Threadfin Acaras and a Tiger Oscar?

[Luananeko]

I've been researching a bit about south american cichlids since I've never kept them and would eventually like a tank big enough for a community including a tiger oscar (400ish gallon range). The Threadfin Acara's sound really interesting, but Aqadvisor is saying they would end up being food for a Tiger Oscar... But the profiles I'm reading for the Acara say it gets close to 8", while the Oscar gets up to 14". Would the Oscar really be able to eat the Acaras?? There seem to be lots of folks keeping Blue Acaras with Oscars, and they're smaller than the Threadfins, so this seems like AqAdvisor is just being overly cautions... What do you guys think?

 

[Tigroscr]

It may just depend on the Tiger Oscar. I've had my TO with many types of fish at one time or another with much smaller fish and never had any problems. He can be a bully and likes one side of the tank to himself but he's never ate any of my other fish however he's a very pick eater and usually won't eat anything but his Hikari pellets and once in awhile depending on his mood an occasional thawed blood worm cube. I think you could give it a try especially if they grow up together and you get them around the same size I think it would work.

 

[Luananeko]

From what I'm reading Oscars tend to get more aggressive to tankmates if they're used to being fed feeder fish too... So I'm thinking if they grow up together and if the Oscar is fed earthworms instead of feeder fish for his "meatier" meals maybe he won't think of his fellow fishy tankmates as potential snacks? I'm just guessing of course, someone who's more familiar with cichild behavior can confirm

I think AqAdvisor is using 18" as the max size for Oscars too, which is a bit larger than the normal adult size I'm seeing everywhere else. I could understand an 18" oscar eating a smaller than usual adult acara (at around 6"), so that warning makes more sense now...

 

[Tigroscr]

From what I'm reading Oscars tend to get more aggressive to tankmates if they're used to being fed feeder fish too... So I'm thinking if they grow up together and if the Oscar is fed earthworms instead of feeder fish for his "meatier" meals maybe he won't think of his fellow fishy tankmates as potential snacks? I'm just guessing of course, someone who's more familiar with cichild behavior can confirm

I think AqAdvisor is using 18" as the max size for Oscars too, which is a bit larger than the normal adult size I'm seeing everywhere else. I could understand an 18" oscar eating a smaller than usual adult acara (at around 6"), so that warning makes more sense now...

Yeah I think feeding them feeder fish makes them or any fish more aggressive. Mine has never been fed any feeder fish maybe this is why he's never ate any of his Tankmates. I've never tried earthworms but he's so picky I doubt he would eat it lol! Wow 18" that's huge mine is about 6 years old and he's right around 12".

 

[absolutangel04]

Moved to cichlid discussion.

 

[Tigroscr]

Are you going to start out with a little baby TO? I was at the LFS getting fish food and I always have to look at the fish while I'm there and they had the cutest little baby TO's. It's soo hard to believe mine was ever that small and cute. You won't regret getting one he's definitely the most intelligent and fun fish I've ever owned. He's in my tank in the living room and he entertains everyone that comes over they get a real kick out of him, lol!

 

[Luananeko]

Yep, that's much more in line with what others are saying. Most folks oscars top out at 15" max, only the rare few get up to 18" Earthworms are pretty cheap in most places, and it sounds like virtually all oscars love them, so they might be a good treat!

Edit: Oops, didn't notice there was a cichild discussion area, never wandered in that section before since I'm a newbie to them! And yes, I would get the oscar as a baby, but it's still a ways off. Need a bigger place before I can get a tank the size it would need as an adult

 

[Tigroscr]

Yep, that's much more in line with what others are saying. Most folks oscars top out at 15" max, only the rare few get up to 18" Earthworms are pretty cheap in most places, and it sounds like virtually all oscars love them, so they might be a good treat!

Edit: Oops, didn't notice there was a cichild discussion area, never wandered in that section before since I'm a newbie to them! And yes, I would get the oscar as a baby, but it's still a ways off. Need a bigger place before I can get a tank the size it would need as an adult

Well Good luck to you when you do. I might try some earthworms and see if he likes them!