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FAQs on Oscar Compatibility
Related Articles: Oscars,
Neotropical Cichlids, African Cichlids,
Dwarf South American Cichlids, Cichlid Fishes in
General,
Related FAQs: Oscars 1,
Oscars 2,
Oscar Identification,
Oscar Selection,
Oscar Behavior,
Oscar Systems,
Oscar Feeding, Oscar Disease/Health,
Oscar Reproduction,
Neotropical Cichlids 1,
Cichlids of the World, Cichlid Systems,
Cichlid Identification,
Cichlid Behavior,
Cichlid Compatibility, Cichlid Selection,
Cichlid Feeding,
Cichlid Disease, Cichlid
Reproduction,
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Juvenile Oscar and Bristlenose
Pleco – 04/22/09
Hi WWM,
<Hello Alison,>
I have spoken to you previously about my Albino Red Oscar. He is in
great health now and doing really well, however, we had started to
get a build up of brown algae, which I learned is probably because
his tank doesn't get a lot of natural sunlight.
<Diatoms have nothing much to do with sunlight. In cichlid tanks
they're pretty common. Use a sponge or scraper to remove from the
front glass. Fast growing floating plants under bright lights will
also do much to slow down their growth.>
I decided to add a bristlenose Pleco to our 40 gallon tank, since
they stay pretty small compared to the common Plecos.
<More "bite size" than a common Plec, I'd suggest. Oscars feed
extensively on armoured catfish in the wild. That's why they have
jaws adapted to crushing things, rather than snapping at midwater
fish that otherwise swim to quickly for Oscars to catch.>
I ordered an albino and he should be here tomorrow. However I have
started to worry that Oscar may eat our new fish, since the Pleco is
only 3-4 months old and Oscar is about 4 1/2 to 5 inches now.
<If the Oscar can bite the catfish, it will do so.>
He is always hungry, but doesn't seem to be really aggressive.
<Aggressiveness and predation aren't related; piranhas are complete
wimps in terms of personality, but they're remarkably capable
predators; conversely, Mbuna are herbivores, but amongst the most
psychotically aggressive fish in the hobby.>
He doesn't mess with his tank decorations or the heater, but does
jump and beg for food when it is feeding time. He eats earthworms
and wax worms with no problem, and large chunks of dried krill.
<All good foods for Oscars.>
I was wondering if I should not put the Pleco in with him.
<Depending on the size of the tank, a Plec of comparable size to the
Oscar is fine. But don't for one second assume such a catfish will
clear away any algae. It won't. All a big catfish will do is make
maintaining water
quality more difficult, and that it turn will speed up the growth of
algae.>
My daughter also has a small tank with two goldfish, with no algae
though.
Do you think it would be giving him a 12 dollar snack?
<Maybe.>
I appreciate the any advice you have. Thanks! Alison
<Cheers, Neale.>
125 Gallon
Tankmates For Large Oscar 4/18/09
Hello, I have emailed you guys before and thanks for the great
advice in return. My issue that I have now is that I am going to set
up a 125 gallon tank that is going to be centered around the tiger
Oscar that I have now who is about 9-10 inches in size and needs a
larger tank. Knowing that this is a fairly large tank I would like
to add more fish to it besides my Oscar. The set up I think I may go
with is the following; My tiger Oscar, a pink veil tail or a Jack
Dempsey around the same size as my Oscar, some quick schooling fish
(about 6) either being large gouramis or barbs and a nice sized Plec
that would be able to handle being in the tank with the large
cichlids. Another set up that I though of would also consist of my
Oscar but I would like to add maybe two more South American cichlids
rather than the schooling fish and a Plec. Either way I would like
to add at least one more large colorful cichlid to the tank if not
more than one such as a jack Dempsey, another Oscar, green terror,
etc. But by all means I plan to set up this tank with the size of
the fish and/or the aggression level to be pretty similar so that I
do not end up with any hurt or dead fish. Could
you please send me something in return ASAP about the compatibility
of these fish and anything else that you see helpful. Thanks a lot
for the help I have received in the past and I look forward to
seeing the crew's
response to this matter.
< Getting your Oscar a large tank is a good idea. Ideally all the
fish should be small and grow up together. Too late for that now.
Adding adult cichlids will cause trouble until a pecking order is
established. Some torn fins and damage will be expected. A school of
large fast barbs would be best. All the cichlids you have suggested
can inflict damage and will be aggressive. Mixing adult cichlids is
very tricky and greatly depends on the temperament of each
individual fish. Less aggressive choices would large Eartheaters,
chocolate cichlids, Severums, to name a few.-Chuck>
Ask WWM - compatibility, of course
Oscar Tankmates 4/14/09
Hello, I have read many of your answers to questions, and I think my
Oscar situation is a bit simpler than some that are posted. I have a
90 gallon tank with just one ugly, but well loved and happy, albino
Oscar. Oscar is about 8 inches long, one year old. Oscar likes me
more than anyone, I can occasionally touch him but he is leery of
strangers. If he is upset he plays dead at the back of the tank
(such as when my ridiculous boyfriend sticks his arm in the tank!)
and occasionally after cleaning the tank he shows he is upset by
puffing gills at me. For interest sake one day, I held a mirror up
to the tank and Oscar again played dead at the back of the tank so I
think he’s a bit of a coward. I do feed him small rosie feeders from
time to time, which he hungrily chases and eats. I also had a snail,
which he ate only when I was away for a weekend. He stopped
‘redecorating’, pulling plants, and spitting rocks when he was moved
from a 35 to the 90 gal 4 months ago (after which he grew an inch or
so), so I believe Oscar is happy and relatively easy going. I
conduct 25% water changes with gravel siphoning every week or week
and a half. I only have plastic plants and regular rocks in the
tank. I have an overhanging filter (good for 110gal), which I may
replace when I have some extra money or in a few years.
I am very happy with Oscar, and want to maintain a simple tank. I am
considering purchasing one or two tankmates. I have seen in your
answers to other questions that some compatible fish are clown
loach, Festivum, Severum, silver dollar (school of 6), chocolate
cichlid (group of 3), jurupari (group of 3).
I am from a small town with limited pet stores, but I think the
store I would purchase from has an okay variety available. One of my
concerns is that I do not know that I can easily identify these
types of fish at the store, but hopefully the people there know what
they are talking about! The manager has told me 1) a pair of one
type of fish might introduce problems, especially if they are a
breeding pair, so I should just purchase two different types of fish
that are appealing and b) choose from the silver dollars or
cichlids, obviously at least 6 inches so Oscar doesn’t eat them. I
know that the store has convicts, silver dollars, Firemouth meeki,
yellow-coloured cichlid (I think), and I think green terrors and/or
some that look like web images of the green terror with that type of
spotting (some seem more blue, some more orange, but with similar
spotting). They may have Severum, and clown loaches.
I now understand from your other postings that silver dollars need
to be in larger groups/school. I also know that I should try and
confirm with the store manager that I am purchasing a South American
Cichlid. My question is then, what type of (common, and likely
readily available at the store, by your approximation!) South
American cichlid or other type of fish could I put in my 90 gal with
Oscar? If I purchased 2 or 3 fish, how would my choices change? Are
silver dollars truly happier in large groups?
I am easy to please! I just want another body or two in the tank, if
possible…but FYI, I do not have any algae to sustain a Pleco, and I
do not like Parrot fish! Of course, I need to ensure they all
require the same tank conditions - I know I need to drop the
temperature a bit when adding fish, my tank is on the warm side for
Oscars. I will not be upgrading the tank size.
When I add the fish my plan is to 1) take out all plants and rocks
2) conduct a 40% water change 3) clean the filter, change whichever
media is due for change 4) replace plants etc in a different
arrangement and add my new shipwreck complete with hiding places 5)
add the new fish 6) keep the lights off for a couple days, and stay
home for a couple days to watch what happens. Is this a good game
plan?
Thank you so much for your advice. It is extremely difficult to get
consistent advice as I’m sure you well know, and store owners tend
to just want to sell you stuff, not help you. I am a graduate
student, so I take great solace in the peaceful company of my fish,
and I do not have cash to upgrade much further! Thanks again! Meghan
Moran
< This tank is your Oscar's territory and he will never be happy
with any additions to his tank. Other cichlids will be instantly be
push around in a test of dominance. The new cichlids will have to
fight back to get any foot hold in the tank and there may be damage
to both parties involved. Cichlids that you mentioned will tolerate
the Oscar's water conditions but the best you could hope for is a
truce between the tankmates until one of them gets sick or injured.
The other option is to add dither fish. This is a term used to
describe tankmates that are too fast for your Oscar to catch or eat.
A school of fast swimming open water fish will never be caught.
Silver dollars have the added advantage of the shape of their body
will not allow them to be eaten. In an ideal situation you should
have gotten the fish young and allowed them to grow up together.
This way the pecking order would have been established while the
fish were young and could not inflict too much damage on each other.
With an adult Oscar you will need a group (6) of some large fish.
This will increase the bioload on the filter. You will need to do
more water changes or larger water changes to keep the nitrates
under 20 ppm. Your pet shops may not have these fish available. When
you get them I would try to add them all at the same time.-Chuck>
Re: Ask WWM - compatibility, of course
Clown Loaches As Tank Mates For Oscars 4/18/09
Thanks, I understand what you are saying, and you are probably
right. What about some dithers such as Spanner barbs, or 3 or so
clown loaches? Will loaches take cover in hiding spaces if
necessary? Are loaches fast moving? Meghan
< I would go with the fast moving barbs instead of the loaches.
Since loaches hang around the bottom they can be pinned against the
sides or the bottom. They carry a secret weapon in a small sharp
spine under each eye. They are not as fast as the barbs.-Chuck>
Three Oscars in a 55 Gallon Tank 2/25/09
Hello, I have been reading over your website, and many, many others. I have
recently purchased a 55 US gal aquarium. I initially set it up with the standard
filter system that it came with. The aquarium is a TopFin brand.
I set it up
and let it stand with filter running for the cycle period, approx 2 weeks. I did
my water tests with API drops for those two weeks, and all looked good. I then
went and purchased 3 gouramis.. I kept an eye on it, and got the expected
ammonia spike, which rectified itself with in three days. The fish were all
healthy, then I made the error of buying two spotted catfish from our local
Wal-Mart. With in three days I had parasites and ich. I did all I could with
medication for ich and parasites, 25% water changes weekly and feed every other
day and removed the carbon element in the filter. Kept the temp at 75-76
degrees. I was unsuccessful, as the fish did die.
I then sterilized the tank
and decorations according to one website, and let the tank re-cycle for two
weeks.
Now I have three Oscars. I purchased one, and the other two were given
to me, or faced being flushed by their previous owner.
My question I have is
this. Can I support three Oscars in a 55 gal tank?
<Eventually the Oscars
will grow and only one will be able to live in a 55 gallon aquarium.>
Since I
got the additional two Oscar, I have added a aqua cycle 70 filter, the type that
has the sponge, then the carbon and then a bio pellet bag. I have been over
dozens of website and talked to three of my local pet supply stores. No one can
give me the same answer twice! I really don't have the room or money to purchase
another tank, nor do I want to get rid of my Oscars. (by the way one is a red
Oscar, Midnight, one an albino Oscar, Chalky, and one is a tiger Oscar, Duke.) I
make sure I test the water weekly, and do a 25% water change weekly, and along
with the water changes add aquarium salt per instructed dosage. So far they are
good, the water test are showing that ammonia is 0ppm, nitrites are 20ppm and
the nitrates are 15ppm, both of the nitrates and nitrites are slowly going down,
and I keep the temp at 80 degrees F. ( I have had them for about two weeks now)
The three Oscars are currently juveniles, no longer than 1" to 2" long.
They
are currently healthy and active, especially when feeding. I use a brand of
Cichlid pellets, supplemented with freeze dried brine shrimp, and I make sure
that they all get plenty of food. I have not seen them fighting, other than the
occasional mouth biting, and they seem to be doing good. At night they all clump
together behind a tall fake plant. I do need to get more cover if I can keep
them, which I plan on doing after I read your response!
I have read many
horror stories of having too many Oscars and they get unhealthy and die. I have
also read many stories of three or more Oscars living happily for many years in
a 55 gal tank.
I need some type of definitive answer as to whether or not I
am setting myself up for heartbreak and disaster down the road, and dooming my
Oscars to a slow and painful death because the tank is too small. Please let me
know your thoughts, as I am very interested in your opinion. Your site seems to
be very professional, and up-to-date. Thanks in advance
Joe Leimbach
< To
keep your Oscars healthy you need to keep the nitrates under 20 ppm.
The
ammonia and nitrites need to be zero. Check the nitrates of your tap water. As
your Oscars grow the nitrates will continue to rise. When they get to the point
to where the nitrate levels go higher than 20 ppm between water changes then you
start to have problems with Hole-In-The-Head and bloat. You then need to do
larger water changes or more frequent water changes. Sometimes even both are
needed. If you don't have the time nor the effort to do this then you need to
reduce the bioload of the tank by reducing the number of fish. In areas with
lots of agriculture the nitrates may be up to 50 ppm right out of the tap. This
makes it very difficult to keep fish.-Chuck>
Tank Mates??
Oscar Tankmates 8/29/08
Hello there, I have emailed you guys before about some of my tanks and ideas
about new tanks and have received great advice! Now I have a question about my
Oscar cichlid who is about 8 inches long. I am soon moving him to a larger tank
hopefully 75 gallons but maybe 55. And I was wondering about some tank mates for
him. I am very interested in more South American cichlids. I have a particular
interest in maybe getting a jack Dempsey? But I do know Jacks are pretty
aggressive and territorial that's why I am consulting you guys. Another cichlid
I was considering was a green terror but im not sure if the adult size of one
could or would grow up to being as big as my Oscar because I have read that they
only grow to be 8 inches in length. Lastly I was considering a blue Acara or a
jaguar cichlid but my problem with these two are I have no idea how big they
get. Could you please send me some helpful advice about this matter. Thank you.
< Oscars get up to a foot long. They are very territorial and another cichlid
would lead to constant battles over turf. I would recommend instead using dither
fish. These are large flashy fast fish that the Oscar will have a problem
chasing around. They can go from giant Danios, tinfoil barbs, silver dollars
etc... The fish need to be in large numbers of at least three for the larger
fish to at least six for the giant Danios.-Chuck>
Tank Mates?? Oscar comp./sys., Neotrop. cichlids period
08/28/08
Hello there, I have emailed you guys before about some of my tanks
and ideas about new tanks and have received great advice! Now i have a question
about my tiger Oscar cichlid who is about 8 inches long and pretty docile. I am
soon moving him to a larger tank hopefully 75 gallons but maybe 55. And i was
wondering about some tank mates for him.
<Not in the 55... too small>
I am very interested in more South American cichlids. I have a particular
interest in maybe getting a jack Dempsey? But i do know Jacks are pretty
aggressive and territorial that's why i am consulting you guys. Another cichlid
i was considering was a green terror but im not sure if the adult size of one
could or would grow up to being as big as my Oscar because i have read that they
only grow to be 8 inches in length. Lastly i was considering a blue Acara or a
jaguar cichlid but my problem with these two are i have no idea how big they
get. Could you please send me some helpful advice about this matter. Thank you
<The Blue Acara will be/stay too small to be placed with the Oscar et al.... the
others might be placed together in a larger system... introduced by using a
divider twixt them for a few weeks, then being allowed to associate... with you
present to separate again should there be troubles. Read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/neotropcichcompfaqs.htm
and here
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/oscarcompfaqs.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>
My Oscar, damage... hlth.
Hello...
<Ave,>
I am having a very serious problem with 1 of my Oscars... We currently have
2 Oscars, 1 albino tiger & the other Hong Kong, in a 75 gallon tank.
<OK. For a start, Astronotus are not particularly sociable. If you have two
males, the dominant one is likely to be pretty nasty the other one. Since
Oscars cannot be sexed outside of watching them spawning, adding two Oscars
to a tank is usually a recipe for disaster.>
We have had them both around 2 yrs... 2nite when we were getting ready to
feed them, we noticed than 1 of them was gushing what looked like blood out
of the left gill.
<Physical damage perhaps? Could be caused by fighting, though usually damage
to the jaws and/or fins will be noticed before anything more serious. A
photo would *really* help here because it's difficult to know what you mean
by "looked like blood". Was blood seeping out of the gill covers (the skin
on the head) or from the gills themselves, through the gill openings? Any
damage to the gills is serious, and potentially lethal (cf. damage to our
own respiratory system). Gills can also be damaged by poor water quality, as
well as certain parasites, such as Velvet.>
I tried to research to see if any one else has and this problem, but had no
luck... I have fed them feeder fish in the past (many months ago), but this
just recently started happening...
<Well, don't use feeder fish, EVER. There are no benefits and many risks.
Oscars have been tank-bred for generations, and will eat just about
anything. By nature they are omnivores, and have very much a "suck it and
see" approach to life, so I'd always recommend a nice mixed diet with lots
of healthy chopped shellfish (such as mussels) as well a good quality
cichlid pellet (like Hikari Gold).>
If you could let me know if you have ever heard of this & how do I treat
this so that my other Oscar doesn't get it...
<Very difficult to say without a photo!>
Thanks!!
Tomeika
<Cheers, Neale.>
Re: My Oscar 8/22/08
Well, my Oscar died last night after I sent you the previous e-mail.
<Ah, too bad. I'm sorry.>
We tried to treat the tank with some antibiotics that we had and he tried to
fight whatever was causing him to die, but it just didn't work.
<Rarely does I'm afraid. Unless you can positively ID the problem, randomly
adding medications almost never works, and potentially exacerbates the
problem.>
He died around 4 this morning, yes we were up all night.
<Oh!>
Thank you for responding to me and next time I have any questions, I know
where to go.
<Well, sorry we weren't able to fix this. Do take care adding any other fish
to this tank, because the resident Oscar will likely view other cichlids as
threats. Do also review water quality, and look out for anything that might
have caused physical damage, such as sharp objects as well. Good luck,
Neale.>
Cichlids and Oscars – 7/30/08
Hi WWM,
My husband and I are in a bit of confusion and would appreciate any
advice that you can give. We've been searching for the relevant
information and can't seem to find exactly what we are looking for. My
husband has a 5 ft tank with a 5 cm convict, 10cm jewel, 6-7cm blue
cobalt and lombardoi, and (an extremely aggressive alpha) 10 cm peacock.
The problem is my hubby loves Oscars and we did originally have 2 with
these same fish (except the Lomb. and cobalt) and the tiger Oscar died
about 4 months ago and the albino Oscar died in a friend's tank, while
we moved and had to cycle our own tank, for no apparent reason (her tank
was cycled and had had no fish in it at the time). I do have to say that
the peacock did harass these Oscars (and the convict) repeatedly.
Question: is it better to get 2 new "larger" sized Oscars to go into the
tank, or should by husband perhaps get some more 'zebra' breeds like the
cobalt and lombardoi, go for an extra jewel or could he get some
Severums (he found your info on these fish and thinks they are great).
However, Oscars are his passion-how can he have a happy tank with Oscars
in it? Thank you for you advise. Tania
<Hello Tania. The short answer here is "No, this won't work". For a
start, Central American, Rift Valley lake, and South American cichlids
have entirely different water chemistry requirements. Rift Valley
cichlids want hard, alkaline water; South American cichlids want soft,
acid water. Anything that suits one will be stressing the other, and
there isn't a "happy medium" either. Secondly, Oscars are big but
peaceful fish that don't do well in tanks where they are constantly
having to defend themselves. By all means mix Oscars with big, peaceful
catfish and characins, but please don't combine them with aggressive
cichlids. Thirdly, keeping two specimens won't fix anything and could
create new problems. Fish won't "gang up" to defend themselves just
because they're the same species. A mated pair will of course protect
their nest, but that's something else entirely. Fourthly, a full-grown
Oscar could eat any fish under 10 cm long, which puts some of the
existing fish in danger. While your collection of fish includes some
lovely beasts, there's no logic to the combination of fish at all, and
in fact plenty of bad choices. If it was me, I'd empty the tank, and
then keep a South American community of some type with an Oscar, a
Severum, a school of large characins (such as Silver Dollars), perhaps a
Flagtail Prochilodus for fun, a nice Plec of some type, and maybe some
sort of day-active, funky catfish like Hoplosternum or Callichthys. I'm
just not a big fan of compromise tanks where none of the fish are really
at their best and some of them a beating the heck out of each other.
Cheers, Neale.>
In need of Oscar 'expert', beh., comp.
Dear Crew,
My Oscars are really starting to get super aggressive, but not toward one
another! I have been bitten several times, these bites occasionally scratching
deep enough to draw minimal blood. My Plecos are hiding in their driftwood with
little tears in their fins. The air hoses are being torn out, decorations (heavy
resin logs!) are being pushed around. Not to mention constant gravel throwing!
This all sounds pretty normal...
<Yikes... not uncommon behavior>
I have two Oscars that are almost a year old (At least I believe so. They were
about 3 inches when I got them in October 2007). One is an albino tiger about 11
inches long. The other is a red Oscar about 8.6 inches long. They really never
fight with one another, but never leave each other's side. They shake their
tails at one another and even eat together peacefully. I provided them with flat
rocks and what not, thinking this would encourage egg laying. I don't know if I
have a pair. From the pictures I've looked at and books I've read I think this
is a possibility. I know sexing Oscars is difficult so I'm still not quite sure.
The following picture is what they've been doing the past few days. I recently
moved all the driftwood to one corner to allow the Plecs to hide and to give the
Oscars more room to throw things around. They hate decorations so I figure I
might as well make the tank the way THEY like it.
View full size
Recently the albino Oscar has some sort of tube extending from its anal area.
This is not a prolapse as far as I know, because the tube is below its anus.
I've included some pictures of the fish and their 'bottoms' to see what you guys
think. At any rate the red Oscar's anal vent is not as distended as the
albino's.
View full size
I apologize for the pictures being kind of poor. They get very upset when they
see the camera and flare their gills and show me their mouths and all those cute
Oscar threats. Thanks so much for your time!
-
Michelle
<No pix came through. Please try attaching rather than embedding. The tube is
likely a breeding device... I would remove the Plecos if they're getting too
beat. You don't mention the size of the system, or what you feed exactly, but
these are important factors re these animals behavior. Please read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/oscars.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>
Oscar Fighting 3-24-08
Hello and happy Easter.
<<Hi and happy-chocolate-bunny-holiday to you as well.>>
I have had a tiger Oscar for about 6 months now that’s about 3 inches, he
has been living by himself for the most part but today I introduced another
red Oscar that's a little smaller.
<<The BMOC (big man on campus) aka your established Oscar will not take
kindly to that, even in larger systems.>>
The tiger Oscar has an area that he always goes to when I have my hands in
the water, like a shelter. Since introducing the new Oscar whenever the new
Oscar goes anywhere near that half of the 55 gallon tank he pushes him in
the side with his mouth, like he's ramming him.
<<Aggression, yes…is expected.>>
I have somewhat rearranged the territories and the tiger Oscar leaves the
new one alone while he's in his little hut that I made for him. Since then
the red Oscar has been hiding there. My feeling was that the tiger Oscar got
used to having the tank to himself and that was the main reason of him
showing aggression towards the new Oscar.
<<Yes…he viewed the stranger as an intruder on his territory.>>
My worry is if they keep fighting then the new one will die.
<<A valid concern. When we consider their adult size this is a temporary
set-up at the best. I would watch them cautiously and be prepared to remove
one or the other if aggression ensues as it will only get worse as they age.
You could attempt to quarantine the older Oscar away from the display for a
few weeks in order to disrupt territory disputes, but there is no guarantee
and this is again at best temporary. >>
Thanks in advance,
<<Anytime.>>
Tommy
<<Adam J.>>
Baby Jack Dempseys With Full Grown Oscars - 02/06/07
Hey Guys. Just wanted to say I like the site, works for me. I was
hoping I could get your opinion on and issue of mine. I have 2 full grown 4 year
old tiger Oscars 10-11.5 inch , 1 14 inch zebra Pleco. in a 90 gallon aqua. What
I was wondering , I was at the local pet store and was mentioned on buying a
couple Jack Dempseys, so I bought 4 on the intentions that these fish were bread
to grow a max of 6 inches in length. Is this true?
< No, males can get up to a foot with females getting up to 8 inches.>
Myself being from Edmonton Alberta Canada?
< They will still get this big no matter where you are from.>
Also as I was babbling on.
< I noticed.>
I have put all in the same tank ( the jacks are 1 inch ). With the jacks
being small now I know they will be safe from the many many places to hide.
Would I be able to contain this tank when they are full grown, even in taking in
mind they would get bigger than 6 inch and living with two Oscars
? Cheers, T.E.
< You are wasting you time. The Oscars will figure out a way to kill and eat
the little jacks. They will not be able to hide for long.-Chuck>
Established Oscar Picking On
New Fish 1/25/08
Hey I've had a tiger Oscar for about 4 months now. I got him when he was
around 2 in which means he should be around 5 inches. But he's only 3 ½. I had
him in a 10 gal for a couple months, which could have stunted him a little even
though he was so small. I moved him and my 2 small upside-down catfish
(Synodontis nigriventris) to a 30 gallon. (I know that's still too small but its
not permanent). By the way I've barely ever seen him nip at the catfish, they
get along great.
I've had Oscars before that have all been very friendly and even have let me pet
them, but this one is not as friendly. He's starting to get better about it, but
slowly. He's just started taking food from my hand. Any suggestions on any of
these things?
< High nitrogenous waste levels can stunt fish. The nitrates should be under 20
ppm with 0 nitrites and ammonia.>
Also recently I've decided to try to put another young Oscar in the tank with
him. The first one was a 2 ½ in albino (1 in difference). That was a bad idea.
The tiger that I already had beat him up pretty bad. I decided to return the
small Oscar before he died and get a bigger one. Yesterday I came home with an
albino that was about 1 cm bigger than the tiger that I already had. Before I
put the new Oscar in I fed the tiger and rearranged the aquarium. They're
getting along better but the old Oscar is still roughing up the new one pretty
good. I don't think that the new Oscar has been eating. It's not like he's shy,
he will drift to the top of the tank but seems to be too intimidated to eat the
tiger Oscars food. Also the new albino Oscar has been chasing the upside-downs
catfish around the aquarium when they come out. That kind of bothers me, is he
just curious and will stop soon or is he going to keep going until he eats or
kills them? Any ways is there anything or any food I can give the Oscars that
will get them BOTH eating?
< Oscars are very territorial and have established a pecking order with the
catfish on the bottom of the list.>
Also if it doesn't work out and I have to give the albino back what should I do?
Should I try to get a bigger more aggressive Oscar, a more aggressive cichlid,
or just leave the aquarium with the one Oscar?
If I did decide to leave the Oscar as the only cichlid, could I get a Pleco,
pictus, or a couple more upside-down catfish. What do you think the best plan
is? PS- thanks a lot for answering any of these questions, it means a lot.
< Here is how to do it for the long term. Start out with the tank that the
adults will eventually be in. Buy small one inch fish and put them in all
together at the same time. As they grow they will establish a pecking order.
They are less likely to do damage in a big tank when they are little. The only
thing you could do now is add dither fish like silver dollars, giant danios or
rainbows.-Chuck>
Oscars: meals or tankmates,
comp. 1/1/08
Hello there, How's everything going??? I have a quick question for you. I
have always wanted an Oscar, no matter what kind but now I am afraid I can't get
one because it is too aggressive or not I don't know. I have a community tank
consisting of tetras, barbs, Plecos, Danios, platy, mollies, and swordtails, and
an algae eater. I wanted to know if it was okay to put an Oscar in my tank.
<Mmm, no...>
I have a 50 gallon tank. Will my fishes get along?
<They'll be terrorized, consumed in time>
I will be raising the Oscar at 1-2 inches. Is there any way I can lower the
aggressiveness of the Oscar? Also is my tank overstocked, after the Oscar, I am
not getting any more fishes. Last, are Oscars aggressive I have read online
sources and book sources saying they are extremely aggressive and when I read
some of your FAQs, it said they are not that aggressive just a little
territorial. Are they aggressive? Thanks so much for your time. And Happy New
Years.
<Best to have your Oscar/s in another system. Bob Fenner>
Oscar tankmate 10/25/07
Hello,
I currently have a 6" Tiger Oscar and a 2.5" Convict, plus ~5 giant danios as
dither fish in a 35gal tank. I have seen no aggressive tendencies in either
fish. I will soon be upgrading to a 75gal with a 24" undergravel filter, an
underwater filter (Fluval 4+), as well as either a canister filter rated for 100
gal or a fluidized bed filter also rated for 100 gal (still researching.
My question is what other SA Cichlids can I add to this tank and how many, if
any? I have consulted several books and consulted a large number of web
resources, but have not found any consistency when it comes to Oscar tankmates.
Salvini, Firemouth, and Acara are the ones I've seen most often and are on my
short list.
Jared
<Jared, you're already WAY overstocked, so I wouldn't add any more fish. Adult
Oscars need around 55 gallons simply because of their size. They aren't
aggressive fish, but they are messy and need good water quality. In cramped
spaces, Oscars are particularly prone to Hole-in-the-Head disease, among other
things. As you hopefully know, wild Oscars feed primarily on shelled
invertebrates such as snails and crayfish, but they do eat fish as well, and
those giant Danios are definitely at risk of being eaten. For good health, adult
Oscars shouldn't be fed daily -- but the problem here is that starving your
Oscar for a day might well encourage it to eat the Danios! Once you've moved
your Oscar to a large aquarium (75 gallons upwards) you might consider
tankmates. Inactive, non-territorial armoured catfish are the classic companions
(Plecs, Synodontis, Doradidae, etc.). Because Oscars are so docile, mixing them
with other cichlids needs to be done carefully. I'd avoid Convicts and Salvini
simply because of the risk of territorial aggression. At the very least, a mated
pair of Central Americans will nip and harass even an adult Oscar to the point
where Finrot and fungus become dangers. About the only cichlids I'd trust would
be Severums, which also have similar water chemistry requirements. Festivums
might be good, too, though they aren't as common in the trade as they once
where. Since Severums and Festivums are largely herbivorous, there's not much
competition for food, which helps. In fact the Oscars will benefit from getting
a bit of plant material in their diet. But really, I'd avoid any cichlid
companions. Simply much easier to work with midwater dither fish (such as
Spanner barbs) plus some suitable catfish or loach. Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Tank height/width for Oscar (Neale?)
2nd part... Clown Loach comp.? – 9/27/07
Neale, Crew,
As a P.S. Neale, I read the articles on the different Plecs, very good
information.
The only other fish I have a real desire for is the Clown Loach. I've never
gotten any because my water is very hard (300 ppm) with a PH of 8 and everything
I read says you 'need' soft water with a PH of 6 or so. I discussed my water
with you recently in regards to the Oscar and you stated that seldom does a
'soft water fish' fail to acclimate to hard water. Would that hold true for the
Clown Loach? Or is that stretching it too far? I know they can get up to 12" but
it takes them many years to get there. I've also always read you 'have' to have
a minimum of 3, do you agree with that? That would be what I'd really WANT to go
into a 180 gal with the Oscar, I'm not sure my water would be acceptable though.
I don't feel right "settling" for a Plec (although the Royal Plec is actually
pretty) just to alleviate boredom.
Thanks for helping me, I'm truly trying not to bother you!
Mitzi
<Clown loaches can and do thrive when kept with Oscars. Water chemistry is
largely irrelevant with Clowns. What they appreciate it swimming space and water
quality, both of which you're providing. When kept in groups of 4-6, Clowns
become very different fish to how they seem when kept singly in a small
aquarium. They scoot about nose-to-tail like Corydoras some of the time, though
sometimes they'll turn around and snip at each other, perhaps establishing a
pecking order. While they can get to 30 cm or so, that's uncommon in aquaria. A
15-20 cm specimen -- after 7 or 8 years of growth! -- would be pretty good
going. Royal Plecs are very pretty, and I have one of my own. My favourite fish,
and quite tame in her way. But so destructive of plants! Though she doesn't eat
them, she uproots them, and causes me much grief in trying to make her aquarium
pretty. This species mixes very well with Oscars. They are delicate after import
though, so be sure and look for a nice, fat specimen with bright -- not sunken
-- eyes. This actually holds true for all "rare" Plecs. PS. Usually, hard water
fish have problems acclimating to soft water, and not the other way around. Soft
water fish may not like hard water, but it rarely does them any harm. But when
hard water fish are kept in soft water, you end up with fish that have fungus,
finrot, etc. I think it's a question of soft water lacking essential minerals
while soft water has a surfeit of them -- it's easier for soft water fish to
adjust to excess, than for hard water fish to make do without entirely. There
are exceptions, but few. Cheers, Neale>
Re: Tank height/width for Oscar (Neale?) 2nd part – 9/27/07
Oh good-thank you! The thought of actually being able to get some Clown
Loach after wanting them so long makes my whole day :-)) They grow slower than I
thought, I believe when the time comes I'll find 6 that are almost as big as the
Oscar. He should still be under 6" by the time I get the 180 g so finding 5"
Clown Loaches shouldn't be too hard. They'll definitely get quarantined also.
I've wanted them for so long but didn't think I could have them without an RO
unit. If it came down to it I could always get an RO unit in the future if I
find they don't do well in harder water.
Thank you! What great news for a Friday!
Mitzi
<Hi Mitzi. Clown loaches are definitely among the most slow growing fish in the
hobby. In part, this might be because they're often kept in sub-optimal aquarium
conditions. But they do also seem to be simply slow-growing, late-maturing,
long-lived fish. Truly, hard water isn't an issue. These loaches are routinely
kept by British aquarists, most of whom have to make do with "liquid rock". It's
easy to fixate on soft water because it's more true to the natural ecology of
many fish. But hard water has a key advantage: it's chemically stable. Fish will
usually adapt fine to non-natural water chemistry, but what they HATE is
fluctuating water chemistry. Unless you really need soft water, e.g., for
breeding fish, then there's no practical advantages to using soft water with
most standard aquarium fish. Cheers, Neale>
Re: Uaru tank mates (and my
poor Oscar), Oscar Is A Bully – 8/19/07
Thank you for replying so quickly, I think my best option is to invest in a
new tank.
Can you help me with one last thing (for now)? I have a 300 litre tank with two
4" Oscars, they are the only fish in the tank. One seems maybe half an inch
larger and is a lot more aggressive, he attacks the smaller Oscar who now spends
most of the time lying under an ornament. It is off its food somewhat and its
colour is more a greeny with orange than the lovely black and orange it was a
few weeks ago. It doesn't react to me either (which it used to) it seems very
sad and lonely, is there any reason other than bullying for this or anything I
can do to help? Thanks a million Chuck!
< An Oscar is a cichlid and cichlids by nature are very territorial. With only
two fish in the tank, they view each other as competition. So one will always be
dominant in the tank and pick on the other fish. Way you can do is increase the
number of fish and spread the aggression out. These other fish are called dither
fish. Good choices would be silver dollars, giant danios or any other large,
fast schooling fish.-Chuck>
Oscar with lobster, comp.
8/12/07
I'm hoping this email will go through at this address, I can't find the
address to write to you but I see thousands of FAQ's on your sight where people
have emailed you.
My question... my 2" Oscar is going from his 40 gal tank into a 90 gal next
week. I'm looking for a different or unusual tankmate.
The blue cobalt lobster gets to 5" in a freshwater tank and is said to
be non-aggressive to fish too big to eat. Do you think I'd have a problem
putting a 2" blue cobalt lobster in with my 2" Oscar? I don't want my Oscar hurt
but I also don't want to treat him to a $50
meal either, I'd like them to become tankmates.
Is it a good idea?
I've been reading your sight non-stop for 3 days and I love it!
Thank you so much,
Mitzi Potter
Oklahoma
<I do think this could work out splendidly... Do make sure there are plenty of
rocky spaces for your Lobster to hide while it periodically molts (lest it be
eaten by the Oscar then). Cheers, Bob Fenner>
Re: Oscar with lobster
8/13/07
I appreciate your answer more than you know, Bob.
I've also researched the Blue Knight Lobster (a 2" one) to put in with my 2"
Oscar. Said to get about 12", have smaller claws and seem not to chase fish
because they're too slow to catch them.
If that's actually the case I'd like to go with one of them instead based on
your opinion
My concern is whether a 90 gal is big enough for an adult Oscar and an adult
Blue Knight Lobster (no other inhabitants). If you think 90 gal isn't enough,
I'll go with the Blue Cobalt.
<Is large enough for either combo.>
One thing I've gathered about your sight is that you all will actually know
whereas other places often don't. So while I hesitate to bother you again, I
value your opinion.
Mitzi Potter
Oklahoma
<No worries. Bob Fenner, who has kept a few species of Crayfish...>
Re: Oscar with lobster 2
8/13/07
Don't bother answering this message I sent earlier. I've decided I don't
want a lobster as big as my Oscar (slow & small-clawed or not).
That's just too big of a risk to my Oscar.
Thanks for your time and have a great day!
Mitzi
Oklahoma
<Okay... RMF>
Oscar with blue crayfish
8/18/07
I'd asked your advice last week about adding a 2" blue crayfish to the 90
gal tank I was moving my 2" Oscar into. You were quite helpful and said it
should work nicely.
I bought a 2" blue crayfish who's in quarantine right now. I asked the fish shop
owner if the iodine (that crayfish need) would hurt the Oscar. She told me #1
that crayfish don't need iodine and #2
that yes-it would kill my Oscar. Ok....so now I'm thinking I don't really trust
what the fish shop said because I do know crayfish need iodine (or am I wrong?)
I've looked on your sight and can't find whether the iodine would hurt my Oscar
or not.
Could you tell me whether iodine would hurt my Oscar?
Also, how much iodine does my crayfish need?
I want to do this right but I'm having a heck of a time with getting the correct
information from different fish shops. Your sight is truly the only one I trust.
Thank you for your time, I know you're in high demand :-)
Mitzi
<Hello Mitzi. I'm going to disagree with whoever told you an Oscar and a
crayfish will get on. They won't. Guess what Oscars mostly eat in the wild?
Correct! Crayfish. Also crabs, shrimps, and snails. Basically anything with a
shell. Contrary to popular belief, wild Oscars don't eat a lot of small fish.
They are too slow to catch them. But their excellent eyesight and very strong
jaws are perfect for finding and crushing shelled invertebrates. So, sooner or
later, your Oscar will view a crayfish as food. (Of course, this also tells you
another thing: the correct diet for Oscars is not based on fish, but on
crustaceans and molluscs. But don't get me started on how unhealthy feeder fish
are as a diet for Oscars!) Anyway, I have no idea why you need to add iodine to
the aquarium. Crayfish are omnivores, leaning towards herbivores. In the wild
they feed principally on decaying plant material and algae, supplementing that
with carrion, i.e., the odd dead fish. A similar diet in the aquarium should
give them all the nutrients they need. Using foods based on algae, such as Sushi
Nori or algae wafers, should provide ample iodine. Giving your crayfish some
marine invertebrates or fish, like krill or lancefish, once a week will provide
the other minerals they need as well, such as calcium. What does matter is that
the water is at least moderately hard and not acidic. Crayfish, like other
shelled invertebrates, are more prone to problems in soft and acidic water.
Bottom line, your crayfish needs its own ~10 gallon tank, where you can feed it
plant material six days a week and a meaty treat on Sunday. Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Oscar with blue crayfish
8/19/07
Hi Neale.
Bob Fenner is who said they'd be good tankmates (the crayfish gets to about 5"
and they're both starting off at the same 2 size-too big for the Oscar to eat).
They'll be in a 90 gal tank. And Sabrina (on your sight) is who has stated many
many times that they need iodine, she has crayfish. With all due respect the
crayfish gets far too big (in my opinion) for a 10 gal tank. My water is
perfect for both crayfish & Oscars straight out of the tap (lucky me).
So I'm back to square 1 it seems, aren't I? Not sure where to go from here aside
from more research. Thank you for your time :-)
Mitzi
<Hello Mitzi. There's plenty of scientific research on rearing crayfish, since
they're a valuable crop in many parts of the world. So finding out objective
information about rearing these animals should be easy. I have absolutely no
doubt about Oscars eating crayfish -- please visit Fishbase and you can read
that yourself. It's the second item on their list of preferred prey! Obviously
what matters is the size difference, if any. But the common species of crayfish
sold as pets stay quite small, but Oscars get quite big, so sooner or later...
The problem isn't so much day to day, but when the crayfish moults. When that
happens, it has no defence, and the Oscar might decide to have a nibble. As for
the size of the tank, that naturally depends on the species being kept. There
are small crayfish and there are big crayfish. I cannot possibly know which one
you have. But the small Astacus type things widely used as lab animals are fine
in 10 gallon tanks. But a 20 cm Cherax quadricarinatus will obviously need
something bigger. I have no idea why Sabrina reckons they need extra iodine. But
I imagine the major problem experience by aquarists keeping crayfish may be
dietary, and specifically problems with lack of green food. But crayfish are
incredibly easy to look after, and in their own tanks are basically
indestructible. Where people go wrong is the lack of greens and, in the case of
coldwater species, too much heat. (A lot of the supposedly tropical species are
actually subtropical or coldwater, so get the Latin name of your species to
confirm this either way.) Bottom line, I'd consider mixing any fish with a
crayfish a gamble at best, with both the fish and the crustacean running the
risk of being attacked and/or eaten depending on the circumstances. Your move.
Cheers, Neale>
<<RMF is still of the opinion that (given cover for hiding during molts) that
these species could co-habitate. Oh, and do need iodide>>
Re: Oscar with blue crayfish – 8/19/07
Hello, Crew,
Neale, you'd asked the Latin name for this crayfish, it's Procambarus sp.
<Mmm, will send this along to Neale as well... Maybe Procambarus clarkii... the
most common (of a few hundred) species of Crawfish in N. America... and the
principal animal of human consumption by this name.>
Bob, thanks. I'm of the opinion they'd be good tankmates in a 90 gal also.
<Mmm, maybe not "good", but good-enough odds for a likely mix... I do agree with
Neale re the penchant for most Astronotus to ingest such shellfish... but given
the starting size of both, enough space and cover... I would give better than
50% odds of them getting along>
The crayfish will have his choice of 8-10 rock caves and holes too small for the
Oscar to get into for when he
molts. I wanted some sort of 'living creature' in there with my Oscar so he
wouldn't feel totally isolated. But not another fish he felt the need to compete
with. I think a blue crayfish is a good
choice and will go ahead with that.
I guess it's a matter of getting opinions, weighing the pros and cons, making it
safe for both then going ahead with what each person believes is a good move.
Sounds too much like "life" to me
<g>.
Thanks all,
Mitzi
<Do please keep us informed re the ongoing... BobF>
Community Cichlid Tank Recommendations –
07/01/07
I have emailed the crew before about tank advise about a community of
cichlids. Could you please send me something in return about advise on a 75
gallon tank with some different combinations of cichlids. I have a particular
interest in Oscars (veil tail) and parrots of any color. But please feel free to
send me a combination of cichlids that can inhabit the tank as well as any
advise you see fit. Thank you and thanks for replying so quickly last time.
< Oscars are fairly aggressive and can get up to 12 inches long. Parrot cichlids
are a hybrid and among the most peaceful of cichlids. They too can get up to
about 12 inches over time. If you want an Oscar then get a few and let them grow
up together. When they start to get around 6 to 8 inches they will start to
become a bit feisty. In the end you may end up with one large Oscar after giving
the others away. Parrot cichlids are fairly docile and you could probably keep
six together to adulthood as long as the water was kept clean and you kept up on
your water changes. I would recommend three chocolates cichlids, three severums,
three jurupari a pleco and a few silver dollars if you wanted to stay with
bigger fish. These fish are not very aggressive but have lots of color and
personality.-Chuck>
Are my Oscars ok
with my other fish?
I have a few tanks set up at the minute, I've only been interested in
aquariums about 2 years now (so I'm still learning).
<Me too, though I've "had" tanks (or is it the other way around?) for
decades>
I've recently bought two tiger Oscars they are in a 90 litre tank they
are only 2 inch's at the minute, I also have 2 Uaru fish in this tank,
they too are just under 2 inch's, Are these fish ok together?
<Mmm, no... in time the Oscars will work the Triangle Cichlids woe...
Might not be as bad, as quickly if this system were much larger... but I
would separate these and plan on having even a much larger system for
the two species in a half year or so...>
The Uaru are extremely timid and the Oscars usually stay in under
ornaments when the lights are on. Is this normal?
Many thanks Karen
<Mmm, not really normal behavior for the Oscars... but they can be shy
at times... Grow out of this in time, with training by you, feeding...
Bob Fenner>
Gold Oscar and banded severums... Mis-mixed Cichlid "system" 5/17/07
.
Hi guys...
<Sujay>
keep referring to your site whenever i have any trouble with my fish.... i must
say that you guys do a really wonderful job and sometimes i just end up spending
loads of time because its so interesting reading.
<Me too!>
Fortunately (touch wood) till now i haven't really ever had a problem so big
that i needed to write in.... unfortunately, there is always a first time, i
guess....
I recently got myself a 450 litre tank, (which i think would translate to
approximately about a 100 gallons or more though i am not too sure of the
conversion)...
<Easy to do on the Net...>
and have been procuring fish to fill the tank with...
<I don't "like" the wording here... nor the implied philosophy>
yesterday i got myself a "golden Oscar".... am not too sure of the species
<All Oscars are the same species, Astronotus ocellatus,
http://fishbase.sinica.edu.tw/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=3612&genusname=Astronotus&speciesname=ocellatus>
since i have never seen one of these before, not even on the internet... its
been about 24 hrs since i have him, and initially he was shy and hiding, but now
he's quite active... he's about 7" long including fins and has started chasing
the smaller tiger barbs in my tank...
<These last will be consumed... these fishes are NOT compatible>
as a matter of fact, 2 have gone missing since last night, but i could credit
that to my other fish- 2 5" firemouths or the jaguar....
<...>
he seems pretty active... sometimes he's shy, which i think is normal for
Oscars, especially since he's new, but he swims about when he feels like and
like i said he's started making a dash a the smaller fish... they're too fast
for him but i don't know how his predatory habits are with the light out...
the problem is that firstly, he hasn't eaten much since i have gotten him...
maybe i shouldn't worry since he came in last evening only, but its been three
meal times (!?!)...
<Not to worry. Not atypical behavior for a newly introduced Cichlid>
he comes up looks at the food and then wont eat....i feed them quite a variety-
from flakes to blood worms to tetra vegetable flakes as well as tetra bits and
smaller pellets and stick food... usually mix them up and feed it to the fish-
holistic diet.... but he doesn't want anything....
<Try worms of some size, insect larvae... eventually will eat all types of
foods>
today i noticed that he's picking up a sort of whitish film/ coating on the
centre of the surface of his eyes...
<Likely consequent from netting, moving... Do you have appreciable nitrogenous
waste present?>
the right side is worse than the left... he's got big froggy eyes and they show
out against it... i did not notice this earlier (maybe cos i wasn't paying
attention)...
i don't know if this is related to his not eating... both of these are causing
concern to me...
please advise
<Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwenvdisfaqs.htm
and the linked files above>
Along with the Oscar i have 2 banded severums as well... they came a day before
him... they're always lying around and their colours keep changing depending on
when you seem them...
<You should now and get in the habit of reading re the issues of Compatibility
and Systems for the livestock you have, and are considering purchasing... Likely
the Severums and Firemouths will suffer from being mixed with the Jaguar and
Oscar...>
they range from grey to white and when they are white one can see redness on
their bodies...
the tank has a good number of plants
<These also will go>
and rocks and its not always easy to keep an eye on them.... but both the
severums seem to be very shy....
<Is their nature>
initially they were okay, hiding behind leaves... though sometimes they would
suddenly swim the length of the entire tank...
today though one of them has been lying on his side forever.... he came up when
the food was "served" but i didn't really notice him eat anything... and he'
gone back to lying on his side.... he doesn't breathe labouredly and once ina
while when you see them swimming you think they are perfectly fine... am bit
confused... i have 2 gold severums, and i am aware that these are generally shy
fish, but i have never seen fish behave this way before.... its quite confusing
and i don't know if there is reason to panic or not...!!
please advise
warm regards
Sujay
<I advise you to get/read a few books on Cichlid husbandry... And to investigate
before buying... You've already set yourself up for trouble here. Bob Fenner>
Re: gold Oscar and banded severums... Reading/using WWM
5/18/07
Hi Bob...
<Sujay>
thanks for the advice and the prompt response.
<Welcome>
I guess you are right regarding "mis-mixed cichlid system"... Have tried to
read as much as i can before i bought/ buy my fish... most of it is off the net
and i haven't yet found a very holistic and informed approach i can adopt...
<The Net... isn't "quite there" re many topics as yet...>
also, since its the first time i am keeping fish/ cichlids i want to observe
and make judgments first-hand as much as possible...
<A very hard way to learn... especially for your livestock>
my jaguar is way smaller than the others, almost half the size of the
severums and around a third of the size of the Oscars... honestly, the most
aggressive fish i have in the tank right now are the firemouths and they haven't
really attacked anyone as yet, though they do keep chasing the others once in a
while...
<Only a matter of time here>
My Oscar has become quite active... initially i never really fancied these
fish much but the more i notice him the more interesting he seems...
the severums disturb no one and no one disturbs them... but one of them
still keeps lying around all the time and the red rash on his side wont go... is
this a normal coloration?!!
<Mmm, no... is a stress response...>
The red rash looks like clay off a tennis clay court which is smeared over
one side of him... have never seen the other side honestly...
The white on the Oscar's eye remains... its not grown anymore, but neither
has it decreased...
<Read on WWM re...>
I am wondering whether i should medicate the fish with salt? Also, since i
buy stuff from the pet store, i don't knew what the medication i buy contains...
I buy this brand called "rid all"... i don't know if you guys use the same thing
there... and you products called "general aid", "anti-ich", anti-anchor worm...
but i don't know which of these are effective against either bacteria, fungus,
protozoa or something specific like this...
Please advise again
warm regards.... Sujay
<Please learn to/use the search tool, indices on WWM... There is too much to
relate to you (in time) in this going back and forth fashion. BobF>
Tank Mates For An Oscar - 03/20/07
Hi guys, I have a question regarding my 55g tank and my Oscar. I keep getting
mixed responses about getting a tank-mate for him or not. Only reason I want to
know now is because he is still very young (1.5 - 2 in.) and I would like him to
get acquainted with an other. Some websites say getting another cichlid and/or
a bottom feeder would be fine and some say no way to either. I'm going to go by
your guys advice because it seems y'all are very educated in this matter
=) Thanks!!
<Thanks for your kind words. If you do want more than one Oscar then get one
ASAP so they can grow up together. An ideal situation would be to keep your
Oscar alone, but if want to keep more than one together the sooner the
better.-Chuck.>
Oscar comp. 3/10/07
<<Hey, Brian. Tom with you.>>
I have 1, 1.5 inch Oscar 1, 1.5 inch Bala Shark And 1, 1.5 inch Pictus catfish
in a 30 gallon tank, only temporary, of course. Could these fish have problems
with each other if starting off so young and, how long do I have before the
Oscar kills the others?
<<On its own, the Bala won’t have a problem with either of the others. These
fish mind their own business and will likely grow too quickly and large, not to
mention fast, to be seen as a “meal” by the Oscar. Territoriality might play a
role here since the Bala Shark will be all over the tank and the Oscar could see
this as a threat to its “space” but given the immaturity of the fish right now,
there’s a good chance that the Oscar might choose to ignore this. The Pictus may
become territorial as it matures, just as the Oscar will, but its protective
spines, particularly in the dorsal fin, will make it a poor candidate for
“lunch” where the Oscar’s concerned. As to the Oscar, specifically, much here
will depend on you. Without guaranteeing the behavior of any individual fish,
your Oscar may live peacefully with the other two with little or no aggression.
Providing your Oscar with “feeder fish” to munch on will increase its
predatory/aggressive instincts as well as increasing the likelihood of a battle
with its tank mates. As your post implies, a much larger tank would be in order
and lessen the chances of disputes. The Oscar’s “reputation” notwithstanding,
the Bala Shark can grow to be a foot long and will need lots of swimming room,
which will make a larger tank very advisable here. Overall, Brian, I don’t see
any significant compatibility issues with the fish you have.>>
Thanx, Brian
<<Any time, Brian. Tom>>
One of my Oscars is ill... terr. - 02/21/07
We have a albino Oscar and two red tiger Oscars in a 75 gallon tank together.
The 2 red tiger Oscars we have had for about 2 years now. They were bought
together, and are always hanging out together. I believe they have been trying
to mate for some time, but never lay eggs.
<Mmm, might be that they're both male...>
Recently though, the female red Oscar's skin on her head has been peeling off
and leaving a pinkish, fleshy look to it. Also she lays on the bottom of the
tank a lot, and has not had the greatest appetite. Just about every time one of
the other Oscars gets near her she shakes her back fin at them (almost looks
like it's vibrating).
<This is a good clue... these fish are engaged in fighting... the one is
losing...>
She will do this even when she is laying almost sideways on the bottom of the
tank. She does venture to the top sometimes, and will eat sometimes also. Do you
have any suggestions as to what might be causing this?
<Territoriality in a word>
And any treatments you suggest. I am afraid she is going to die is this
continues.
Thank you for your time,
Kelley Murry
<Mmm, well, you're faced with basically two choices... to separate these two
fish or to try "something else" to "take their minds off each other".... Like
adding "ditherfish"... I would at least put a separator twixt them... Now. You
can read re ditherfish on WWM, elsewhere. Bob Fenner>
My 3 Oscars aren't getting along... 1/26/07
I have 3 Oscars (1 Albino Tiger [4"], 1 Tiger [3.5"] and 1 Red [2"] all in a
47 gal. tank)
<Trouble... not enough room, one too small...>
and the albino (Whiteout) and the tiger (Butthead) are getting along but they
keep leaving the red (Beavis) out of their activities.
Whiteout and Butthead, I think, are a pair from what I have researched, they
stick together and explore the tank daily hardly leaving the other's side.
<Territorial animals... a 47 is too small...>
Beavis is kind of a solitary guy and he tries to get along with the two but
whenever he gets too close, the two take turns butting him in the side.
Only when it comes to feeding do they get along and it's the better hunter who
gets the feeders
<A very poor idea... see WWM re>
(which is usually Whiteout). I want to know what to do with them and should I
introduce another Oscar so that Beavis can have a
mate?
<Mmm, no... need to remove the smallest fish... pronto... or it will be killed>
I've read the other FAQ's on your site and I do not want Beavis to be stressed
and so far he isn't showing signs of that yet.
Thanks,
Nicole
<Another tank... eventually a much larger tank... Please read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/oscars.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>
Oscars Acting Strange 12/17/06
I have had 2 Oscars for about a year. I got them both at the same time. One
really took off and the other one grows slowly. They share the tank with a algae
eater. Recently the larger one has been banging himself against the aquarium
wall and swimming sideways. I have tested the water with normal results. I have
taken water to pets smart and it was fine. I am not sure what else to do. He is
starting to have some of his scales peel off as well.
I truly need some help!!!!!
< When you put two fish together in the same tank one always becomes dominant.
This means one gets all the food and bullies the other around. The submissive
fish tends to hide and stay out of the way so as not to get beat up. The larger
Oscar now is seeing his reflection in the glass and thinks it is another fish
challenging him for his territory. As he attempts to get the other fish he hits
his head on the glass. swimming sideways is his way of showing how big he is and
trying to intimidate the other fish. Try cooling the water down to the mid 70's
and see if that calms him down.-Chuck>
Semper Beatus
Jon M Carroll
Giant Red Finned Gourami... comp. 12/12/06
Hi there,
<Hey there>
I have a giant red finned gourami in my 100 gallon aquarium. Since I've added
him a year ago, he has grown at a fast rate.
<Ah, yes... the "true" goramy (not a mis-spelling), Osphronemus>
He is currently 13" from lip to tail. The problem is, since he has grown he has
become very aggressive towards a large albino Oscar. (around 9" long). He is
fine with the regular Oscar and Green Severum.
<Need much more room... The albino is more similar to the Gourami in appearance>
He just doesn't seem to like this Albino Oscar.. he behaviour has been getting
worse recently, and he took out one of the eyes on the Albino.
<!>
I don't have room in my apartment to separate them, what can I do to calm his
aggression? I've tried rearranging the aquarium, it works for a few hours at
most.
Thanks for your time,
Justin
<A much larger volume might help, but at this point, removing either the
aggressor or the losing Albino is the route to go. Bob Fenner>
Oscar Fish... health, comp.? 12/2/06
Hi, my name is Lindsy.
<<Hello, Lindsy. Tom here.>>
My husband and I have a Jack Dempsey, Albino Oscar and Plecostomus. My question
is about our Albino Oscar. He is still a baby about 4-6 inches long. Well, his
fins are shredded and one of his front fins is disintegrating. Also his scales
are coming off, now large chucks of scales. I was watching him earlier and a
large piece about an inch long was floating half on him and half off and I
watching him rub himself against the gravel to remove it. At first we thought
the splits in his fins were because he likes to hide in the plants and was at
first thought our Jack Dempsey was getting territorial and going after him now
that the Oscar is catching up in size.
<<Plastic plants may cause this type of damage in fish with long, flowing fins
like Bettas but doubtful, to me, that this is the root cause in the case of the
Oscar. I would, however, concur with your thoughts on the Jack Dempsey and the
Albino Oscar getting into territorial squabbles, particularly if the tank isn’t
really large and “broken up” to provide them with specific areas to lay claim
to.>>
I do believe the two have gotten into it before but for a few days our Oscar
wasn't eating. Today is the first time he's actually moved around and gotten his
food. I am starting to think it's not the Jack that's hurting him and that
something is wrong with him. I've tried to find answers online but haven't found
anything useful. I just wanted to know if you might know what could be wrong.
Thank you so much for your time and I hope my email isn't too confusing.
<<Lindsy, the possible (probable?) order of events is that the Dempsey went
after the Oscar, presumably over territory issues. The fins on the Oscar were
damaged likely leading to a possible fungal infection which further led to a
bacterial infection affecting the scales on this fish including their subsequent
“peeling away”. Whether, or not, the intermediate fungal infection has occurred,
the real concern is the bacterial infection. Treatment is best accomplished in a
separate hospital, or quarantine, tank. The reason for this is three-fold.
First, we don’t want to medicate the other fish, if it can be avoided, as this
can be stressful and lead to problems we didn’t have to start with. Second,
antibiotics aren’t discriminate about what they “control” where bacteria are
concerned. The “good” nitrifying bacteria in the tank and filter are going to be
killed, or inhibited, along with the “bad” bacteria, leading to potential
ammonia/nitrite spikes. (Don’t buy into any “garbage” about a particular
antibiotic being harmless to your beneficial bacteria. By pure definition, this
is total bunk!) Finally, there are antibiotics that shouldn’t be used on
“scaleless” fish like your Pleco. Additionally (like you really wanted to hear
more!), there are medications in this group (antibiotics) that are rendered
“inactive” in certain water conditions. The Tetracycline's, for instance, bind
with calcium and magnesium – found in “hard water” conditions that many Cichlids
are kept in – making them ineffective.
All that said, I’m going to recommend that you perform a water change in the
range of 30%. Make sure to vacuum the substrate, if any. Clean your filter and
remove any carbon media. If possible, isolate the Oscar from the Jack Dempsey
even if it means purchasing a divider of some sort for the display tank. Treat
with Nitrofurazone (Furanace) exactly according to the manufacturer’s
instructions. Watch the Oscar’s condition closely. Not uncommon for bacterial
infections to migrate to the internal organs which could entail treating with
Metronidazole as well. Above all, monitor the water parameters and be prepared
for spikes in both ammonia and nitrites. Increase aeration in the tank to keep
oxygen levels up. (Be aware that Nitrofurazone is photo-sensitive and will
decompose in the presence of light. Keep the tank darkened with a cover, if
necessary, while treating your fish. The decomposed medication will not only be
worthless as a treatment but can turn the water toxic.)>>
Thanks,
Lindsy
<<Sorry for the whole “song and dance”, Lindsy, but otherwise well-meaning
retailers might attempt to "steer" you. For example, Maracyn (erythromycin) is
most effective against gram-positive bacteria which are the least probable
statistically, by far, to be the source of the problem. Best that you go into
this with as much information as possible. Best of luck to you. Tom>>
Oscar tankmates 11/29/06
I have a 75 gallon tank with one Nicaraguan cichlid, one blue Acara, and one
cutteri. I am moving my daughter's Oscar( about 8 inches ) to the 75 gallon
tank.
Can I keep all the fish in the tank or do I need to get rid of some of the
fish. If so, which ones to keep and which ones not. My concern is with water
quality.
Thanks
Larry
<You are wise to consider this before moving this fish... It may well be that
these fishes will get along... but I would keep an ever-vigilant eye on the
larger species... particularly the Oscar amongst what you list. Water quality
issues can be avoided by having sufficient filtration and doing weekly water
changes (up to 25%) combined with gravel vacuuming. Bob Fenner>
Adding Fish To An Oscar Tank - 11/13/06
Hi, I have to say this web site is the best that I have seen around to find
good information on fish!
< Thank you for your kind words.>
I come here first before I look anywhere else. I have a week and a half old new
fish tank. Although it may have been too early I went ahead and bought a Tiger
Oscar(3 inches), a Firemouth Cichlid(2-3 inches), and a Green Terror(3 inches)
to habit the tank. I know that I should have waited a few weeks to even add any
fish at all, but I'm past that point right now and the fish are doing well. I
have been changing 1/3rd of the water out every 2 days, nitrites are at 0 still,
and nitrates are under 20 or so. I was thinking of adding another 4 inch Oscar
to the tank but when I did my current Tiger Oscar started attacking the fish
constantly.
The poor new Oscar didn't even defend himself, I don't know if that was because
he was just scared due to the move to a new tank, or if he just was not as
aggressive as the one I have in the tank already. I ended up bringing the 4
inch Oscar back to the store and returned him. I don't want any fish to
die. Now my questions are, how long should I wait before adding another fish to
the tank? And should I have gotten my Oscar as the last fish in the tank? I
would like to add a blood parrot but I really don't want to have a $25 fish get
killed as soon as he is introduced into the tank.
thank you in advance for the help. Kenny
<Cichlids are very territorial. When you add a new fish it is seen as a threat
to the existing fish's territory. They defend their space against all comers.
The new fish is stressed from the move and unable to defend himself. Next time
take out all the rocks and plants, do a 50% water change, vacuum the gravel and
clean the filter. Replace the rocks and plants in different places. Add the new
fish and then turn out the lights for the night. In the morning the fish will be
establishing their territories and the new fish will have a chance to get into
the pecking order since all the fish will be after each other now. Do this over
the weekend when you will be around to watch the fish. Don't do this and then
leave for work or school. You won't be around to save the new fish from getting
beat up.-Chuck>
Oscars Not Getting Along 9/6/06
My son and daughter-in-law got my husband and I for our anniversary an
aquarium with two Oscars and two silver dollar fish. That was in May. The
male Oscar seems to be losing his scales and the female Oscar is attacking
him. His breathing seems labored at times. I don't know what to do. Up
until now they seemed great. They get fed cichlid sticks. He doesn't seem
to eat as much. I think he's the male, she keeps attacking him, it's like
she knows that there is something wrong with him. Any suggestions? Debra
< As long as he is in there with her he will not get better. I would
recommend putting him in a hospital tank. Get him to eat and treat his
wounds with Melafix. If he gets infected then switch to antibiotics like
Nitrofurazone or Kanamycin. After he is cured and eating you will probably
not be able to reintroduce him back into the tank. Oscars are cichlids that
are very territorial. They see other cichlids as potential mates or as
completion for food. Doesn't sound like they are going to mate. get another
tank or find a new home for him.-Chuck>
Oscar With A Mouth Full Of Fish 8/29/06
Well, it is definitely time to get the dither fish out of my
Oscar tank. My beautiful tiger Oscar is swimming around with a tail fin
sticking out of his mouth. It is a Buenos Aries Tetra. The Oscar is approx.
5 inches long at this point. He appears to be having trouble swallowing
his chosen meal.
Should I try to assist in anyway, or will time take care of the problem?
thanks for any help you can give me, Gloria
< Oscars can sure be little pigs. If he is trying to expel it then he is not
confident that he can eat it. The spines on a characin aren't particularly
stiff. If he cannot eat it and he is having trouble breathing then I would
attempt to pull it back out. I would use a good pair of needle nosed pliers and
slowly try to pull the tetra back out.-Chuck>
Re: Oscar with A Mouthful Of Fish II 8/29/06
I watched him carefully and after a few crunches (poor tetra), and some
patience on my part, he appears to have finished the task. The other dither
fish will be removed and he won't be getting fed for a few days. Little pig is
right!
thanks, Gloria
< Glad to hear he was able to finish the job.-Chuck>
Adding An Oscar To An Established Tank 6/3/06
I just recently started my 55 gal tank back up, I currently have it stocked
with a Columbian shark, a bala shark, one angel, and an Opaline Gourami, and a
Pleco. I am thinking of adding an Oscar to the mix, will this be safe for as
long as they are all the same size, they could be split up to another tank later
if need be. Thanks in advance
< An Oscar will not be able to catch or harm the bala or Colombian shark. It
will destroy the angel and wipeout the Gourami in no time. Keep in mind that the
sharks will get big.-Chuck>
Re: Adding An Oscar 6/9/06
Ok. I now have the tank split up and cut down to the Bala shark, a pleco and
an angelicus, this should be ok right? Thanks in advance
< This is better and the fish will last longer. When they get about 6 to 8
inches you will probably need to start shopping for a new and hopefully much
bigger tank.-Chuck>
Older Oscar Not Defending Himself
Hello, my name is Liv. I have had a 215 gal. Oscar tank for about 2 years. I
have 2 lrg. filters w/ bio wheels, 1 300 canister filter, do 25% water
changes weekly and keep the temp. @ 80. I had 7 Oscars, 2 bala sharks, and 2
lrg. Plecos but started having trouble with hole in the head. I tried
medications and vitamins in their food but it only seemed to make it worse.
They are fed pellets, blood worms, brine shrimp, krill, sliver sides, and
algae wafers every 2-3 days. I now have sold all but 2 lrg. Oscars (15
inches), 1 med (9 inches.), 1 sm. (6 inches), 2 bala sharks, and 1 lrg.
Pleco in the hopes that this would improve their condition but now I seem to
have a different problem. I biggest fish in the tank (the red tiger) was
always the dominant fish but now he being attacked by all the other fish (in
particular the 8inch white tiger). I thought it may be a breeding thing so I
moved a few things around and decreased the temp. to 76. This has helped
some but has not fully corrected the problem. I can only turn the light on,
on one side of the tank or they will start fighting again, they act
lethargic, and only eat about 1/4 of what they normally did. What is going
on? Any information would be helpful! Thanks Liv
< The larger fish may be ill and not up to defending himself against the
younger healthier smaller fish. Try treating with Metronidazole for the hole
in the head. It would be less expensive in a smaller hospital tank.-Chuck>
Mixing an Oscar with Cichlids 3/16/06
I was wondering if I could put cichlids in the same tank as the Oscar
without having the Oscar eating or fighting the cichlids?
< An Oscar is a cichlid. Oscars can go together with some South American
cichlids if they are all the same size and there is enough room for them to
establish territories. African rift lake cichlids are much too fast and most
are well armed with sharp teeth that can tear into another fish pretty
severely.-Chuck>
Oscar, new and with Africans 3/10/06
I've had my little Oscar for about 2 days now and ever sense I put him in
the tank he has mostly just sat at the bottom leaning towards
one side.
<Takes about a week to get situated>
Occasionally he will jump up and do a quick swim after you scare him with the
magnate scrubber. He won't eat anything. In the
tank there are to other cichlids one small yellow lab
<Not a good idea to mix Great Lakes African Cichlids with Neotropicals>
and a little blue fish with black stripes but they don't bother Oscar at
all. The tank is a 55 gallon. I think my fish may be sick. Are all Oscars
this lazy or is mine just dying?
<Neither... is new and likely frightened. Bob Fenner>
Oscar Tankmates 2/23/06
Hi. I have a 70-gallon tank, and am deciding what fish to put in it. One
setup I'm considering would be an Oscar with a Jack Dempsey, and I'd
plan on adding the Jack later (and smaller). Knowing that there's always a
chance that any two fish won't get along, what do you generally
think of these two in a 70G-enough room for each to establish a territory?
< Each One gets to be pretty big and push will come to shove and one fish will
get injured in a fight and need to be removed. A large scared up fish is
difficult to find a home for.>
The other setup I'm considering is an Oscar and a schooling fish-I think that
would make a nice contrast. With appropriate
filtration and water changes, how many silver dollars do you think I could add?
< They are schooling fish and need to be in a group of at least six.>
There would be no other fish added to the tank other than the Oscar and the
silver dollars. Also please advise on any other
schooling fish that I might consider. I've heard both good and bad about Bala
sharks with Oscars; and Tinfoil Barbs are also being
considered, however I do think the Silver Dollars would make a more impressive
display. Thank you, Katie
< Bala sharks get to be very large and pretty easily scared. Tinfoil barbs get
very big too but are not as flighty.-Chuck>
Oscar Tankmates 2/24/06
Thanks, Chuck. Am I understanding you that 1 Oscar and a school of 6 silver
dollars would be an acceptable stocking scheme for my 70-gallon?
< When everything is full size you are going to have to work to keep up the
water quality. The filter should be pumping at least 300GPH and you will need to
30% water changes to keep the nitrates under control. Less fish means less work.
Silver dollars are very active fish with high metabolisms. Less than six fish
means they will be stressed.-Chuck>
Oscars Fighting 2/6/06
Hi, I have two Oscars. I have had them about a month now. Everything is
going fine but I did my normal water change and I have noticed one of my Oscars
hiding. It started doing so because there is dominance going on but yesterday
I noticed his scales turning white. It looks like they are being scraped
off. My daughter said she has seen it rubbing on the rocks. It does eat when I
put food in the tank. When the other Oscar swims by he cowards down by
swimming sideways. He hides a lot, But now he just hangs at the bottom and
leans against the sides of the tank. He has a split in his tail fin and his
other fins are the same way. I don't want to lose him. Just not swimming
around like he did. Thanks, Barbara Wells
< When you only keep two cichlids together there will be a struggle for
dominance. While the winner is out and about, the loser will be hiding and
trying not to get beat up. There are a few things you can try and do. Move
everything around to new locations. Lower the water temp to the mid 70s. Add
other fast moving schooling fish like giant danios or rainbows to distract the
dominant fish. Keep the water clean to prevent infection from the injured fish.
Add Bio-Coat from Marineland to help the fish grow back its scales.-Chuck>
Oscar Buddy 1/31/06
Hi! I've been looking on Google and wetwebmedia, but I haven't found my
exact questions yet (unless I have just overlooked it). I have 1 albino Oscar,
1 tiger Oscar and a pleco together in a 30 gallon planted tank (lots of tank
cleaning is going on, but they don't seem to mess with the plants)! The tiger
is about 6" long, the albino is almost an inch shorter and the pleco is about 8"
long. <First off....this is way TOO SMALL of an aquarium to house these
potential 14" fish!!!> They seem happy, healthy and get along great and we'll be
moving them into a 75 gallon tank in the next week or two.<75 gallon is also too
small. I would recommend at least a 72" aquarium..> I've read elsewhere that
the pleco may start to feed off of the Oscars instead of the rocks and side of
the tank when it gets bigger. <most likely he will> Is this true? Should I try
a different type of fish? <no> I don't really need an algae eater, and love
Corydoras, but is there a type of Corydoras which gets large enough to be safely
housed with Oscar?<wouldn't trust anything small or non aggressive with an
Oscar>
I also "rescued" a tiny little Oscar who was in a Wal-Mart tank with a bunch of
larger Oscars who were beating up on him. He (or she) is only about 1 1/2" long
and is currently in my small 5 gallon tank. We will have a 55 gallon tank for
him in the next week or two as well. I am planning on putting a pleco in with
the little guy as well.<good> I was wondering if a single blood parrot would
get along ok with the single Oscar and pleco in a 55 gallon tank? <i have tried
this before and the Oscar will quickly outgrow him and bully him to death>I
would be able to upgrade to a larger tank if need be, but wasn't sure if this
mixture would even be compatible? <you can try it but the odds are against you>
I had briefly considered letting the little Oscar get bigger and then put it in
with the other two Oscars, but after reading some articles on your website, I've
decided against this.<agreed> I don't really want him to be by himself
though. I've read from some that an Oscar can be perfectly happy by themselves
and then I've read from others that they are not. I don't really know either
way! What would you suggest? <he should be fine by himself or with another
small Oscar or pleco, good luck with these messy eaters!!, IanB>
Thanks again! (If my questions are answered already on your site, then I do
apologize for overlooking them!)
Patricia
Oscar Tried To Eat Cory Cat 1/14/06
Hi, I’ve had my Oscars for about 4 months, the tiger is about 2 inches and
the albino about 6 inches. There were also to albino bronze catfish in the
tank, the Oscars didn’t bother these until now. I arrived home from work today
to find one of the catfish stuck in albino’s mouth, my dad arrived and
informed me that it had been there for most of the day. I netted the Oscar and
carefully tried to remove the fish, eventually in came out. The Oscars
mouth is now very open and I am worried as it is not feeding. Do you think that
my Oscar may die from the trauma, and should I take it to a vet, thanks for your
time, Alex
< The protective spines of the Corydoras catfish work just as well in the
aquarium as they do in the wild. If the spines broke off in your Oscar's mouth
then you are in trouble. If you got the spines out then I would keep the water
clean and treat with an antibiotic for infection. Your Oscar can go for more
than a week without food. Give it a chance to heal and remove all the smaller
fish that can be considered food by the Oscars.-Chuck>
Oscar Basking In the Moonlight was: Oscar Tried To Eat Cory Cat
1/22/06
Thanks for your help, he is back eating properly again now, his mouth has
closed up although it is slightly off centre, other than that he is fine.
I have been toying with the idea of getting a moonlight effect bulb for my tank,
will this confuse the fish and make them think its night time all the
time, or will they be okay with it?? Thanks again for your time, Alex
< Oscars are pretty smart and will be able to tell the daytime from the night
time from the ambient room light. I do' think you will be able to appreciate
your Oscar too much under those lighting conditions.-Chuck>
Adding a Tilapia butikoferi with Oscars 12/16/05
Just a couple of things really. Firstly, great site and keep up the good
work!
< Thanks>
Could you please tell me what the hell a Tilapia butikoferi is and find me a
picture and/or any information on it as it's not on
Fishbase.org nor can I find it anywhere else using Google etc.
< It is a large African Riverine cichlid. Try Tilapia Butikoferi on your next
search. They get pretty big but have a great vertical black and white striping
that stay with them even as adults.>
Just a quick note now on my tank and pets therein. I have 2 Tiger Oscars (Lemmy
& Hendrix) and 1 Tiger Shovelnose Catfish (Violet). Do you think
this is a good mix?
< The tilapia gets bigger and meaner that the Oscars. As long as they are all
the same size then they might get along. The tilapia will dominate the tank.>
At first the Tigers (Oscars) seemed a little apprehensive and sulked with me for
adding a tank mate but now they all
cuddle up on a night and swim fine during the day. At current my tanks only a
36"x18"x15" but they're getting a 4 footer next week and I'm
moving around September next year so they'll be getting a 5-6 footer then so
they should be alright for now. As long as I keep up to my water
changes and (hand) feed them all they're happy. I'll try and get some pictures
on sometime. Thanks again, Pete
< Many books say that the tilapia butikoferi only gets to about 10 inches, but I
have personally seen some in the Midwest close to 18 inches. A big mean fish is
hard to get rid of.-Chuck>
Bigger Oscar Has Become a Bully 10/22/05
The website seems much more organized since the last time I visited. Thank
you! Much easier to find information without wading through pages of emails...
Now, I need some advice on a tiger Oscar. Let me start by saying that I've had
two tigers since they were the size of half dollars, and they are the newest
additions to the tank. They live in a 75 gallon tank, with a four-inch armored
catfish and an 8" Pleco. The Oscars are both slightly over 6". I run two 60
gallon Whisper filters and do a 25% water change
every 7-10 days. They eat everything to Cichlid pellets to worms, crickets, and
chicken.
< Chicken?>
<<Land mammal and poultry meats should never be offered as food to fish, with
the exception of beef heart only in certain extreme cases. -SCF>>
For the last couple of months, the two tigers have been lip locking and pushing
one another around the tank. There are no sharp edges, and neither of them get
beat up (minus a scale or two I find vacuuming). For the last week, the
seemingly dominant tiger, has been bullying around the other roommates as well.
Surprisingly, it has even been going after the Pleco, which has always been
larger than itself.
Now, when I clean the tank, it is charging and biting me, as well as the
vacuum, plants, and even water drippings from the carbon filters as I pull them
over the top of the tank. Although I find this slightly amusing and no one
is getting physically hurt, I am beginning to be concerned for the psychological
well being of the other tank mates. Should I move that Oscar to a tank of its
own?
< Your Oscar has now determined that this tank is his territory and that he is
in charge. He will defend his territory against all intruders.>
Will it become lonely?
< No , he will start interacting with people walking by the tank or even in the
same room.>
Can this behavior be from diet related issues? or perhaps the vacation that I
went on when I didn't change the water for 13 days?
< This is actually pretty normal for every large New World cichlid.>
Also, I've been thinking about buying a separation screen for the catfish so
that it can eat without the Oscars snatching up everything. How long should I
give it to eat before removing the screen?
< Most fish I recommend leaving the food in for no more than two minutes. But
with the Pleco I would make sure that he is eating for about 15 minutes each
day. Vegetable fish food is high in fiber and not much protein, so they need to
eat a lot of it to get enough nutrition.>
It will not eat pelleted food for catfishes or anything that floats. I'm
concerned that I'm not providing a wide enough arrangement of food with chicken,
earthworms, and blood worms. Any suggestions? Beef doesn't seem to work in any
form: hamburger, steak, or heart.
Thank you very much for your time, Chris
< Go with commercially prepared sinking pellets for algae eating fish and stay
away from the grocery store. Try Spectrum, Hikari, OSI or Marineland pellets.
You fish will learn to eat them after a few tries.-Chuck> Angry Oscar
Needs His Space 10/22/05
Thank you for the timely response to my last email. Should I make a new tank
for the aggressive Oscar?
<This would be best for all of your fish.-Chuck>
Oscar compatibility 9/23/05
Hey again, everything is going well with my two babies eating now, but one
is a hair larger than the other and he wants to ram the other all the time,
tries to keep (her, not sure) from eating, and now she is scared and shy, any
suggestions? J
>> Oscars are not fish that do well in pairs, you will either have to grow out a
group or keep one single animal. The smaller fish will always be dominated and
will stop growing, and may eventually get killed. It may be best to separate
your two Oscars now. Good Luck, Oliver
Oscars with Frontosas 9/20/05
I'd like to first say how much help your site has been toward the raising of
my Oscars. I have a pair of very young tiger Oscars who will soon be moving
into a gorgeous 135 gallon tank. Right now they are living very peacefully
together with a Plecostomus and a small tiger shovelnose catfish. I am
very interested in buying a pair of Frontosa to go with them and I just want
to know how compatible the whole set up will be. I am not really interested
in breeding the frontosa so I opted for getting a pair of males, but I was
told by a local store that two males would fight and that it was not a good
idea to house them with my Oscars. I don't want to spend $500 on a whole
breeding colony, which seems to be how everyone wants to sell them. Any
advice you can give would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your help
guys.
< As a general rule it is not a good idea to mix cichlids from different
continents for a long time. I am sure it has been done by aquarists who want big
fish and mix and match anything and everything. Big cichlids tend to get
territorial and Frontosas and Oscars just don't speak the same body language.
One will become dominant and bully the other around. The weaker fish will hide
in the corner and become a poor display.-Chuck>
Oscar Tankmates 9/17/05
Is there any chance their behavior has anything to do with, their
tankmates? They reside with about 20 other fish (Danio's, tetras 2-3" each).
< Not very likely.-Chuck>
<< Oscar Behavior
I recently purchased two tigers, both about 2 to 3 inches. They currently
share an 80 gallon tank with community fish ( I figured they would eat them when
they got big enough and have the tank to themselves) In the last two days my
Oscars have been laying at the bottom of the tank. They come up to eat
(bloodworms, beef heart) The other fish in the tank don't pester the Oscars,
they show no visible signs of parasites. I spoke to a person at the pet store
where I purchased the Oscars and she suggested putting Parasite Clear tablets in
the tank, which I did yesterday.
<... I would hold off on doing this... or adding any medication to your main
tank>
Today I did a 25% water change (per the Parasite Clear instructions) I have
had the Oscars for about two weeks and this is the second water change. I
changed my filter, and my water levels are good. This is new behavior for these
Oscars, any suggestions?
<Try some other foods>
A footnote: Prior to the community fish (Danios, tetras) I had a Tiger Oscar
for about three years who died of hole in the head, about four months ago.
<Due to? Water quality, lack of proper nutrition?>
Thanks,
Sean
<Please read on WWM re Oscars, behavior. Bob Fenner> >>
Sick Oscar with Silver Dollars 7/28/05
I have heard that Tiger Oscars and Silver Dollars can be in the same
tank. Is this ok, and if so, how many of them would you recommend?
< Oscars and silver dollars get big. One Oscar and a few silver dollars would be
plenty with proper filtration.>
If this Oscar does not make it, I would like to buy another one, but a little
bit bigger than the one I already have. PetSmart sells them in 2
sizes. Considering how big they get and the size of my tank (55 gal.), I think
I will settle on 1 Tiger Oscar and a few Silver Dollars if it is safe. What do
you think?
< Your Oscar is primarily a carnivore while the silver dollars are herbivores.
So you will have to mix up their diet to keep them healthy but this should not
be a problem. Stay away from the shrimp or worm only diets. Give them something
a little more balanced.>
I tested my water yesterday and all levels are good. Nitrate is at the safe
level, Nitrite color stayed white, and I have an Ammonia Alert wheel inside of
my water that is safe as well. I will treat with Melafix for 3 days and do
water changes in between and hope this brings Tiger around. Thanks.
< I would be interested to see if your Oscar recovers with the MelaFix.-Chuck>
Oscar Mix 7.24.05
I'm setting up a new 135, and plan to stock it with 7 Metynnis
hypsauchen and three Pimelodus pictus. Do you think a single Oscar would
be a reasonable addition? If so, I'm assuming that I would want to add
it 1) small and 2) last; is that right? If it spends 4 weeks in the
Q-tank, is it still going to be small enough to add without undue
problems? How big should the other guys be before I undertake this (if
at all)?
<I'd feel ok about an Oscar in this mix, 135gallons should be enough room. Just
make sure no one is small enough to fit in anyone else's mouth, mainly the
Oscar's. After 4 weeks of quarantine he will still be small enough to add to
the mix. Gage> <<RMF would not place a pictus catfish and Oscar in the same
system>>
Oscar Problems 7/9/05
I have a 75 gallon tank. When I first got it, I moved my 3 1/2" Tiger Oscar
to it as the sole occupant. I wanted to get him a tankmate so I added an
Albino Tiger Oscar that was about 1/4" longer than the first Oscar. My
problem is that they don't get along. The smaller Oscar chases and attacks
the larger Oscar, and is biting it's fins, and the larger Oscar just takes
it and does nothing about it. They have been together for only about 3 days
now, but I'm worried. I don't have anywhere else to put the albino if they
continue to fight, and I don't know if Petsmart will take it back. Just so
you know, I just tested the water and the Ammonia is at zero, NO2 is at
zero, NO3 is usually at <25ppm, but today it was at <40ppm, Hardness (GH) is
at 150ppm, Alkalinity (KH) is at 300 ppm, and the pH is at around 8.0. I
know water changes and good filtration take care of ammonia, nitrite and
nitrate, but what can I do about the Hardness, alkalinity, and pH?
< Don't worry about it. These Oscars have been raised in hard water and they can
handle it.>
I am against adding unnecessary chemicals to the tank to change these things
because adding stuff only adds to the osmotic pressure making it harder for
my fish to "breathe", and my water is naturally this hard and basic. I don't
have any kind of rocks or wood in the tank, not even gravel, I just have a
few plastic plants and a fake piece of driftwood and a fake rock cave. Also,
a larger tank is NOT an option. I just spent all of my money on this tank,
and if this doesn't cut it I am likely just giving up, so don't even mention
the tank being to small.
< Two Oscars in a 75 gallon tank should be fine as long as they get along. Move
the decorations around to break up any established territories. Add some dither
fish like giant danios or large rainbow fish to give the mean fish some other
fish to chase. you could always get a tank divider and separate them for awhile.
Then try and reintroduce them later.-Chuck>
Oscar Tankmates
I have an aggressive Oscar (actually two of them that I had to
separate) that is alone. The larger of the two is not the aggressor,
rather the medium one is. However, the large one wins the fight. I
have now housed the large one with a pink convict (the really mean nasty
ones) and they seem to be ok. I need to house the other Oscar with
something but I don't know what is compatible with:
1. A firemouth
2. A pair of pink convicts (breeding) but not as aggressive as the one
I
had to remove.
3. An assortment of African cichlids
4. Albino Sharks
Are these really rare like the article says? I have one of these.
Don't worry, I have about 20 different fish tanks. I just want to know
what I should choose from. Every site gives conflicting information.
For instance, they say to house an Oscar with a convict. My convict are
very very mean and my friends say the convict will kill everything.
Please help. Rochelle Magness
< Of all the choices you have offered I would probably go with the
assorted African tank. One is the Africans are pretty fast and active so
the Oscar will have a difficult time getting them and will soon give up
after awhile.-Chuck> |
|
Stolen image from another site |
Oscar Tank Mates and Outside Ponds
Ok. But I like my Oscars. How big of tank do I need for the two smaller
ones?
< If the two smaller Oscars are compatible a 60 to 75 gallon tank is needed.>
The one that went berserk can't be put with anything, so I may just "put him to
sleep". I love my pacu. Can they survive in an 80 gal or 100 gal?
< For a while but they may get up to three feet long.>
If I put nothing in it but them, a filter, and a heater?
< Sounds boring but will work with lots of water changes when he gets bigger.>
Obviously it will have to be an acrylic tank. But I think I could swing 100 gal
tank. As for the fish store comment - I already went in and yelled at Petsmart.
Told them they were a family store that mostly sold to children and adults that
don't know a lot about fish. I mentioned that unless they were willing to train
their employees about fish care and actually SELL a tank that could house any
species they had, they should stop selling it. At Petsmart, they don't carry
tanks above 100 gallons and I told them they should not SELL any fish that can't
live in a tank less than that. I noticed that the last 3 times I went in (over
a 4 week period) that they no longer carry Pacu. At least it's a step in the
right direction. Told them to leave those fish to Capitol Aquarium where the
employees point out what you need at the get go and they sell the equipment
needed to maintain them.
Note: I don't believe in releasing the pacu or Oscars unless I am going to put
them in the Amazon River. They don't belong in North American waters. I can't
think of anyone that would be that stupid after the Lake Davis thing. You don't
have to worry about me doing something like that. Only an idiot would do
something like that. Just wanted to set the record straight.
< Well said!!!!-Chuck>
How Many Oscars?
Hi, I have a three foot long tank and wanted to keep two pairs of Oscar. Is
it ok to keep 2 pairs?
< NO!!!!! Each pair of Oscars should have at least a 50 to 75 gallon tank to
themselves.>
Is it true that they fight in small numbers and are better in large number ?
<When fish are kept crowded a aggressive fish will have more fish to pick on a
the aggression is diluted. If there is just on other fish then it is picked on
all the time and soon will be dead.>
How many Oscars do you suggest?
< Only one.-Chuck> My Oscar needs Help!!
Hi,
<Hello there>
I was searching on the internet and found your site....I hope you can
help me!!??
<Will try>
I have an Oscar, along with 2 other Cichlids. Recently, the Oscar has
been bullied by the larger of the 2 other Cichlids...I believe they are
Texas Cichlids (?) I have attached photos of my Oscar's injuries. He
has missing scales from scraping the stones...those do seem to heal
rather quickly...but I am mostly concerned about the red pimple-like
bump on his lip (he's had for over a month) and the large superficial
gash above his right eye, which I believe he got by jumping up and
hitting the tank lid....he likes to jump and has even jumped form the
tank before!!! I am in the process of getting a larger tank to help
with the territory issue which may be causing the aggression, however,
should I be concerned about his wounds??? And if so, what can I
do??? I do change the water about 30% every 1 to 2 weeks along with the
gravel...I would appreciate any advice you can give!!! I am really
worried about his health and recovery.
Thanks so much!!!
<You need to separate the Oscar ASAP... the aggression is the root cause
of the problem/s here... treating the injuries for it is futile. Please
see here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/oscars.htm
the above linked files re Oscar Behavior, Compatibility, Systems,
Disease. Bob Fenner>
Oscar Compatibility
Hi I just recently purchased two tiger Oscars which are about 2-1/2 inches
long. Well the past couple of days they have been hanging out in the top corner
of the tank and not really eating. They also wont close their mouths and they
both have what appears to be white poop hanging out. I have a 55 gal tank, just
did a 50% water change last week and put my convict in the tank with the
Oscars.( the convict is doing fine and eating normally). I also notice that they
were starting to get ick so I put some Mardel Coppersafe in the tank about one
week ago. Thanks for the help in advance
Pete
>>>Hi Pete,
You CANNOT keep Oscars in the same tank with convicts - period. I've seen half
grown convicts stress adult 12" Oscars out to the point where the Oscars were
just laying on the bottom of the tank, pale and not eating a thing. Only when
the convict was removed did they return to normal. So, fix this situation - your
Oscars will thank you!
Jim<<<
Oscar scars!!
Hello Bob (or who ever is reading this) thanks for helping people with their
fishes at home. Anyway I got a 625 gallon tank and its stock..
1.oscar
1.red devil
1. breeding pair of Flowerhorns
3.plecos
2.parrots
3.Jack Dempsey's
5.pacus
2 pairs of breeding convicts
2.red terrors
Anyway I used to have 2 Oscars were both 6in but then the red terrors came and
gang up on one of my Oscars and make so many scars that he died the next
morning. Now they strike again but this time my Oscar lived!!! But I put the two
red terrors in a 100 gallon I was not using. Can you help with my Oscar problem
to never happen again????
Thanks
Sean
<Just keep more aggressive fishes, livestock out of their system. Bob Fenner>
Convict with an Oscar?
Hey,
About a year ago, my hubby and I bought a breeding pair of convict
cichlids. They were very shy and would wait until I left the area near the tank
to eat. About three weeks ago, the female died (no known cause) and the male
seemed rather depressed. (By the way, the female was 1.5in and the male is
3.5in) I decided it was time to get him a tank buddy and picked out a 2in long
Oscar. I removed my convict, all the plants, did a 15% water change, cleaned
the rocks and moved all the plants and rocks around the tank. I placed the
Oscar (in his pet store bag) in the tank and let him get used to everything for
about an hour before releasing him. Then about 30min later, I put my convict
back in the tank. I forgot to mention that this is a 55 gal tank with the works
on filters. The convict has totally taken over, but hasn't bitten, rammed or
tried to kill the Oscar. Was it a good idea to mix these two?
Thanks,
Becca
>>>Hi Becca,
Not only is a 2 inch Oscar an unsuitable tankmate for a convict, but I've seen
14" Oscars victimized by convicts no larger than 2"! The Oscar will sulk on the
bottom of the tank, pale - and will not eat. This is a LARGE Oscar mind you, a
smaller Oscar like yours will often be killed.
Remove the Oscar and look to other medium sized, more aggressive Central
American Cichlids.
Regards
Jim<<<
FW Ray and Red tiger, albino Oscar
Hi,
Can Ocellate River Stingray be in the same tank with an albino or red Oscar
fish? If not are there any other rays that can be in a tank with Oscars?
<Possibly. Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwstingrays.htm
and the linked files at top>
And if I get plants for my tank with Oscar fish will the plant get damaged if
there is a rock covering the base so it cant dig it up? Thanks
<Possibly... Large Oscars will pull up, destroy most types of live plants...
there may be some varieties that are tough, fibrous that you can plant in clay
pots... put some larger gravel, rock on top of that might last... Otherwise
there are some very nice faux plants nowadays... Bob Fenner>
Oscar Questions
I looked through your questions and didn't find quite what I was looking for
so I thought I would email you, sorry if you have answered this before. we had
purchased a couple of Oscars that both came from the same tank in the store and
get along well in our tank. We just bought another one and introduced him. Our
albino Oscar seems to like the new one but our black tiger Oscar doesn't, and
seems to pick on him. and this has caused our first 2 Oscars to sort of argue.
Is there anything we could do to stop the bickering? If so, what? Thank you so
much for your time.
Lacie Anderson
<Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/oscars.htm and the linked
files above... You don't state the size of the fish, the tank... but Oscars are
smart and persnickety... there is likely to be continuing trouble here... remove
one of the fish, get a larger system... Read. Bob Fenner>
Red tiger, albino Oscars fish
Hi,
<Hello there>
I was wondering if albino and red tiger Oscar fish and live with each other?
<Yes... given sufficient space... they're the same species>
And can a red tiger and albino Oscar fish live with any other fish? Like catfish
or something?
<Yes...>
And if yes can you please give me the names of all the fish the Oscar is
compatible with?
<Not here... the list is too long. Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwlivestkindex.htm
and:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/oscarcompfaqs.htm >
Thanks love your site.
<Me too. Bob Fenner>
Oscar Introduction, or "Hello, my name is Oscar"
I hope you can help a friend gave me your email address. Three years ago I
got my first fish tank in many years. I've always been a fan of Tiger Oscars so
I had three. As they grew I went up to a 90 gallon tank. One died, one sulked
and the other got mean. I tossed in a tinfoil barb and all was well everyone got
along. Last month my large 12 inch black Tiger died and the 10 inch albino Tiger
has been sulking, spitting rocks at me and in an all around funk. Being 10
inches I just couldn't toss in just anything or it would get eaten. He/she was
also beating on the pleco's, 2 African knife fish and tinfoil barb. Well two
days ago I finally found a new tank buddy who was about 11 inches. A new Albino
Tiger. I realized it wouldn't go smoothly and was prepared for a few battles and
pushing. What has been going on I was not at all prepared for. They seem to get
along great and follow each other around as long as one is moving. There has
been a ton of tail vibrations back and forth. I've never seen Curly my first
Albino do this before. Phantom the new one is a bit larger and today they
started to open mouths wide and go mouth to mouth off and on. Strange since none
of my others have ever done this. Just now was the strangest of all. While
quietly floating next to each other and vibrating tails what looked like a small
amount of blood was released from Curly. This happened twice. Riled Phantom up a
bit and they were back to open mouth shoving and a big puffed up tough boy
display. Then they go right back to swimming together. Could it be that this new
Tiger is of the opposite sex and they are breeding even after only two days? It
is all strange to me. I had hoped back when I had three they would breed but no
luck. Now all of the sudden there is a new fish and new surprises. Also will the
open mouth shoving end? They stopped pushing each other into things about two
hours after they were put together. So far only two scales missing and no other
marks.
Thank you for any help or advice you can give, Jamie
<You're a very lucky person. Introducing two large Oscars can result in a broken
hood on the floor. I have witnessed the open mouth display many time in
cichlids. I believe it is more a way to size each other up than breeding
behaviour. More a handshake than a kiss. But the tail wagging and lack of
aggression does suggest a you have a compatible pair. And although a little
unusual it can happen that quick and smooth. But keep an eye on them. You're
looking for marriage, the fish have only spent the weekend together. I have
never witnessed nor heard of the blood release before. If the other fish is
reacting to it, it may be some sort of hormone release. Usually not visible, but
you're looking at very large fish. On that scale it may be visible. If they do
breed, you will have to remove all the other fish. They will become very
aggressive at that time. If he has a secure cave the pleco may be alright, but
will eat any eggs at night. Be thoughtful about breeding Oscars. A large female
can lay over a thousand eggs. When they turn into a cloud of fry what are you
going to do with them? As in our own species, breeding is great fun! Just be
prepared for the resulting offspring. At least with fish you can always set up a
tank with a Dempsey or Dovii to solve the problem. Don>
Oscar-resistant algae eater?
Is there any kind of algae-eater or scavenger that I could put in the tank
with my
12" Albino Oscar, Sleepy Jean. Her mate died a couple of weeks ago and she
seems so sad. I don't want to put another Oscar in there until I get a
bigger tank. She's in a 55 gallon
now.
< Your 55 gallon should be fine as long as you have a big enough filter that
moves at least 150 gallons an hour. Bigger is better! The more water movement in
the tank the cleaner your tank will be. Try and get an outside power filter that
is easy to maintain. I like the Marineland brand myself. Look at one of the
Emperor filters or something similar. How much water do you change and how
often? Algae problems are usually related to high waste in the water. I would
get a water quality test kit and test for nitrates. Reduce the levels with water
changes.>
I know it's too small and it's probably part of the reason that he
died. I need a 100 gallon tank. I'm working on it. Until then, is there
any type of fish that I can put in there with her to keep her company and
possibly help with the algae?
< A regular Plecostomus would probably do the job just fine. I would add a PVC
pipe from the hardware store that is big enough to let the Pleco in but not the
Oscar. The Pleco will come out at night and eat the algae while the Oscar is
sleeping. Make sure the Pleco is at least 1/3 of the size of the Oscar. Any
smaller and it might be eaten ,or at tried to be eaten by the Oscar.-Chuck>
Terri
Oscar tankmates
Hi, how are you going
< Fine thanks.>
I was wondering I could have a couple minutes of your time
< No problem, that's what we are here for.>
do you know what fish are fine to have with 2 large Oscars that are 7 inches
long in a 5 foot tank thank you for your time
< Your Oscars will be bigger in no time and will need all of that 55 gallon
tank. Right now I would not recommend you add any other fish. Maybe a 4 inch
Pleco if you give him a sheltered spot where the Oscars cant get to him.-Chuck>
FW stingrays
sorry about this I will be quick but are stingrays fine with Oscars or not
because I really love them but if they are not I will give them there own
tank so please email me on your thoughts about this thank you very much
< This is a tough one. I think the Oscars will leave the stingrays alone and
vice versa if they are about the same size. The problem I see is getting enough
food to the stingrays without the Oscars eating it all. maybe feeding at night
will help. If it looks like the stingrays are getting too thin then separating
them from the Oscars may be the only option.-Chuck>
Stingrays with Oscars
thank you for your time do you think that a stingray would be fine with
Oscars
< I think that as long as they are pretty equal in size they should get along. I
would still watch them closely for the first few days to make sure.-Chuck.>
thank you
Stingrays with Oscars
thank you for your time. I would like to know if you would know it would be
possible to out a stingray with Oscars thank you for your time
<Both come from South American rivers so the water requirements should be the
same. They should get along as long as they are close to the same size. The
Oscar may not let any food sink down to the bottom so you may have to feed the
stingray at night to make sure he is getting some food.-Chuck>
Oscar Tankmates
Can you please tell me what fish can go in with 2 juvenile Oscars.. they
aren't aggressive, unless they are hungry, but I feed them three times a day, so
I think they should be fine, but can you tell me all they fish that can go
safely with them?
>>
Many choices in rough and tumble fishes here... other South and Central American
Cichlids and catfishes would be my choices... How big a system do you have? Will
your filtration handle more load?
Bob Fenner
Cichlids
<<Greetings, fellow enthusiast...>>
As a new aquarium enthusiast, I began about 2 months ago with a 10 gallon setup
and within it, 2 Oscars (tiger and albino), 1 small green puffer, 2 Bala sharks,
3 emerald barbs and one 6 inch Pleco. Shortly there after I realized my over
population mistake and began saving up for a larger tank. <<Enough said, then.>>
As I saved my money, the fish in the tank started disappearing. Strangely, there
was no trace of them, no bodies or parts, they had simply vanished. I was
perplexed to say the least. One day while sitting down to an evening meal, I
watched my Albino Oscar, chase, attack, and swallow my last Bala shark which
brought me to a whole new level of enlightenment. <<Ahh... those Oscars...>>
That said, I have learned a lot about Oscars in the time between then and now. I
have since purchased a 30 gallon tank and recently moved my Oscars into it.
<<Erk, did you miss the part that said these can grow largest than your shoe?
For certain this 30g tank won't last much longer than the 10g did. Oscars and
Plecos both can get quite large, and I mean LARGE.>> (the only other survivor
was the Pleco who is also in the larger tank.) My wife thought that a few more
fish would be nice so I have recently acquire a small Jaguar Cichlid and another
(much larger) Green Puffer. <<Too much for a tank of this size... Oscars being
what they are, your biggest challenge will be keeping the water clean.>>
With the exception of some excessive fin nipping by the Puffer, they seem to do
well, at least until this morning. My Oscars adjusted quickly to the new tank as
did the Puffer. The Jaguar did not, for the first three days he hid in the live
plants under a thick and comforting blanket of foliage. Not an abnormal
re-action I thought considering the change of environment so I left him alone
and just kept an eye on him. My smaller Oscar proceeded to chase him constantly
during this time but inflicted no damage.
Day three rolled about and the Jag had apparently become more comfortable, he no
longer hides unless spooked by fast movement and the table have appeared to
turn. Upon my inspection of the tank this morning, my smaller Oscar was hiding
in the foliage, since he had never done this before I thought it a little
strange. As I watched my tank and drank my morning coffee, I realized why.
The Jaguar who was half his size was chasing him, and making the occasional
brutal hit. So far I have seen no physical damage to the Oscar and perhaps it is
just payback for the hazing he issued the Jag upon arrival, but some of the hits
were definitely meant with intent to harm or kill. <<Sure... this is most likely
competition for space from a fairly aggressive fish.>> I have watched my Oscars
for some time now and know their habits and know that they will chase and
sometimes nudge each other forcefully. But I have never seen attacks like these
even while they were feeding.
Are these fish, when closely sized, good tank mates? <<Perhaps in a larger tank,
where each can have it's own personal space/territory, but the Jaguar Cichlid is
a known aggressive fish, chances are good that it would continue attempts to
establish dominance over its tankmates.>> I already have a larger tank on the
way but I am debating if they should be kept together. All of these fish are on
the semi-aggressive to aggressive list so I figured they would be decent
matches. <<The Jaguar is probably better housed with something that would be
more willing to fight back, like a Fire mouth.>> The new tank will be 100
gallons. <<Ahh good, much better size, but still... probably not enough in the
long run. Did I mention these fish get really large?>> Also, where can I find
good info on Jaguars Cichlids? I search google and turned up virtually nil.
<<The Latin for this fish is Parachromis managuensis, you might try your luck at
http://www.fishbase.org or even on Google - I just gave it a shot and came up
with quite a bit.>>
regards,
James Williams
Jacksonville, Fl
<<Cheers, J -- >>
Bala Shark & Oscars
<<Greetings, JasonC here...>>
First of all I really enjoy your web site, over the past 3 years I have
started 3 tanks and your website has given me the most helpful information.
<<Glad we can be of service.>>
I have a Bala Shark in a 42 gallon tall tank with an angelfish, in my second 73
gallon tank I have 3 Oscars and 2 Parrot fish, The Bala shark is around 5
inches, Could I move the Bala shark into the tanks with the Oscars? <<You
could... but would you want to? Oscars really do their part to tax a filtration
system, and by adding anything to that tank you're going to add to the
bioload.>> The Oscars are around the same length as the Bala shark and the
Parrot fish are smaller. <<It would likely work for a while.>>
My second question involves my saltwater tank that has the ecosystem, Caulerpa a
UV sterilizes, some bioballs and tribase carbon, my Koran angel has started to
develop a slight case of lateral line on one side. I have just started to add
vitamins to the their food and fish solution from ecosystems. Has my UV
sterilizer killed some needed bacteria? <<Hard to say except that it is
defiantly not part of the Ecosystem Aquarium as designed by Leng Sy which in my
book is a "designed" system - anything else added to, or altered from the
original designs will change the results. I would stick with the "system". Only
way to know is to take it out of line. HLLE on the other hand is almost entirely
nutrition-related. Your best option here is to make sure the angel gets a good
mix of foods including something containing marine sponge [like, but not
exclusively, Angel Formula] as that is what these eat most often in the wild.
Success against HLLE is less likely to come from a bottle than from a
well-balanced, natural diet - no terrestrial vegetables.>> Is my carbon removing
some necessary trace mineral? <<I doubt that but you should also not leave the
carbon in for extended periods of time - so it doesn't become a detritus trap,
and the aforementioned reasons.>> Any thoughts would be appreciated Martin
Rischall
<<You got 'em. Cheers, J -- >>
Tiger Oscars
Dear Bob, first thanks for a wonderful and helpful website. I have a 130
gallon short tank with four new two inch tiger Oscars.
<Ah, an adventure>
I read one of your FAQ's re tankmates in which you recommend other South and
Central American Cichlids and catfish as tank mates. Could you recommend some
catfish? I was thinking about putting 2 Vampire Plecos and two royal or leopard
Plecos.
<Gorgeous choices>
If this would work (total of 8 fish),
is it necessary for me to buy the Plecos larger than the Oscars?
<A bit larger... these species are slower growers... do train them on sinking
pellets/wafers that are algae based... and have some sinking wood for their use
in place.>
I want to get it right at the start and have everyone grow into their
environment. Thanks for your time and help. Linda
<Thank you for writing. Make it known how your system progresses. Bob Fenner>
Re: Tiger Oscars
Thanks for your quick reply. I just want to confirm that these 8 fish will
fit into their final environment. Someone else suggested adding tinfoil barbs
for viewing. What do you think?
<Well, these are beautiful fast moving fishes that will/would go along with what
you have, plan temperamentally and about same water quality. What do you think?
Bob Fenner>
Tank mates for Oscars
I was recently searching for information regarding my Oscars and hit upon a
question on WetWebMedia.Com that someone had asked you that is similar to the
one I am searching for answers on. Here goes:
I have two Oscars which I have been told are a little over a year old; they are
7-8" long. I have had them for 8-9 months; and after a couple of years of MANY
failed attempts to keep fancy goldfish, I am thrilled that my fish (Grouch, as
in "Oscar the ...." and Della, as in "Oscar de la Renta") are happy and healthy.
I have recently moved them from a 35 gallon tank to a 65 gallon tank. It is a
custom build tank made by Tenecor which has an excellent built-in filtration
system. The Oscar's only other tank mate at this point is a "Pleco" that is
about 5". It has lived with the Oscars since I got them, and they don't bother
the catfish at all. So, now that my fish are settled in to their new home, I am
wondering if there are any other fish that could peacefully cohabitate with two
half grown Oscars and a Pleco. I've been searching around on the internet and
found several references of Severums or Jack Dempsey's being recommended as tank
mates for Oscars, but I'm not convinced yet.
Questions:
* Do you think that, given my tank size, its current inhabitants, the size/age
of my fish, I should consider adding any other fish to the mix?
<No... too crowded as is... unfortunately. A person of substantial ambitions as
yourself needs more tank space.>
* If so, what are your suggestions?
<We could write the proverbial book here. Many other neotropical cichlids, large
Characoids, catfishes galore... many more>
* Our local pet store had two types of cichlids which my husband and I
liked. These were Bumblebee cichlids and Jewel cichlids. Would either of these
cohabitate with my Oscars?
<As stated, not in the 65>
* One last question, if you do think that additional fish are in my
future, what is the minimum size fish that you recommend?
<Depends on species... a few to several inches>
Any input would be appreciated.
Thanks much,
Susan
Oscar/Texas cichlid
I have a 3" albino tiger Oscar and a Texas cichlid in a tank together. I was
wondering if these are suitable tank mates. I have heard that the Texas cichlid
is very mean and might kill the Oscar, but so far it seems to be the opposite.
The Texan just kinda hangs around the bottom and sometimes when the Oscar sees
him he will chase him for a bit, but quickly loses interest. They don’t seem to
mind each other for the most part. They are currently in a 29G but I’m planning
to upgrade to a 60G before too long. I’ve heard some people say they are good
together, and some say they don’t mix. So I guess I’m a tad confused. Any info
would be greatly appreciated. Also I was wondering if you had any info on the
Texan because there are barely any on any sites I can find. All I know is that
he is the coolest looking freshwater fish I have seen thus far. Thanks for your
time.
<As far as water parameters go these fish should be fine together. The chasing
you are seeing is most likely because of territorial disputes, especially if the
Oscar is larger or was in the tank before you added the Texas. They need to be
moved into the larger tank ASAP and once they get large you may find yourself
needing an even larger tank to prevent the fighting. To find more webpages on
the Texas, do a search for the species name Herichthys cyanoguttatus or the more
common name Rio Grande cichlid. Ronni>
Keeping Oscar cichlids in the tank
Alrighty kids, long time listener.....first time caller. I have a question
and then a little "story." <I'm all ears>
I've had a few different aquariums thru the years and I want to start a new one.
My Oscar committed suicide the other evening (hence the "story") but we'll get
back to that in a minute. I like the larger fish, so I wanted to put a green
Severum, a parrot fish, and an Oscar.....with a Pleco together? <Parrot is the
odd fish out> Is this allowed or will they tear each other apart. <Leave out the
parrot, and you may keep the piece for a while. You'll need 150 or more gallons
to do it, though> Ultimately, I would like to have 3 large fish (could be two
of the same fish) and one Pleco living together in perfect harmony (Any
thoughts?) <Achievable! It's what we all stride for. A biotopic display is
your best chance at peace.> I like fish with character. The four I chose are
the ones I like a lot. Once I figure out the fish that can be together, I will
get the proper sized tank. Any inkling of info on this matter would be greatly
appreciated. <Get them young, hope for the best. Oscars aren't mean spirited,
per se, they're just consistently hungry. A pair of Oscars and a large Pleco is
going to require a huge commitment on its own...And a killer bioload depending
on your filtration> Now onto the story.......My Oscar was about 10" long, so
the other day I wake up and come down stairs and what do I see laying on the
floor quite a few feet away from my tank!!? That's right, my Oscar. Somehow he
knocked the entire hood and light into the aquarium (yea I know, hoods with the
light on them are heavy) and then tried to dodge the falling debris and ended up
on the floor. <Ouch> Alas, I am saddened.....but what can you do, but to move on
and forge ahead.<Too true>
Ergo, starting a new bigger and better tank with latches on the hood, lots of
latches, latches with chains hooked to them and then wrapped
around.......<Ha! Better not let the Oscars see the combination on your
Masterlocked tank! These things happen-To our dismay. I think you'd be more
successful with a species tank. If you like fish with personality, check out
the Tilapia butikoferi. Must be housed alone, but it's a great "Bad boy."> I
look forward to hearing from you kids. <And we look forward to hearing back from
you! Until next time, Ryan>
Plec for an Oscar tank
Dear wealth of knowledge,
I have a 75g freshwater tank which is currently empty. I am thinking about
purchasing either 2 red Oscars or 1 red Oscar and 1 tiger Oscar. My question
for you guys is what my options for a "clean-up" Pleco are, keeping in mind tank
size.
<I assume by "clean-up" you want something to eat algae, right? This in mind,
I'd suggest the royal Plecostomus, Panaque nigrolineatus
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/loricari/panaque/151_f.htm
. This is a pretty good grazing Plec, and should do a number on algae; will
likely need to be supplemented with greens (like blanched zucchini, for
one). It'll also require driftwood, without a doubt. And might be a bad choice
for a Plexiglas tank, as they have teeth that'll wreak havoc on plexi, leaving
scratches.>
I also wanted to know a little about freshwater (red tail) barracudas. I have
found it a little difficult to find info on them. I am wondering about tank
size, compatibility, and how prone it is to disease. Thanks a lot! Zack
<Do you happen to have a Latin name for this guy? Right now, I'm inclined to
think you mean "Acestrorhynchus falcatus". Try looking this up on fishbase.org,
and do a google search on this name to see what info you can get. Wishing you
well, -Sabrina>
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