lot of floating plants and one side has a large bit of bogwood covering one side giving a little extra shelter. I'm giving it a bit more time still to see if i can coax it out a little but just wieghing up my options on what i could get as a replacement. It's a shame really as its starting to get a bit of nice colour to it .

 

[shelaghfishface]

aww sounds awful for him

having never kept a wild oscar i dunno what to suggest, its a case of try everything i spose.. i kept barbs in with my oscar for 6 weeks ( for no other reason than i was setting up more tanks and they needed lodgings) but Bo seemd to kinda like having them in there.. never made an attempt to eat any of them
i did once have a white oscar that used to " sulk" constantly.. he had a silver dollar for company but.. he was happy enough- was feeding well etc and very healthy
are you sure hes not just an over chilled fish? Bo will spend hours sitting on the gravel just chilling.. worried me at first but that just him.. hes soon up when theres food about ..and if im late hes at the glass wagging- i have no concerns about him at all... maybe yours is similar to him?

nelly will see this im sure and offer some advice- good luck with him,

shelagh xxx

 

[always4lora]

I guess it could be , it does sit on the sand at the back alot, it will come out at feeding but then retreats to the back of the tank again, i had bosemani rainbows in and all my oscar did was try to eat them. Like i said i think i'll give it a bit of time and see how it go's, I'll keep reading up about the other fish i fancy and work out if i can fit another tank int he house t put the oscar in with some dithers. Most dither's get picked of by the Bichir;'s or get to big for the tank .

I did get 4 reed fish yestersay which are pretty active so maybe they'll kinda work as dither fish . Could try tiger barbs but have a feeling the sorubim lima would eat them over time.

 

[england]

If i was you buddy i would not go for aggressive cichlid's like jaguar,granted mine worked fine for around 16months but then all hell broke loose,

have a look at thing's like chocolate cichlid's/severum/festivum/or as said dither's like silver dollar's,if your upgrading like you said maybe try

another oscar,I know it might not be what you wan't to here but i think with cichlid's it's difficult, maybe also try having some wood and

rocks,also if you can lay your hands on duck weed,i find this brings out alot of shy fish i keep....

Hehe i still have some of my fish yes, sold the ornatipinnis pair,just waiting to deliver the pair and the channa pluero is also

waiting collection, then leave's me with the rest which either one of my local fish shops will have or the person buying my tank may have them.

 

[always4lora]

Hmm might try duck weed , most of the floating plants i have die off over a few months no idea why as all the planted ones seem to grow really well.
I'll give the Jag a miss then until i've got the larger tank setup for it , you tried them with polypterus or heard of anyone trying?

As for other oscar's my tank wouldnt be big enough i dont think although it's still juvi so could work for a wile until it's older then i'd have to sell on though or split in another tank. Plus with oscar's being sooo moody id imagine it'd sulk if split lol. I've had silver dollars and wouldnt get them again until i have a huge tank or indoor pond as they are too skittish.
I've got a big piece of wood that takes up one half of the tank and thats where the oscar normally resides, don't fancy rocks as knowing my luck it'll somehow end up through the glass!

 

[Davo86]

How about a small group of Apollo sharks?

 

[always4lora]

Never heard of them before Davo86, do you know the scientific name as there seems to be a couple for it

Edit * i've checked for both of the species and they seem pretty rare!

 

[england]

yes Luciosoma spilopleura/pellegrini, are beauty's