Oscars

[mrcrazypants05]

What are some things I should know about these fish, because I'm thinking about setting up my 125gal for oscars... not to breed of course. I don't have the room for that, but are there more fish that I could put with a couple of oscars? I know plecostomus could go if added at the same time, right? Also, any other information about oscars that you guys could tell me would be awesome. All I know is that they love live foods like feeder goldfish and what not.

 

[DeFeKt]

Astronotus ocellatus (spelling?)
forget live feed, unless you raise them urself.

fresh meat like beef heart and pellets are better and have better variety of protein etc. I handfeed mine.
they will pair up, male and male won't they will fight.
you can have anything with a somewhat aggresive temper and that is the same size, anything that can fit in they're mouth will soon be lunch.
don't bother with plants unless you want to keep planting them, they will uproot them, driftwood and rocks they love..as most fish do.
they are very hardy and intelligent..and I believe need to be kept occupied..
Only get them if you have the tim to spend with them. as they will soon look up to you as the "boss"
you want to filter your tank more then recommended as they are messy eaters and make alot of waste. i'd recommend more then 6x per hour, but i'm an overkill kind of guy.
gravel vac once a week, deeply once a month or more, and do large pwc's weekly. i'd say 50% or more..(I do around 60)

honestly, unless your prepared for the time and effort they really take, I wouldn't get them.
HTH and good luck.

EDIT: couldn't help myself from jumping in quickly, they are by far my favourate fish.

 

[mrcrazypants05]

Well at one of the LFS around here they have a large bow tank by the front door with an Oscar, a pleco, a clown knife fish, and a couple of convicts. They seem like they all get along pretty well. However, they are all the same size of course. All pretty much full grown.

 

[DeFeKt]

anything is possible.i've even kept mild tempered oscars with discus where the oscar was the one who got picked on.
although i wouldn't recommend it.

 

[Toirtis]

Well at one of the LFS around here they have a large bow tank by the front door with an Oscar, a pleco, a clown knife fish,

It would need to be quite large (well beyond 125 gallons), since a mature clown knife should be between 36"-48" long.

DeFeKt's advice is pretty good....with proper rearing, you should have a pair of 14"-18" fish on your hands...there really would not be room in a 125 for much else.

 

[baldone]

Astronotus ocellatus (spelling?)
you can have anything with a somewhat aggresive temper and that is the same size

This is a throw away comment, which IMO is not correct.

If you were to put a flowerhorn in with an oscar you would soon end up with a flowerhorn and a dead oscar.

IMO, Possible tank mates for your sized tank include Jack Dempsey, Convicts (but one or more of the same sex, as a breeding pair will become hugely territorial and aggressive and kill your oscar despite the size difference), Blue Acara, Blood Parrot, Severums, Tinfoil Barbs, Silver Dollars, Bala Sharks, decent sized Plecs, Pictus Catfish, African Brown Knife.

steve

 

[oscarbreeder]

The best tankmate for an oscar is an oscar.

 

[mrcrazypants05]

I've heard oscars fight with other scars. Especially male and male, but even male and female? Of course I don't wanna breed. I was thinking in the beginning of getting 3 oscars.

 

[DeFeKt]

This is a throw away comment, which IMO is not correct.

If you were to put a flowerhorn in with an oscar you would soon end up with a flowerhorn and a dead oscar.

do you really think that if somebody paid top dollar for a quality flowerhorn, they would have it in a tank with anything let alone an oscar?

Good to mention though, and also that all comments are intended to act as general guidelines, and the individual aquarist should do extensive research before adding anything to they're tank no matter what kind of fish, plant or rock..etc, (other then asking in forums)

rgds
Matt

 

[mrcrazypants05]

Well im hoping that I can get an oscar, green terror, and jack dempsey to work. I've seen with my own two eyes an oscar with a jack dempsey together, but not with the green terror. I have like a month or so before I add them though plus I'm gonna do fishless cycle.

 

[baldone]

This is a throw away comment, which IMO is not correct.

If you were to put a flowerhorn in with an oscar you would soon end up with a flowerhorn and a dead oscar.

do you really think that if somebody paid top dollar for a quality flowerhorn, they would have it in a tank with anything let alone an oscar?

Good to mention though, and also that all comments are intended to act as general guidelines, and the individual aquarist should do extensive research before adding anything to they're tank no matter what kind of fish, plant or rock..etc, (other then asking in forums)

rgds
Matt

Apoligies Matt,

I wasn't being pertinent or lambasting the advice.

It was just a generalisation that could lead to someone going out and getting the angriest bugger he could find and ending up with a dead fish on his hands.

steve

 

[oscarbreeder]

Oscars get along good with each other. I have four in a 180g right now.
If you were to get three, tow of them may pair off and pick one the third.
Jack Dempseys work and some dont. I have had ones that get along well with oscars and some that are a terror.

 

[DeFeKt]

nah no need to apologise mate, just thought it might be good to state how important it is for people to do they're research before jumping in head first and getting burnt.

also, just thought i'd mention that a mate of mine has, an oscar, an angel, 3 green terrors and 4 clown loaches in his tank..

The angel was the most aggresive untill the terrors paired off and started pumping out fry, now it's the male gt that owns the tank, and only the other smaller male gt gets picked on, the rest just stay out of his way...
So I like to think it's also a matter of the fishes individual personality..
hth