Can You Tank An Oscar With A Jack Dempsey?

Hello everyone!
Skip this intro and go to the TL;DR if you don't want to read this long junk.

Before I begin my post, I'd like to say that I'm new to the community and just started gaining a massive interest to the hobby in general and I've spent *MASSIVE* amounts of research on these little guys and everything fish! [I've studied all the diseases, diagnose/treatment, the breeds, types, temperament behavior, temp., fish cycle, etc.] But, I'm still a newbie so please don't get mad to whatever I'm doing! [But please let me know when I'm making mistakes]

So, anyways, I have a 29gal fish tank that was originally homed to three kois... a lot of fish, 1 fancy, and around 5-6 comets & I also had two silver dollars. I wasn't a fish hobbyist, these were actually bought by my parents. Before this, I had 2 black moors, 1 ryukin, 7 comets in A 10 GAL TANK.

[I managed to find video of this I caught many years ago of the 10 gal...]

I don't have any footage of the 29 gal tank with the kois but as you sad and very disappointed fish hobbyists will say, BOTH TANKS WERE VERY OVERCROWDED.

My mother one day many years ago after my sea monkeys died [Yes, I cried.. I was a little boy who loved seamonkeys [BRINE SHRIMP] bought this massively overcrowded 10 gal tank and its inhabitants. Honestly, the blame is to be put on the LFS that sold this, it was an Asian shop that were down-to-the-earth just greedy and would try to make as much profit as possible. Throughout the past 7 years [When I first became a hobbyist], neither me nor my mom understood the fish cycle, the space these goldfish require, how to do proper water changes [never had a gravel vacuum], how to properly transport fish, what water parameters were, even how to feed fish at times... miraculously, these fish survived for seven years (a few comets died here and there) until one day, it was freezing cold outside, my mother did a 100% water change in the 29 gal [we do this very often, but they survive] and hosed the tank with FREEZING water and these hardy fish finally died.

Fast forward half a year and now, I'm trying to reform these horrible deeds and raise a cichlid community (why cichlids? because I got bored of 7 years of docile goldfish and want a community that sorta resembles humans...) the right way. But, I don't want to make the same mistakes. The fish tank has already been cycled with lots of bacteria [checked the gravel & filter, etc] and checked the water parameters. They appear to be looking fine for cichlids.

Then, I decided to buy a juvenile oscar [I've been wanting these guys for YEARS but wouldn't keep them in a goldfish community for obvious reasons] and a juvenile jack dempsey [like their colors, but mine hides a lot] after hours and days of research. They say these guys are a hit or miss to keep together but most of the forums and articles I read insist to try it out and I can always return/exchange one of the guys if a problem persists. It's been almost a week now and I have witnessed no territorial behavior nor fin nipping or chases or any aggression [Maybe I got two females, I can't sex them].

TL;DR

So my question is this: Can I really keep these juvenile jack dempsey and oscar together & Will they start showing aggression as they get older? They're both around 1.5 inches and I recently went on a shopping spree on eBay to buy them cichlid pellets, a heater [Yes, I haven't used one ever since now], some new LED lights, some decor, prime, etc. [~$150]
Right now, they're doing fine and seem to be friendly toward one another but I'm afraid they start to show aggression as they get older. Yes, the tank will be upgraded from a 29 gal to a 125 gal as soon as I get my first paycheck (so size won't be a problem) [Woot, I'm working as a tutor but I really want to apply to Petsmart. Also, I pay for the equipment, fish, food, even the electricity bill as a High School student since my mom really thinks I'm crazy now spending so much time reading fish articles/videos and she's low on $$$]

I recorded some footage of the juvenile jack dempsey and oscar to show their interaction together:

Please let me know if they're looking healthy and if the Jack Dempsey hiding a lot is normal [I read it was] and what gender they are?

EXTRA
I also have a HUGE other question that should be saved for a new thread [basically, I want to add a dozen ghost shrimp to eat the uneaten food [though I'm very careful to feed small amounts] but I want these suckers to SURVIVE from the cichlids... is it possible at all considering they're small juvenile cichlids & I also want to introduce a breeding pair of convicts... since I'll have two tanks soon, but can they live in harmony meanwhile?]

 

Oscars can grow to more than a feet and need at least a 75 gallon.

Ghost shrimp probably won't survive more than a day in the tank. They'll be eaten as soon as they are put in the tank.

Don't know about oscar jack dempsey compatibility.

 

Oscars are South American Cichlids, and JDs are Central American.

 

Oscars are South American Cichlids, and JDs are Central American.

Whilst that is true, I hear you could mix the American cichlids provided there is enough space (hiding spots), water parameters are pristine, etc; I guess it's a hit or miss in some cases.

Oscars can grow to more than a feet and need at least a 75 gallon.

Ghost shrimp probably won't survive more than a day in the tank. They'll be eaten as soon as they are put in the tank.

Don't know about oscar jack dempsey compatibility.

I'll take your word on that instead of risking a couple of dollars down the toilet since I don't plan on feeding them live critters just yet. Thanks for the reply.

 

Whilst that is true, I hear you could mix the American cichlids provided there is enough space (hiding spots), water parameters are pristine, etc; I guess it's a hit or miss in some cases.

There is a possibility, but I highly doubt these species will work once they reach maturity. I would never even risk two juveniles, especially not in a 29 for any time period. My JD at his size could eat Oscars at the size commonly sold in pet stores. They are both extremely aggressive. You would have to at least have a 75 gallon back-up tank for the good probability it won't work out in the end.

 

It depends on each individual's temperament. I don't have experience with either fish, but I know that they can both be quite aggressive with anything else in their tank. A 125 might be a squeeze for 2 large fish. I would have a backup plan ready for any moment.

 

There is a possibility, but I highly doubt these species will work once they reach maturity. I would never even risk two juveniles, especially not in a 29 for any time period. My JD at his size could eat Oscars at the size commonly sold in pet stores. They are both extremely aggressive. You would have to at least have a 75 gallon back-up tank for the good probability it won't work out in the end.

I still have the Petsmart 2-week return/exchange guarantee, from one newbie fish owner to another experienced member, would you recommend returning the Jack Dempsey?

It depends on each individual's temperament. I don't have experience with either fish, but I know that they can both be quite aggressive with anything else in their tank. A 125 might be a squeeze for 2 large fish. I would have a backup plan ready for any moment.

Thank you so much for the reply... this is my first thread within the community and I can't believe at how fast I'm getting feedback and useful help!
Anyways, I think I might just return the big boys and settle for smaller cichlids, I definitely should had posted this thread before buying the cichlids. I'm not sure yet.

 

I still have the Petsmart 2-week return/exchange guarantee, from one newbie fish owner to another experienced member, would you recommend returning the Jack Dempsey?

There are instances where it works out, but I would keep them together in a larger tank from the start. As they get older, they are only going to become more aggressive. You would need a large back-up tank for sure.

Thank you so much for the reply... this is my first thread within the community and I can't believe at how fast I'm getting feedback and useful help!
Anyways, I think I might just return the big boys and settle for smaller cichlids, I definitely should had posted this thread before buying the cichlids. I'm not sure yet.

If you would like stocking help, we would be glad to assist.

 

If you would like stocking help, we would be glad to assist.

Sure, that'll be really kind. What do you think of a a convict pair inside the 29 gal?

 

Sure, that'll be really kind. What do you think of a a convict pair inside the 29 gal?

I think that would fare okay. I recently moved my sole Black Convict to a 29. A buddy may come shortly. He was in a 55 with two Blood Parrots. I think I would recommend about 4 or so Bolivian Rams as another option.

 

They can coexist, yes, if you had a 150 gallon or larger sized tank, in my opinion.

 

When I was a kid my dad had an Oscar. He though it was lonely so he got a Jack Dempsey. At first the Oscar would chase him around but he ended up quitting and the fish actually became tank mates for about a good 10+ years.

So yeah they can co-exist...but I would proceed with caution.

 

I've had oscars with jack dempsey's as well as with green terrors you just have to feed regularly to curb the aggression. At least that is what I had to do. You would also have to perform weekly water changes because oscars are extremely messy eaters.

 

Absolutely.

 

You have to do research! Don't buy a single fish without looking for it's requirements. The info is out there if you look.