Oscar, tank size and tank mates

**Nailroth** · 01-22-2013, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by 850R

I am not sure that raising the O with smaller fish is going to help much [Depends on the Oscar] but you will know inside of a year because he will be able to eat much smaller tank mates long before then.

what i mean is that rising the Oscar with small fish that are suitible tank mates for him not add a oscar wait 3 years for him to grow up and then add an adult JD or firemouth.

Start with adding young oscar with young firemouth/JD to start with so they are raised from a young age to adult with each other.

The Fluval 406 has nothing to do with the oscar if i do get me an oscar i'm buying another tank with a Fluval fx5, thats a 400 gallon filter for a 142 gallon tank so the filter is not the problem.

Please forget about the 99 gallons and the filters i'm using it has nothing to do with the topic really,
This topic is all about research will the tank i planed on getting for my oscar work, what tankmates work good in this tank with an oscar and how they are. This is whats important not about my other tanks since the oscar are not going near them unless in emergencies like his tank breaks or such.

**Rocksor** · 01-22-2013, 04:31 PM

Raising other fish with the oscar does not guarantee compatibility with it in the long run. Chances are still 50/50 that the oscar will not tolerate the other cichlids when it gets bigger or that the other cichlids may no longer tolerate the oscar. It all depends on the personality of all the cichlids involved.

**Goes to 11!** · 01-22-2013, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by Nailroth

what i mean is that rising the Oscar with small fish that are suitible tank mates for him not add a oscar wait 3 years for him to grow up and then add an adult JD or firemouth.

Start with adding young oscar with young firemouth/JD to start with so they are raised from a young age to adult with each other.

I know what you meant. But. . .

If you start them both off small the Oscars growth is going to FAR outpace the Firemouths. IME - A 3" Oscar is pushing 7 or 8" 6 months later.

This obviously has potentially negative consequences.. Just a heads up.

**Nailroth** · 01-22-2013, 05:39 PM

i guess ill have to check into the cost of other cichlids and possibility to come in with adults of them later incase it dosn't work out.

the reason i want tankmates with the oscar is that the tank is long so 1 oscar in the whole tank becomes very empty. where i live all large tanks are like the one im getting if i get an oscar the 99 gallons i have now are the same length but lower and thiner then the 142 one, we don't have the american tanks thats more of cubes

I read that oscars love to destroy heaters and filters, if this is true what can you do to prevent it?

**Goes to 11!** · 01-22-2013, 05:52 PM

I have a 11" oscar solo in a 100G tank [72"x18"x17"], What are the dimensions of your tanks?

I am getting a cichlosoma salvini as a tankmate for my Oscars when they move to the 135, They are smallish but aggressive & can hold their own against an O easily, Also consider geophagus brasiliensis. Check them out.

Salvini:

Geo:

**ScottishFish** · 01-22-2013, 06:05 PM

I need an oscar

**Goes to 11!** · 01-22-2013, 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by Nailroth

where i live all large tanks are like the one im getting if i get an oscar the 99 gallons i have now are the same length but lower and thiner then the 142 one, we don't have the american tanks thats more of cubes

I read that oscars love to destroy heaters and filters, if this is true what can you do to prevent it?

[This bit got left behind in my edit somehow oops]

The longer footprint is far more suitable than the cube type tanks IMO because big fish require big footprints to allow for how territorial they can be.

It's occasionally true about heaters, Mine broke a cheap one when he was smaller. He then ignored the heater for a long time but when he did start beating on it I put a huge piece of DW in front of the heater to hide it/protect it. It works . . .so far.
Oscars WILL be Oscars

**Nailroth** · 01-22-2013, 07:03 PM

Originally Posted by Nailroth

length 59 inches
width 23 inches
depth 23 inches
Gallons 142

this is the demension of the tank i would be getting for an oscar

**Goes to 11!** · 01-22-2013, 07:09 PM

Guess who didn't review the thread?

Sorry about that.

Not a bad footprint in my book but I have never had a 5'x2' tank either, Hopefully someone with exp with stocking that tank size will chime in.

For a single O and light company I see no issues but naturally that is stock dependent.

**Nailroth** · 01-22-2013, 08:16 PM

i think im going to get 1 oscar 1-2 firemouth a Douglas and if i can get my petstore to take in severums i would like to add one of those too if possible.

Douglas is a Liposarcus pardalis that we had when i was a child and he was my favorite fish in the whole tank.