Possible oscar tankmates

What size tank?

I use to have this in a tank:

3 oscars
2 convicts
1 pike cichlid
3 tinfoil barbs
2 kenyi cichlids

Now this was like.... 2 years ago when I first started with aquariums. I had these guys in a 46 gallon bow(the one my oscar and RTC are in now) They were all fine but as I found more info about these fish I slowly found new homes for everyone because face it...oscar in a 46 for life? Not a good idea.

Anyways now I use my 46 as a grow out for big fish that my friends want but can't add until they are bigger. Otherwise they'd become a snack! I love the RTC but I can't house one for life. Just for a short time. They seem fine with the oscar. There's some idea's for you.

Assuming a large enough tank:
Jack Dempsey (Can be touchy but usually works)
Firemouth
Blue Gourami
Pearl gourami
ANy type of pleco (Will nee very large tank for most)
Green Severum
Pictus cats,
Lace cat


THere are lot of other options, but THese are the ones I have owned or seen in long term tanks.

One adult Oscar really needs 75g+ if you plan to have an Oscar with more than one or two medium to large tankmates you will want to be above the 100g mark for sure. My 115g is crowded with an Oscar, a Dempsey, a Firemouth, a royal pleco and a pictus cat. When I say crowded the tank is easy enough to maintain but it looks crowded and there are constant disputes for territory.
Dave

No mated pairs of cichlids, I suggest single males as they make the better display fish usually.
This list is far from complete but are some of more common species kept with Oscars.
There are no guarantees as to compatibility, this will depend on individual temperament, personality and various other factors.
When mixing cichlids with cichlids or other species, a tank of 'more' than adequate size with a light-moderate stocking level will make things much easier for your fish and you.

Convicts
Severums
Firemouths
Jack Dempsey
Green Terror

Medium-large schooling fish in small shoals, 3+ fishh.
Silver Dollars
Giant Danios
Leporinus (will need a huge tank for adults)
Balas (will need a huge tank for adults)
Tinfoil Barbs (will need a huge tank for adults)
Large Gouramies (can usually hold their own as adults)

Various small-medium sized Cats
Pictus Pim (best in a small shoal, (2-5))
Synodontis (various)
Lace
Jaguar

Various small-medium sized Plecos
Common
Sailfin
Snowking
Goldnugget
Royals
Bulldog/Rubberlip
Bristlenose/Medusa

i didnt want to do this but i had to keep a 13in pleco,a 10 in. jack dempsey,3 mixed africans at 4in.,1 4in. mbuna, 5in firemouth,8in. albino oscar,1 5in. reg oscar and a 3 in. convict in a 35 gallon tank for a week to get my 180 gallon tank repaired for a crack but had no problems at all....! the fish where great together there was alot of work with keeping the tank right but i was amazed on how it worked out but ive always had them all in a 180 gallon no problems, and i have a weird pleco it doesnt scavenge he flips over on his back and sucks down flake hand fead he wont move around he just floats there until you literally put it in his mouth

re : possible tank mates

Now from my experience, dont put a pacu fish in there. My oscar and pacu fought like siamese fighting fishes and the Oscar died and the pacu's gills were
inflammed and very red. After that happened i never got an oscar & pacu again. i was traumatized.

srangel said:

Now from my experience, dont put a pacu fish in there. My oscar and pacu fought like siamese fighting fishes and the Oscar died and the pacu's gills were
inflammed and very red. After that happened i never got an oscar & pacu again. i was traumatized.

Click to expand...

Pacus and some other very large growing fish shouldn't even be sold to the general public.

i set a tank up a 300 gallon acrylic for my parents and stocked with two pacus and two albino oscars the plecus are about 16 in. and the oscars are 10 in. i baught the pacus smaller than the oscars a month from when i got the oscars and they are all still alive they dont bother eachother at all i think its cause of them beeing in pairs but they are great fish and fun to watch havent had any problems so far

empathicplec13i said:

i set a tank up a 300 gallon acrylic for my parents and stocked with two pacus and two albino oscars the plecus are about 16 in. and the oscars are 10 in. i baught the pacus smaller than the oscars a month from when i got the oscars and they are all still alive they dont bother eachother at all i think its cause of them beeing in pairs but they are great fish and fun to watch havent had any problems so far

Click to expand...

Two Pacu and two O's in a mere 300gal tank!? :thud:

You might really wanna think about a 1000+gal tank, up and running fairly soon.
Pacus are not fish meant for standard aquaria, they're barely suitable for all but the really big public/private mega aquariums
Pacus get very large, are incredibly powerful, eat alot and generate the copious amounts of feces/urine to go with it.
They are true 'Tankbusters', one moment of panic, a mad dash for supposed safety and you have alot of water and fish on the floor.
I really suggest you get rid of them 'IF' you can.

These pics were created to show a user at O'fish.com how her 300gal with two adult Pacu and two adult O's would look.
Not much room for swimming...
Or anything else, will you like doing 75%+ PWC's every day to manage bodywaste?
Black Pacus

Red Bellied Pacus

Photoshopping by T_Chelle16.