what can go in with a oscar/s

[newtropical]

hi my other half really would like 1-2 oscars but am not sure what can go with them?

 

[Fishguy2727]

What size tank?

 

[mimaz]

hi my other half really would like 1-2 oscars but am not sure what can go with them?

Feeder fish!

 

[carey]

Feeder fish!

OMG LOL So true. I kept 3 in a 55 bout 10 years ago.
When I was naive and dumb enough to think watching them eat live fish was "cool"

 

[thedannyd]

Feeder fish!

Haha. Thats about it. If you can find a large pleco, some get tore up and some do just fine. Make sure to give it a hidding spot that the oscar cant beat down. My bro in law has large jack dempsys with his too.
Silver dollars and larger catfish can co exist with each other as long as they are about the same size as the oscar to not get bullied. Next time Im at my LFS I will take some pics of a tank... they have of a good big fish mix.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using AquariumAdvice

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

OMG LOL So true. I kept 3 in a 55 bout 10 years ago.
When I was naive and dumb enough to think watching them eat live fish was "cool"

Hey...watching nature predation behavior IS cool...the only problem is the iffy health of fish store feeders.

 

[carey]

I never thoght about it at the time, I wasn't a very good fishkeeper then. Didnt even cycle just threw in some oscars and eels and a baracuda. Just so I could watch them hunt. I was so horrible back then LOL.

I also had puffer fish so I could watch them demolish feeders and listen to the crunch as they bit in. nature is so violent.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Violent. But awesome! Haha just kidding. Predators aren't for everyone and happy community fish aren't for everyone either. Different strokes for different folks. That's what makes this hobby so cool.

 

[carey]

back then I had three tanks as well. A "happy" tank, the not so happy (puffers) and the Oscars with whatever I wanted to put in. Got my fix even back then

 

[newtropical]

Hi sorry had an appoint and could not get this to load on me phone
its a 4 foot tank if thats any help.

 

[Fishguy2727]

What are the other two dimensions? A four foot tank could be anything from 33 to 200 gallons.

 

[newtropical]

im told 200 gallons but i sure my friend said 210 not sure

 

[ShawnMMcKenna]

I currently keep two Jack Dempseys and a managuense with my oscar, also a pleco, and have had no problems. You have the typical "posturing", but no real violence. It all comes down to the personality of the individual fish. IMO, it is an ongoing science/social experiment keeping an aquarium.

 

[newtropical]

thank you shawnMMckenna im not sure what else he wants lol.

 

[ShawnMMcKenna]

Oh, and as far as feeder fish go, I will never feed them to my fish again. My Oscar is currently succumbing to HITH/LLE. I have done everything in my power to cure him, but I have lost the battle. I religously fed him feeder goldfish, despite the warnings that it could lead to that disease. Lesson learned. I will be taking him to a large pond near my home this weekend to live out the rest of his days in freedom. And a feeder fish will never grace my tanks again...

 

[ShawnMMcKenna]

thank you shawnMMckenna im not sure what else he wants lol.

Basically I would stick with New World cichlids of the same approximate size. There are many choices. I have also kept a clown knife with my Oscar and they lived in complete peace..... Good luck, and have fun!

 

[newtropical]

i will keep in mind what you said about the feeder fish im sure my mum and dad feed them flake food when i was little im going back a fair few years! sorry to hear that. Thank you for all your help i will have a chat with him later about it im trying to get him to come online and have a look at the forum.

 

[Fishguy2727]

In oscars it is HLLE, not HITH, and it is usually caused by poor water and food quality. It is not a pathogen like HITH and other illnesses. Although feeder fish can contribute to poor nutrition, they are a symptom of other issues, not the lone cause. A high quality pellet is the best staple for any diet. Enough water changes to keep the nitrate concentration under 20ppm before a water change willl keep the water quality high.

If you have multiple cichlid together it is best to raise them together, this is the best way to help make sure they get along.

 

[newtropical]

ah right i see. Glad you guys are here to help. I think he is looking at 2 oscars at the most he wants the white and orange ones. I like the tiger ones thats what we had as kids.

 

[ShawnMMcKenna]

In oscars it is HLLE, not HITH, and it is usually caused by poor water and food quality. It is not a pathogen like HITH and other illnesses. Although feeder fish can contribute to poor nutrition, they are a symptom of other issues, not the lone cause. A high quality pellet is the best staple for any diet. Enough water changes to keep the nitrate concentration under 20ppm before a water change willl keep the water quality high.

If you have multiple cichlid together it is best to raise them together, this is the best way to help make sure they get along.

HLLE....my mistake. My water quality has always been on the money. Feeder fish is what I attribute his condition to. That was all he ate for quite awhile. Like I said, lesson learned. Also some of my research found a link between activated carbon and HLLE in Oscars, so I switched to purigen from carbon. I know some people prefer no chemical filtration, but I do. The purigen helps to keep the parameters in check. That and small weekly PWC's.