Oscar, Pleco, Dempsey Question......

[Ender]

I have a 75 Gallon tank with the following tankmates:

4" Albino Oscar
4" Tiger Oscar
8" Royal Pleco
4" Albino Pleco
6 Cories (can move to other tank if I need to)
7" Striped Rapheal
Live Plants (so far the oscars left them alone)

I just bought a pair of Jack Dempseys (1-2") for one of my other tanks, although it looks like I might be selling that tank and I don't like to take fish back to the store. Would my Jack's get along with all the tankmates in my 75 gallon tank?? I realize I may want to let them get a little bigger before I put them in there....maybe.....I find putting fish in the tank you want them in when they are younger makes them more tolerant towards the fish.

I had 4 severums since they were 1" until they were ?full grown? ~7" They got along fine in a 90 gallon with an Oscar, electic yellow cichlid (saved from friends tank), the same catfish I have now. Then I took them back to a store I trust since my new apartment couldn't have a 90 gal, with a similar tank and the weekend after I dropped them off she said 2 of the sev's beat up & killed the other 2.

I know it just depends on the fish, but from your exp what would you say? I can move the cories if I have to, and I would like my royal pleco to stay in one unbeaten up piece. Thanks for the help, I have just heard Jacks are very aggressive so I am hessitant to put them in my main tank.

[DarthV]

Dempseys aren't "very" aggressive, but they are definitely a lot more nasty than your oscars. You'd probably need a 125gal or more to house a couple adult oscars and dempseys. A pair of oscars will need 90gal on their own. And a pair of dempseys probably 55 or so.

[dcallen]

Hi,

Given how large Oscars get I would say that for two adults you would want a 125 gallon tank for them alone to give them adequate room, when they get larger they will not be too happy in your 75 gallon IMHO. I would think you would want to keep your other tank for the JD's and look into getting a larger tank at some point for the Oscars, or perhaps sell the other tank and put that cash towards a larger tank for the Oscars and keep your 75 gallon for the JD's, theres quite a few possibilities you could explore. I think after all the fish get larger your 75 gallon tank would be severly overstocked. Whatever you decide good luck with it.



HTH

[NickH]

Wait a sec...you can have a 75 in your apartment and not a 90? They take up the same amount of space....

Or you couldn't have BOTH tanks....?

[Ender]

The 90 gallon tank I had a couple years ago. Moved to an apartment where there wasn't enough room. Now I'm at a different apartment and I have room again. Don't want to move back into one as small as before so I should always have room for it now.

[peifc]

Why not try to get a 92 gallon bow front corner tank? I have one 72 bow front long and 92 bow front corner tank. Didn't take much space at all.

[Ender]

Okay, were getting off topic....I *have* enough space in this apartment. Now $$$ for a bow front....thats a separate problem.

[peifc]

:p sorry...hehe

Personal opinion...and witnessed...someone has JD with GT before. Oscars are sweet temper fish...only when it is feeding and breeding time. I've only seen Oscars kill fish that is small then them. Well...not exactly kill...more like swallowing that thing. Hehe...

However, if you check out the post "Pictures of my jack dempsey", CoCoFiShY does have GT, JD, and Oscar together. Who knows...maybe your oscars will be fine with JDs.