justinfox Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 Hi all, Been a LONG time since I have been on these forums. I have an 8ft tank with 2 old female Albino Oscars in it. One is almost completely blind the other is very strong and both are very beautiful fish/pets. I have kept them together in a 4ft tank for 5 years and in the 8ft now for a year. I was wondering if you all have any suggestions on what else I can keep in this 8ft tank with them? The 2 love each other a lot and so I'd hate for something aggressive to be in the tank with them. Sometimes they look bored so something they interact with every now and then would be nice. It's a very empty tank with just 2 oscars in it so any suggestions would be appreciated! I am already making moves to get a large pleco in there so if anyone has one for sale please get back to me (I am in Sydney). Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katanaone Posted October 2, 2004 Share Posted October 2, 2004 how about getting some silver scats or silver dollars...or more oscars i would love to say get a jag or reed devil or even a dovii...but you said you didn't want much aggression and if any one of these figures out that your oscar is blind... ...choose wisely and try to pick something that is smaller and much faster than the oscars. now that i think about it severums are pretty non-agro fish that will get large enough to interact with the oscars and defend themselves if need be. cheers mate good luck let us know what you decide on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cannula Posted October 2, 2004 Share Posted October 2, 2004 3 or 4 severums could go will with some good cover if you want medium to large relatively non-aggressive Americans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discusdude Posted October 2, 2004 Share Posted October 2, 2004 IMO geophagus brasiliensis would be perfect! They are a great looking fish, not to pugnacious, they get to the same size as Oscars (30 - 35cm) and they are also South American. There common name is Pearl Eartheater. Chocolate cichlids (Hypselecara temporalis) would also be great! They, like the severum, are a mediums sized, moderatly aggresive South American cichlid. Here is an article about them from SCP Chocolate cichlid Another fish to consider would be Uaru, although they would have to be pretty large and theirfore expensive! Also you could try some A. rivulatus or even Petenia splendida which IME havent proved to be too aggresive! One last fish, Heros festivus, would be okay, provided they are 15cm + Cheers Alistair Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justinfox Posted October 3, 2004 Author Share Posted October 3, 2004 Cheers for the suggestions peoples. I ended up buying 3 tinfoil barbs as they're very fast. Even though they're fast they were getting hammered by my Oscars all night last night. One this morning isn't looking too great but it looks like they might hang in there and the Oscars might soon accept them. I hope so as they're not a cheap fish these barbs! Damn it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 I'll 2nd the severum idea (if the tinfoils die) because they are a plentiful (and cheap) fish to get a hold of. If you like schooling fish, then I'd suggest silver dollars, or maybe spotted pacu (same thing with spots, basically - less boring) Completely the wrong shape to fit in the oscars mouths easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justinfox Posted October 4, 2004 Author Share Posted October 4, 2004 When I got up this morning all 3 of the barbs had died!!! Damn these Oscars are mean fish!!! They died from stress as the Oscars just would leave them alone. I've been pretty upset about it all day. Upset that I killed 3 perfectly healthy fish and also that they were damn expensive. I only got them because they were A) Big enough not to be eaten and B) the store person said they would be fine as they're very fast swimmers. Fast they were... so fast that they were smashing into the glass very hard when trying to get away from the Oscars. So it's looking like I am back to an 8ft tank with 2 Oscars in it. Damn! As much as I would love to turn the tank into a beautiful African set-up I just can't part with my Oscars as I love them so much (I hate them at the moment!!! lol). They're like pets to me and I can't justify moving them both back into theior little 4ft tank... so.. damn. I might try a large Severum or 2. Maybe... I have a feeling the Oscars will give the Severums grief too though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trofius Posted October 5, 2004 Share Posted October 5, 2004 next time you add fish also add afew big terracotta pots or something for the fish to hide in, also moving around the tank will occupy th eoscars for a while. When I had oscars and i moved something in th etank they would try and move it back, or sulk because they couldn't... I hav seen a few tanks with oscars and big severum, chocolates, blackbelts, what about a red devil?, i have had natives with oscars aswell, striped grunters and salmon tailed catfish, even red claw and a turtle! Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Citypainter Posted October 5, 2004 Share Posted October 5, 2004 How about getting a devider plate made up. One that allows smaller fishe to come and go but traps the Oscars to half the tank. Just a suggetion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlakeyBoyR Posted October 5, 2004 Share Posted October 5, 2004 Hmmmm, perhaps the problem is that these two mature and by the sounds of it relatively large oscars are so used to being alone that theyre not going to be too welcoming of any new company in the tank. I know Oscars can be akin to dogs sometimes and often seem quite docile etc. however it IS worth baring in mind that they do have the ability to pound almost anything else you put in with them, into submission. The only advice I could give you is to stay away from fish small enough to fit in their mouth (because thats where they will end up), stick with cheap fish at first until the oscars become accustomed to sharing their tank and make sure, if you do indeed add some tankmates, make sure you provide flower pots, wood, stone etc. for cover or I fear you will just end up with the same problem again. Hope that helps you, I wish I could be more informative but that is all I can think of for now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justinfox Posted October 6, 2004 Author Share Posted October 6, 2004 Cheers guys. I will most likely keep them alone I think. I know another big Cichlid would be OK in there but there's no doubt that it will upset my 2 female Oscars. They are like pets/dogs to me for sure and I'd hate to see them upset by adding another "mean" fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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