Pacu and oscar odd combination?

[t_h_e_s_a_c_k]

I have a small oscar and pacu together in a 75g. The oscar is about 4.5" long, and so is the pacu. I know eventually i have to get rid of the pacu and i will. They get along great, it's almost like they play together like a puppy would play with it's mother... if you know what i mean... the pacu will swim around the oscar and bump into it and then the oscar will do the same back but harder. They also wim past eachother really fast. It may sound like they are maybe fighting but that's definately not what it looks like, there's no biting involved at all. It's unlike any fish behavior i've seen before. Is this unusual at all? has anyone else seen this happen before? Ill be sure to post pics soon.

[OrionGirl]

Moved to the Cichlid forum.

[Harry Tolen]

Pacus get along fine with almost all large cichlids. In addition, they are virtually bullet-proof and so are great target fish for mixing things up in a large community tank.

I have four pacus in a 400g tank with two pairs of synspila, a citrinellum, and a few other fish. Their schooling activity and constant movement keeps the cichilds from getting too upset with each other.

But the reason why I have four pacus is that they were all orphans, abandoned at fish stores by previous owners. When you say you are going to "get rid" of yours you appear to believe that there is an aftermarket market for these fish, which I can assure you there is not. Most fish stores won't even take them, because they can't be sold, and all public aquaria long ago accepted their limit.

I would suggest you consider getting a 125g short term, and then a 240g long term, (or build an indoor pond) and keep yours. In the 125g it will be fine with the oscar for a long time; in the 240g it will be fine forever. Also, in that larger tank you could add a few more large fish, and have a really remarkable specimen tank.

[ChilDawg]

What, exactly, are you gonna do with the Pacu when it outgrows the tank?

[Wippit Guud]

As bad as it sounds... aren't Pacu supposed to be pretty tasty?

[Tightdog1]

WIPPIT GUUD -> yes i have heard of paucs being eaten, in fact they are a delacasy in mexico and southeran america. they were once bred jsut as food bkuz of their large size, often up to 3 feet and 50 lbs! iw as just gonna eat mine until i posted a thread on her about ewating fish that you raised in your tanks and it was said it ws not a good idea since all the medications and chemicals that are piut into the tanks every week. and those may be good for the fish but not humans. so i decided against it.

HARRY TOLEN -> yea all tanks i have seem pacus in there are lots of varying cichlids. like MOJO has an indoor pond with black pacu, red pacu and cichloids like red devils, jaguars, oscars, convicts, festae, rainbow, firemouth, chocolate, dovii, salvini and some other fish like red tailed cats, gouarmis, and tinmfoil barbs. but u prob already know that. http://www.aquamojo.com/pond.html

T_H_E_S_A_C_K -> you are gonna have such a hard time finding a home for your pacu, ive been trying for like 4 months to get rid of my pacus but i will NEVER put them into a lake as many people do! ive even tried to pay the LFS to take tham and they still wont!! it sux.

[ChilDawg]

Yep, they're good eating...but I'd be worried about any medicines that might have been in the tank at some point...if they haven't been medicated, the Pacus are good food!

[BigFishDude]

Also their muscle tone is like mush, as they have no room for exercise.

[Wippit Guud]

Mushy muscles... Pacu Chowder? :)

What if you stuck it in a non-medicated pond fora couple of weeks to flush it out? (does that sound as dumb as I fear it does?)

[ChilDawg]

A lot of meds stay in the tissue in low levels for good...they might not flush out after a few weeks...

[Wippit Guud]

True, but I bet a lot of fish caught in lakes have low levels of mercury... maybe the fish meds would counter-act it.


Or maybe I'd explode like I ate pop rocks and drank a coke...



POP

[demon_surfer]

i suggest you plan to keep your pacu

if you dont want to shell out the big bucks for a tank then look into a pond....they are cheaper if you make them yourself ..or you can try this. Its an idea i had recently -

the 8ft diamiter intech pool that is being sold in Wallmart for about 80 bucks, it comes ready plumbed with a filter included. It is made of vinyal and has no chemicals whatsoever.

the filter it comes with but can be replaced easily. i looked at the laguna powerflo 4500. that would bring the price up to about 160 if you purchased it at big als....that means you can get something like a 944 gallon pond for 160bucks!!!!

I really really wish i had room in my house for this. If you have a garage or basement then this could work very well for you.

Heating could be a problem but could be solved im sure. with a pool like this you can keep your oscar and pacu and get alot more fish in there....Plus you would have an excuse to turn you garage or what ever totally over to fish!! :D :D

oh i just remebered, if you want to investigate filters for it the hoses that are plumbed into the pool are 1 1/2 inch wide

[ChilDawg]

That set-up sounds pretty cool...let me know if it works out well for you!

[Rare Cichlids]

No offense Harry, but I don't think a 240 will be large enough. My 22" Red Belly (adopted) makes my 500g look like a goldfish bowl.

If you decide to keep your Pacu, you might look into building a plywood tank. Very cheap and much nicer than a pond.

[The Introvert]

To be honest...

I remember a great documentary of South America's Amazon. It was on PBS it showed all the Wildlife including the rivers. And I remember one segment. It had this tree which had great fruit but, It was cover in thorns making it hard for primates and such other land walkers, except birds. But every time they would peck at the fruit they would be unable to hold them in there beak and would fall and others would break loose.

The it showed big Pacus probably the Red Belly since they weren't huge like the blackish green ones and Oscars swimming together eating this fruit. I also remember a "Geophagus" just siffting though sand. And because of the Pacu's jaw they were able to crack threw it and the oscars would eat whatever they couldn't eat and vice versa.

So I think there is some kind of connection with these two species.

As for them tasting good. Medicated or not there great. Caldo de Pacu es deliciouso, Muy deliciouso! It has a Tilapia taste real flaky and talk about a steak sized fillet.

Why don't they stock ponds out here with them instead of Grass Carp "White Amur" and "tilapia"?

By the way
Pacu in Suda America is ALOT cheaper then it being served in Mexico!!!

[ChilDawg]

Tilapia are more economically sound, and they probably eat more of what pond owners need removed...as do grass carp! :)

[Tightdog1]

Or maybe I'd explode like I ate pop rocks and drank a coke... does not make you explode but it will give you gas.

But if you wish to flush out their system put them in the pond for like 2 months then their system wil b clean except for the chemicals and stuff that is actually in their bones and tissues that wont get fushed. but keep me posted cause i neeed to do sumthing with my pacus.