Should I add a red tiger?

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toughguy1

toughguy1

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Aug 11, 2004
Messages
44
Location
South Carolina
I currently have an African Cichlid 55 gal. tank. I do understand that you should generally not mix Africans and S. Americans. However, my fish are big. I am not totally good with the names so please excuse. I have a very large (5-6 inch) African which is blue/green near the head, and kind of camo in the back. Then I have (2) yellow w/ dark stripes (bumble bee?) that are about 4". Next is a light solid blue African around 4". Then there is a 3.5" orange African. For cleaning purposes, I have (2) 4" white tip cat fish, and a 3" pleco. I can't really add a small fish or a non-aggressive fish. I was thinking of adding one more fish, and I really like the color of the S. American red tiger. Please advise if this is a horrible idea.
 
If you can't remember the names (I suck at that too) can you show some pics? These guys are really awesome at giving an ID from a pic and that will give them a better idea of what advice to give. Are talking about an Oscar? if so I'm gonna say probably not a good idea I think an Oscar alone will fill up if not overfill your 55. And I'm no expert so get another opinion but it kinda sounds like you got a pretty full tank now instead of adding another fish why not add another tank?

Nice to meet you btw I don't think I have had the chance to talk to you before.
 
Red Tiger Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus) ?

NO! Horrible idea on a couple of levels.
.............................................................

Don't mix Africans & SA/CAs, they need different foods, water parameters (ideally) and habitats.

55gal is the bare minimum in size for a Oscar, much prefer a 75gal, and heavy filtration is needed.

Oscar will outgrow, and may eat some African species.
Oscar will reach a average 8"+ in the first year.

Many African species are too aggressive for a Oscar.

And more... Just say no... C'mon, say it with me, "No!" ;)
 
I didn't realize that the red oscar's grew to 8" in the first year. I was thinking about buying the standard 3". That is amazing that they grow 5" in one year. I have had those other fish for 2 years and their growth has been about about 2-3" each, total. I have a good relationship with my LFS, and I have brought back fish that get too big, on more than one occasion. That was my plan, but it sounds like it was a bad plan. I will re-evaluate adding fish. I just thought some red would be nice.
 
toughguy1 said:
I didn't realize that the red oscar's grew to 8" in the first year. I was thinking about buying the standard 3". That is amazing that they grow 5" in one year. I have had those other fish for 2 years and their growth has been about about 2-3" each, total. I have a good relationship with my LFS, and I have brought back fish that get too big, on more than one occasion. That was my plan, but it sounds like it was a bad plan. I will re-evaluate adding fish. I just thought some red would be nice.
Click to expand...
Your looking at it wrong...

From hatching fry to a average 8"+ in the first year of growth.
They average 1" per month in their first six months, they grow very rapidly.
By 1.5-2 yrs they are a 12" total length, 10" standard length.
...................................

Plenty of awesome Africans you can add.
 
toughguy1 said:
I have a very large (5-6 inch) African which is blue/green near the head, and kind of camo in the back.sounds like a male venustus Then I have (2) yellow w/ dark stripes (bumble bee?) that are about 4" you guessed that one right... Next is a light solid blue African around 4".Im going to guess at colbalt blue zebra... Then there is a 3.5" orange African. red zebra perhaps?
Click to expand...

Looks like ChileRelleno has you covered on the oscar info. If I were you, I would stock up to 1m-3fm of three of those fish, rehome the venustus as it gets a bit large for a 55g IMO (8-10" or so)
 
OK thanks. So far I have 0 Nitrates every time I check it. I also have more than twice the filtration necessary. I will keep an eye on things. Talk to ya'll soon.
 
Your Zebras will not likely welcome an oscar...At my fiance's school one of her co workers put a 5 inch oscar into a 75 gal tank with 4 donated "gold fish". They shredded the poor oscar and when I came in to check it out they turned out to be Red Zebras. The oscar was finned down to the body and it wasn't pretty. (The zebras found a home in another friends 300 gal mbuna tank. I helped them pick out some calmer fish lol)
 
Ya see how your acronym has a dotted underline? Hover your cursor over it and abracadabra!

LFS = Local Fish Store

Not all acronyms are listed.
 
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