Oscars and JD in 75?????

[jbeining75]

what are your thoughts about a 75 gallon with 2 Oscars and a Jack Dempsey in it........... nothing else..... Too much aggression not enough water????

[Fishguy2727]

I would consider the 2 oscars as filling it up, but there are other variables you could mess with to increase maximum stocking (filtration, most importantly water change schedule). If you could keep the nitrates under 20ppm then in general it is not overstocked from that aspect. In that setup they would have to be raised together since they were pretty small (about 2"). Even then it is a risky combination.

[cocoa_pleco]

i would say its possible, providing you get a large canister filter

[jbeining75]

I'll be running 3 aquaclear 110's on it... The oscars have been together since they were smaller, I'm worried that if I introduce the JD the Oscars would nail him....... I don't know though I have two corys in my tank from my tetra tank when I took it down and they are cruising around.... its either a 75 or a 110 theres no sense in me getting a 90 as the footprint is no bigger its just 4 inches taller.....

[Fishguy2727]

A 110 is just unmanageably taller. Also 48x18 footprint.

Can you go longer? Like a 5' 100, or a 6' 125 or something?

How big are the oscars now?

[jbeining75]

The oscars are 5 inches they are fine now, they will not stunt in a 55 until about 8-9 inches... I've had 2 12 inch Oscars in a 55 gallon... Not preferrable but it worked....... I might go with a 120 high get that extra foot ya know give me another 216 square inches.....I meant 120 sorry fish not 110....

[jbeining75]

I'll probably end up going 100 gallon tank... get the five foot shallower tank as the cichlids are gonna prefer the footprint space over vertical swimming area.... theres a 120 high thats at the local petshop.... 499 for canopy hood, lights, tank and stand. I got two visitherm stealth 200 watt heaters to heat the tank laying around the house...... I'd pull one of my 110's off my 55 gallon and start two fresh fishless to get them going.... I was thinking rams in the 55 and the 110 alone would be fine... I'd move my maxjet 1200 powerhead to the bigger tank also..... New gravel driftwood and rockwork..... the only problem is I'd like to introduce the JD before the move but thats a huge problem in the 55 gallon. i was goona let the jd in the big tank for around a week to let him establish his territories then put the Oscars in....... I'm not sure....... If I can't introduce a new fish I'm going 75 gallon for the two oscars, if I can probaby the 100 or 120 high........... decisions decisions......

[Fishguy2727]

Go as big as you can, you will be glad you did.

However I think it will not be including a JD. At the oscars' current sizes it would be very hard to find a size compatible JD that is also temperment compatible. I think your best chance at this point (although very slim) would be to add a JD of about the same size, maybe a little less, and let him settle in to the bigger tank first.