120g Oscar tank stocking

[pennyg]

noob here, and it has probably been asked a dozen times before
I have set up a 120g so I can keep an Oscar or two. I would like to have maybe a Severum for a flashy color? I called a LFS and asked if they stock Severum and the person was discouraging me from keeping with Oscars and suggested JD or Firemouth or Texas cichlids. Is Severum a bad choice to keep with Oscars? if so why?
I would also like to keep a Raphael cat for cleaning up?? Am I going in the wrong direction with my tank?

 

[duanes]

Of all the cichlids listed,I would say th Sev is the best choice to house with oscars; because they come from similar soft water conditions that oscars do, soft low pH water in South America.
That said, in the end (when they are adults) a 120 is probably only big enough for the 2 oscars alone.
I'm going to guess, they suggested the Central Americans (which appreciate hard water), maybe because those fish are generally more aggressive, and may be able to hold there own crammed in a 120 with oscars, but to me that kind of aggressive tank mate combination, with other aggressive tank mates is a recipe for disaster.
Or maybe because the tap water in your area is hard, and would better suit the Centrals, just guessing of course.
Maybe they just want to sell the Centrals more than the others.

 

[pennyg]

Of all the cichlids listed,I would say th Sev is the best choice to house with oscars; because they come from similar soft water conditions that oscars do, soft low pH water in South America.
That said, in the end (when they are adults) a 120 is probably only big enough for the 2 oscars alone.
I'm going to guess, they suggested the Central Americans (which appreciate hard water), maybe because those fish are generally more aggressive, and may be able to hold there own crammed in a 120 with oscars, but to me that kind of aggressive tank mate combination, with other aggressive tank mates is a recipe for disaster.
Or maybe because the tap water in your area is hard, and would better suit the Centrals, just guessing of course.
Maybe they just want to sell the Centrals more than the others.

Thanks for the reply. I know eventually the 120g will get crowded and I will have a plan for that time. I should have asked for a specific reason why they felt a Sev wouldn't be a good tank mate. Much of what I have been reading about Oscars is their aggression is bit exaggerated. My thinking is to not have another or more aggressive species provoking a fight?

 

[astrocreep]

Thanks for the reply. I know eventually the 120g will get crowded and I will have a plan for that time. I should have asked for a specific reason why they felt a Sev wouldn't be a good tank mate. Much of what I have been reading about Oscars is their aggression is bit exaggerated. My thinking is to not have another or more aggressive species provoking a fight?

FWIW......I currently have my adult Oscar in a 5ft 120gallon. He has been a lone fish since I've had him until recently. Started in a 29, then moved to a 75 for quite some time. He was looking cramped so I swapped my GT pair into his tank, and he went to their 120. I needed a spot for another female Rivulatus (4-5") and decided to take a shot by throwing her in there along with a pleco. It actually worked out pretty good, in fact I think it kinda made him mad when I removed her.

He did chase her a bit here and there, but she knew to stay in her cave when he would get fiesty. I then put my male Cyano Texas (5-6") in with him and it was a bit more hairy. The Texas was bolder and much faster than the previous Rivulatus, and there was much more chasing around the tank. I waited it out though and after awhile (couple weeks) they got along pretty much like the previous tankmate. I witnessed multiple times that my Oscar could've chomped the Texas, but he never did.

You didn't mention exactly if you planned on getting juveniles, or adult fish, or what order you planned to put the fish in the tank. These are variables that could help or hurt the situation.

If it were me and I planned on having two Oscars in a 120, I would get them at the same time as juveniles and just let that be their tank (no tankmates). I think you would be fine, a 6ft tank would be ideal.

 

[jeaninel]

I kept an Oscar and a sev together and they got along great. The sev was a female so that may or may not have made a difference. This was just my experience. Others may vary depending on the individual personalities of the fish.

 

[pennyg]

FWIW......I currently have my adult Oscar in a 5ft 120gallon. He has been a lone fish since I've had him until recently. Started in a 29, then moved to a 75 for quite some time. He was looking cramped so I swapped my GT pair into his tank, and he went to their 120. I needed a spot for another female Rivulatus (4-5") and decided to take a shot by throwing her in there along with a pleco. It actually worked out pretty good, in fact I think it kinda made him mad when I removed her.

He did chase her a bit here and there, but she knew to stay in her cave when he would get fiesty. I then put my male Cyano Texas (5-6") in with him and it was a bit more hairy. The Texas was bolder and much faster than the previous Rivulatus, and there was much more chasing around the tank. I waited it out though and after awhile (couple weeks) they got along pretty much like the previous tankmate. I witnessed multiple times that my Oscar could've chomped the Texas, but he never did.

You didn't mention exactly if you planned on getting juveniles, or adult fish, or what order you planned to put the fish in the tank. These are variables that could help or hurt the situation.

If it were me and I planned on having two Oscars in a 120, I would get them at the same time as juveniles and just let that be their tank (no tankmates). I think you would be fine, a 6ft tank would be ideal.

I want to get juveniles. I hope to be able to stock all at once. The aquarium place I have been going to usually has Oscars and Sev that are close to same size as well as some larger cats and pleco. I understand I will need to make changes as the fish all grow and the space will not be enough for them all.

 

[jeaninel]

For the 120 gallon I would suggest just one Oscar with a sev. If you get 2 Oscars they may gang up on the sev not to mention space would be tight for those 3 fish at full grown sizes. Just a suggestion.

 

[Gourami Swami]

To me, severums are probably one of the best fish to house with Oscars. They get big enough to not get eaten or pushed around much, and they tend to be relaxed enough to not go attacking the Oscar. I agree with duanes that the other fish the LFS guy suggested would be a worse match than the severum.

 

[astrocreep]

You should get 1 oscar and then build some tankmates around it. I've never had severums but apparently they are a good match. As to your comment from a few days ago, I agree Oscar aggression may be a bit exaggerated, I think they just want to be top dog most of the time. But they also can (and will) chomp down smaller fish with ease, so just use your best judgement.

I think you should get 1 Oscar and a pair of severums to start with and see how it goes from there.