PorcupinePuffer

wat bottom dwellers can u keep with oscars besides plecos?

Shawnie

pictus catfish in the right size tank..they like 3-5 together but will do ok with a couple...

Amanda

Just watch with Pictus that the Oscars don't try to eat them, as those barbels will do A LOT of damage to the Oscars mouth.

Shawnie

oscars would be too small for them if they were juvies ....or at least mine were..and as the oscars got bigger to fit the pictus in their mouth, they were way too slow LOL

PorcupinePuffer

can u put large corys with them, i have seen this in some othertanks,and wat about clowns loaches?

Shawnie

I wouldnt ..loaches or cories....

PorcupinePuffer

i thought clown loaches got pretty big though

Shawnie

they do but do you have a tank of a few hundred gallons? if so, cool ...but make sure the loach and oscar are the same size....

PorcupinePuffer

ok so is there any others besides pictus, or plecos??

eiginh

Clown loaches do get big but throughout time. They aren't fast growers like oscars, I have read they grow half an inch a year. You also need at least 75 gallons for one clown loach but clown loaches are schoolers so the minimum you should have is 3 and therefore you must have a bigger tank than 75.

You can get freshwater eels!

PorcupinePuffer

wat kind of eels?
must fit in a 50 gallon?

eiginh

Here's a link, just click on an eel that you find interesting and it will tell you their info.

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/Eels/Eel.php

I would go with a half banded eel as they don't get as large as the other ones and peaceful with bigger tank mates.

I don't think your oscar will like the 50 gallon once it gets to 6-7 inches.

mathas

I personally wouldn't add anything with an oscar if the tank is 50 gallons. 50 gallons is barely going to support the bioload and swimming space requirements of a single adult oscar, let alone an adult oscar and one or more fish large enough to not get eaten by the oscar.

PorcupinePuffer

thanks for the linked ill research some eals im not sure how big the tank is goin to be proby some where around 5o gallons tho

eiginh

So you haven't bought a tank yet? I would really listen to Mathas b/c oscars get to at least 13-15 inches. Go for 75 gallons if you can.

AlyeskaGirl

Other options for bottom tankmates would include red tail shark and/or Rainbow Shark..they like middle/bottom, Senegal Bichir is mostly a bottom dweller and grow to approx 12".

http://www.elmersaquarium.com/c106co...9jumbofish.htm

I agree, a 50 gallon isn't going to house an Oscar with a few tank mates for long, they grow fast. I agree, go for a 75 gallon.

PorcupinePuffer

ok thanks i never thought of a red tail shark

eiginh

There's a high possibility that the Oscar might eat the RTS, you can try introducing them both at their juvenile stage. Please remember an oscar grows an inch a month during his first year if given proper foods and right temps.

Nutter

Good advice from the others regarding the tank size for an Oscar. They are a large fish that grows fast. I have seen them reach almost 20inches long but even an average sized one will be cramped in a 50gal. If it gets bigger than average it may even struggle to be able to turn around in a 50gal. Definitley a 75gal minimum tank size. For Oscars the bigger the better. If you do put an Oscar in a 50gal, don't put anything else in there at all. Get the biggest tank you can afford or maybe look at a different kind of fish if you can't afford a larger tank than a 50gal.

PorcupinePuffer

someone may be giving it to me and it already has an oscar in it im trying to decide whether to take it to a LFS or to keep it?? if i get rid of it what would be good african cichlids in a 50?
I would prefer them with a bunch of color??

Shawnie

Once you figure out whats going on, let us know and im sure you can find a bunch of different cookie cutters for africans.. heres one for a 55 gal to see as an example
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/article...cutter_55g.php ...but the water has to be changed for them as they are a higher pH than oscars..unless the owner isnt keeping the oscar in proper parimeters....