Catfish for Oscar Tank Advice

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bozistheboss

AC Members
Mar 18, 2006
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Hello. :)

I've been renovating my 75 gallon lately and I'm considering turning it into an Oscar tank. I've been doing a lot of research on Oscars and I think the tank will be well prepared for its new inhabitant once I'm done with it. (Though I might buy another filter for it, just to be on the safe side!)

I would like to get some catfish for tankmates but I'm unsure whether or not a 75 is too small. I've been considering getting 2-3 bumblebee catfish (Pseudopimelodus raninus, I believe) since their max size is around 6 inches. (They were on a list I found of recommended catfish tankmates for Oscars-- if they're bad choices, let me know!).

I don't want to overstock so I thought I'd check on here to see what others think.
 
Hmm, I once found a baby electric catfish at a department store pet section (not Wal-Mart, this was many years ago). I thought it might get along with my African cichlids well enough, being so small, and would be raised together with them. Next day: one cichlid dead, one cichlid dying, and a third that was never quite right afterwards.
So, I gave the wee bugger to a friend who had a 125 containing 3 adult oscars and a pacu the size of a dinner plate. The catfish entered the tank, and the dominant oscar though "feeder fish, YUM". It got quite close, then suddenly turned back...twice. The second oscar only tried once, the third oscar never even bothered. The giant pacu seemed terrified of the small (2") catfish from the start. A week later I stopped in to see how it was doing. Wherever the little catfish was, the other fish were as far away as they could get, and stayed that way as they all swam around the tank. :eek:
:Angel:
On a more useful note, a Synodontis catfish like S. eupterus should be a reasonably good choice of tankmates for an oscar. Just provide it with cover so it has a spot to call "home", and make sure it's too large for the oscar to fit into its mouth. Bumblebee catfish are strictly nocturnal, and will never be visible even if the oscar doesn't eat them when it grows large enough.
 
jodimartin2003 said:
I think the raphael catfish would go well. They are armoured so no need to worry about them being attacked or eaten.
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Doubly safe because they are typically ninja fish - invisible. Unless it's time for his favourite wardley tropical flakes, our striped raph spends all day hiding under a piece of slate. Raphaels are also very effective at defending themselves - not all of those spiny things are just for show.
 
LMAO @ the electric catfish. That'll teach those big fish.

Synodontis is the upside-down catfish, right? Those are all over the place where I live, I shouldn't have much trouble finding one.

I'm not sure if I've ever seen raphael cats, but then again, I've never really looked. I'll check them out, too. Do either of these species need buddies or are they solitary fish?

I don't mind having nocturnal fish. I just want to get some good tank cleaners and I don't really want to drop 20-40 dollars for an exotic, smaller variety of pleco (smaller in the sense that its max size is not, like.. two feet LOL). Being nocturnal also probably helps with, y'know, not getting eaten or bullied by the oscar. :P

Thanks for the suggestions. :)
 
Raphael or Syno's are generally fine as single fish. There are a few species of Syno's that are schooling fish, but they are dwarf species not suitable for keeping with an oscar (except for S. decorus, which grows to about 12" and requires a huge tank for a group to be properly housed).
Raphael catfish are generally less expensive, I just don't like fish I never see. If the raphael has a suitable cave, you'll have to pick it up occaisinally to make sure the critter is still breathing... :rolleyes:
 
Hiding places won't be a problem. I have a stack of driftwood I cured and I plan on setting up an interesting display for decor. If I can get my hands on some anubias, I'll tie them to it until they can root. (Hopefully, Oscars won't be able to pick established Anubias off of a piece of driftwood!)
 
(Hopefully, Oscars won't be able to pick established Anubias off of a piece of driftwood!)
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So, you've never kept cichlids before? Cichlids are famous for rearranging their tank to suit themselves. When it comes to live plants, what they don't eat they will uproot or tear up just because...
 
I've kept small ones before and anubias were usually left alone. I've never had a BIG cichlid before, though, so that was probably a bad idea, huh? :P
 
Actually, it depends on the individual fish. They all have their own "personalities", it may work alright. Personally, I use plastic plants in my cichlid tanks. They don't get eaten, and are easier to replant if they do get uprooted...
 
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