150 gallon cichlid compatability questions/opinions

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
PoopSmart

PoopSmart

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Jun 26, 2007
1,418
5
68
mars
I made a deal with my rents to take down 3 tanks in my room for the permission to have a 3rd bigger tank in our finished basement (55, 75 and then hopefully at least a 150).

I have my sunshine oscar in my 75 who I know will want more room eventually, and also I have this little jaguar from petsmart thats growing out right now.


I want to turn my 75 into a more timid or peaceful cichlid tank with my severums and green terror.

I want this big tank to have the jaguar and the oscar, but should I put anything more than that? I know the jag will be boss so I want to have others for him to sort of disperse his aggression instead of being one on one with the oscar all the time.

I was thinking of maybe the smaller breed texas or something that just won't out mass the oscar but can still hold its own.

what are your suggestions/experiences if youve had jags and oscars together?
 
we'll and oscar in a 75 is just fine but if you wan't to make it a timid tank keep the oscar and put the green terror in the bigger tank but it might not work with the jag also it may be hard to put other fish with that jag if its a male the it will probly kill every thing. I don't know of smaller texas they all get around the same size and are all pretty aggressive but i like green texas but those red ones are awsome if you can find them but you could add other fish to that 150 if the jag allows it i'd try the green terror but be ready to move it other wise i'd try a jack dempsy or another strong but not very aggressive fish
 
Yeah my green terror is like 3 inches maybe and I have had him for the longest. My 2 and a half inch green severum picks on him, its so sad. Thats why i want to keep him in there with my severums because I want him to grow up with them and be the boss. (I used to have him in a 55 with 3 cories he was so passive)

Right now I have 2 jags I got from petsmart and 1 has doubled in size the other has grown about a half inch, so maybe ones male and ones female or ones just getting out competed, I dont know. Both are still under 2 and a half inches.

I am thinking of the carpinte. I think it doesnt get as big as the cyanaguttatus.

I feel my green terror wouldn't be aggro or even grow big enough to be with the oscar and the jaguar. I might try a jack dempsey though.


I just want to think of it now, so i can gauge what I need to get and grow out and such.

thanks
 
Ok an Oscar and a Jag will be a difficult combo not saying it won't work it's just going to be hard to control the Jag when all fish are big boys and like to play rough. I would say a GT would have a fair shot with a Jag as long as they have enough space to stretch in. I would say do a Texas, Jag, GT combo. There are no smaller texas. Texas are simply Texas cichlids. There are Carpinte which grow around 9-10" which people commonly mistake and call them Green Texas as they are a part of the Herichthys family but are not Texas. I have a Carpinte and it's mean as all hell! I'd say more so than any RD or Midas I have kept. Texas are IMO generally less aggressive than Carpinte. 150 gallons may seem alot now but once they grow to some big boys then you'll relise it is like a peanut lol. Good Luck with the decision. You can try your Oscar as some of them can stand up for them selves extremely well but if they fight the Jag will most definately win.
 
:( Thats what I am afraid of...

Would if help if the oscar has like a 5 or so inch head start?

Would that better my chances?

Also I forgot to add that I have not had much experience with filtration (wet dry, sumps, canister) so what would be the best bet on a tank like this???


also I plan on using pool filter sand (if any substrate at all).
 
Definately go BIG for filtration. I say go for a combo of wet/dry and canister. Just buy the Eheim 2229 wet/dry canister filter and another canister maybe a Eheim 2217 or even a 2215 will suffice. I am not saying a Oscar won't work but most tanks I have seen the oscars get harrassed by Jags on a constant basis. The 5 inch difference will not stop a Jag from taking down another fish. It will give the Oscar a much much better shot at owning the tank and being boss but really not for long. Try it ASAP when the Jags are young yet so they get used to your Oscar for a couple months and won't be likely to terrorize him much lol.
 
thank you, I noticed exactly how aggressive jags were when one jumped the divider in my 55 and had my flowerhorn against a corner behind the driftwood.

They remind me of a bass, streamline, big mouth, hits food hard.

could peacock bass be housed with jags for a while?

I mean there is no way they could live in there for ever, but I heard peacock bass were pretty mean.
 
Peacock Bass will not be able to live in a 150 they need minimum of 8 feet of tank.IMO I would say the minimum for peacocks is 300 gallons double of yours. They are more eat first ask questions later as they are predatory fish. Not aggro but more just like ambush and use body mass to kill. I mean there are some pretty nasty Pbass in aggression but not like larger Parachromis.
 
Yeah like a dovii. I think dovii wins aggro award.


Hmmm so its looking like this is going to be just jags so far...lol oh well.


Have you heard anything good about the rena xp4? I was looking at some canisters and wet drys but it says that one has a 450 gph flow rate...That would push a pretty good current wouldn't it? Would that be too much? Or would it just double as a powerhead?

If I had say a 180 or 240 would I be able to put the Oscar with the Jag or still no?
 
450 gallons per hour is completely fine. I have 550 gallons per hour running on a 40 gallon alone so... XP4's are great filters but I would go Eheim if you got the extra $$$. Fluval is another good brand as you probably know. They make reliable and good filters.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom