My new tank

I personally don't think you're too heavily stocked. is this a breeding pair of oscars or just a couple individuals? I think Jack Dempsey's are a good addition and fairly colorful as well. Maybe something like a few tinfoil barbs or a couple bala sharks? never actually kept these fish, yet, but someday (fingers crossed). Kyle

nope, oscars are south american and require softwater and electric yellows are from lake malawi in africa and have hardwater requirements. It's not recommended by anyone I've talked to to mix cichlids from different places. they usually end up killing eachother if they survive the water. oscars are considered fairly laid back cichlids and should have similar tankmates. Maybe you should just add some more cichlids? maybe a couple other large catfish? pacu's can also be descent with oscars from what I've seen and heard but some of those can get WAY too large for your tank. Kyle

not really colorful (depending on your taste) but a school of giant danio's would look great in there and give the oscars something to chase possibly. More colorful would be boesmani rainbows but I'm not real sure how or if they would coexist with the oscars. I'm not much help on the loaches either. where are you located? bluegill sunfish would be a very cheap (prettymuch free) fish about that size with lots of color and I don't believe they would be considered aggressive in relation to most cichlids. Kyle

khuli loaches!? :laugh: i'm sorry but you mean those little wormy looking ones? no way!

oscars would slurp those up as a pre-appetizer.

or if you mean clown loaches.... then possibly. large show-size clowns might be okay with an oscar.

what about larger new-worlds?

or if you want the oscars to really stand out... i would go with some sort of schooling fish. tinfoil barbs would be neat.... you want something large.


HTH
-Diana

Oscars are mean green eating machines.... i'm pretty sure they'd find the loaches soon enough. Yeah, they will survive a while, but eventually will all be picked off.


Is it really worth it?

Originally posted by Deniz
But the loaches are the fastest swimming fish I know of, also, there is plenty of hiding spots and ALSO, they are NOCTURNAL. They hide during the day and come out to feed when the oscars are snoozing.

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My khuli loaches are new to the tank and even they are cruising the tank during the day. My understanding is that they adapt to aquarium life and lose some of that nocturnal instinct. they are fast but I could easily see a determined fish catching them.

Tom