125g tank mates

[pooka37]

i currently have 3 med-large oscars and 3 med jack dempsies in a 125g tank. i was wondering what, if any, tank mates i could throw in with them, considering i have more than adequate filtration, hiding spots, and so far, no territory disputes. first and foremost, i would like to get a catfish to clean up after the little pigs.

[Sploke]

How big are the fish now? That tank will be full, borderline too full, once all those fish are full grown. I would think that any catfish that gets big enough to not be bothered by the cichlids might be too much bioload for the tank.

It all depends on how much work you're willing to do though...what kind of filtration do you have, and whats your water change schedule like?

[pooka37]

the biggest is about 9in and the smallest is about 6. i do about a 25% water change once a month while vacuuming the gravel, i feed only pellet and frozen and only what they consume in about a 3 minute span, and i have two aquaclear (forget what ones) that filter a total of about 5-600 gallons/hour. i know the guys i have now are gonna get huge; they're going through a growth spurt now since i moved them from the 55 they started in. i was just curious. but i definitly need some way to pick up the scraps at the bottom.

[jm1212]

first, your tank will be pretty OS once they are all fully grown. a 125 will support 2 oscars and a JD, but not three of each.

you also need to start changing water every week, especially with your stocking. you need to get another filter also. 500-600 gph is not enough for a 125, especially with the fish you have in it. oscars are very messy fish.

the only way i can see you getting the scraps off of the bottom is gravel vacs every week.

[llamabob]

Just curous, I thought dempseys didn't lik same species? Do they do ok?

[fishcatch22]

I think you're going to have trouble, especially if you get breeding pairs of each species... it will be madness! I reccomend just keeping a pair of either the JDs or the oscars. then you can get a pictus catfish for the bottom.

[pooka37]

the jacks actually do well with one another. in fact, two of them hang out together all the time. the older one keeps to himself, but he's not agressive towards the others.