Oscar tankmates..........need help please

[Blue goldfish]

I've gotten ahold of a pair of really red oscars. They've both got bottomless pits for stomachs. They are about 3in in length. I would like to add other fish to this setup as they grow and get older. What other fish would make good tankmates for this set of oscars??? I know another oscar would but what other cichlids, oddballs, coldwater fish would make good tankmates for them. Yes they are kept at coldwater temps. But oddly enough our local fish stores all keep and raise the fish they sell in cold water. So a coldwater or tropical fish mixture won't be a problem. If you need to know tank size, lets say for a 150gallon tank. Would a 8in common goldfish be a good tankmate???? I know what i'm diving into so don't worry. Hey if i can provide for a 2 yr old goldfish that's already 8in..........i can provide for these oscars. Thanks.:D

[CoCoFiShY]

Some of the tankmates that I think should be OK is

pleco
Small Jack dempsey
Small green terror
small convict
tinfoil barbs
bala sharks
Silver dollors
small pacu

by the way i dont think it's a good idea to keep cichlids in cold water

[GEV83]

All the fish given by CoCo are good except for the pacu's. I also agree though that no cichlid should be kept in cold water I would slowly raise the tamp til its were its suppost to be at.

[K_S_W_I_S_S]

a pacu will get way too big for a 150g..... what are you thinking coco???

[CoCoFiShY]

oo sorry

[K_S_W_I_S_S]

its ok, everyone makes mistakes (but me, and God of course) :D

[scott]

Actually GER1023 some cichlids are coldwater fish (most, if not all, of the gymnogeophagus form the La Plata Basin). They are recomended (Weidner 2000) to be kept at no more than 77 degrees farenheight and have the temp dip down to 59 for aproximately two months a year as these are the conditions found in their natural habitat.
However, Oscars are not found in the La Plata Basin. If your room is 78 degrees then I reckon you don't need to heat the tank but if you don't then I would (heat the tank that is, not the room.;) )
As far as tankmates (okay I screwed this one up last week for lack of notice of some silver dollars but I don't think I missed anything this time. It's not a 75 right rolleyes:) I would think dempseys, GT, or convict would be fine. You could also try Geophagus Brazilensis (really any of the geophagus IMHO these are just the only ones I've kept with oscars)or some salvini. How about a Carpintis? A 150 has a big footprint. Or maybe skip the cichlids and have some pictus cats or some clown loaches. There are lots of choices with well constructed hiding places.
One last thing wouldn't tinfoil barbs kept in the appropriate numbers (in my understanding six or more) also get to big?

[0scar]

Get some Siamese Tigers!!! :D

All LFS's (where I am from) match Oscars and Tigers in the same tank when for sale and as well as display... With a pair of Oscars, and a single Tiger... they'll take up about the same amount of space when matured... ;)

Don't put in a goldfish... he'll be a big chew toy for them. I had a clown knife and a tinfoil barb in my tank, both were bigger than my oscars... they were slain within the day... :confused:

Ack, I also have to add on, you definantly want a bottom feeder to make your tank look presentable.. considering Oscars are very messy pigs when it comes to eating... Get a.. umm... Red-tailed Catfish, Channel Catfish, Tiger Loach, Plecostomus, a small school of large Clown Loaches or umm... be like me and get a Featherfin Squeaker (Synodontis Eupteris) ;)

[Blue goldfish]

Thanks alot for the responses ya'll. I think i'm gonna try for a channel cat for the bottom part of the tank fish. As for the others......i still haven't decided yet. I want to explore as many species as possible and research each before i make any decision. What about a texas cichlid, jack demssey(???) or something like that?? Hmm..........any more suggestions and advice is welcome. :D

[dbcb314]

yeah, you need a ground feeder, id get a school of clowns, it would be cool. for another cichlid, i would get a green terror, dempsey, or maybe a red terror.

[0scar]

A channel catfish is what my LFS suggested to me, but I myself recommended a schol of Clown Loaches to my brother for fun, but a Dempsey would be a nice tank mate as well, if tht's one of your top favourites, I'd go with that one.

[scott]

First off the Carpintis I suggested is a texas. Second I have a blue channel cat and I love him. He is in my 55 right now. I have had him almost a month and he has grown almost two inches! They are supposed to hit well over a foot in the first year. I am transfering him to my 150 when it is done cycling but recognize he will probably also outgrow that. They are the common catfish you catch with chicken livers all up and down the east coast and can get up to 60 or so pounds! They eat up anything that will fit in their mouth. I will put mine in a pond when he outgrows my tank.
I would strongly recommend the geophagus they are beautiful fish, you can look them up on this site they are called pearl cichlids. They are realitively peacful and get to 10 inches plus. A red terror will not in no way no how work, he would shred your oscars, mine is only about three inches and attacks flake food with a passion. They are amphilophus festae similar to red devils, trimacs and midas...super agro.