African Odoe Pike or Schomb Payara?

[WOLF2013]

I'm looking for an oddball characin to add to my Oscar cichlid aquarium. I am having a hard time deciding between which one to get. Both are available right now and both are perfect sizes 3-4'' each which means I would get to enjoy watching them grow up.
I just can not seem to make my mind up so that's why I am seeking your opinion.
Which one would you recommend and why?
And would they work with oscars?

 

[moe214]

Personally I'd do odoe

 

[kno4te]

Odoe.

 

[Experiment397]

Odoe

 

[WOLF2013]

I am leaning towards Odoe right now. I read that schomb payara are delicate and can die off.
What should I know about Odoe pikes?

 

[moe214]

I am leaning towards Odoe right now. I read that schomb payara are delicate and can die off.
What should I know about Odoe pikes?

They like to be in groups. Pretty easy to care for nothing special as far as caring for them

 

[RocketGarStar]

Personally, I wouldn't keep either in a tank with large cichlids. Oscars especially create large amounts of waste and Payaras and Odoes both need clean, clear, fast moving water with little to no decor to thrive. On top of that, they need a massive tank. These fish are both very large and skittish, and will no doubt be bullied (probably to death) by an oscar before they even get the chance to mature.

 

[moe214]

Personally, I wouldn't keep either in a tank with large cichlids. Oscars especially create large amounts of waste and Payaras and Odoes both need clean, clear, fast moving water with little to no decor to thrive. On top of that, they need a massive tank. These fish are both very large and skittish, and will no doubt be bullied (probably to death) by an oscar before they even get the chance to mature.

False. Odoe like calm water. Show me one bigger than 14". My tank has plenty of dw. Odoe can live in a 120, more length it'd surely be happier though. Skittish depends on the specimen. Mine begged like a cichlid at times for food and would chase my finger if I waved it back and forth in front of the glass fast. Mine was fine with a jag. When it comes to cohabitating fish there's no definitive answer. So to say it will "no doubt be bullied" by a fish that isn't even that territorial (oscar) isn't the brightest. You can get a very mean odoe and it kill the oscar or vice versa. Or you can get two average fish and be just fine. If it comes down to a fight my money is in the odoe, faster and larger mouth and teeth, will do more damage, not to mention oscars are easily put in place majority of the time. I'd say the cichlid produces more waste. Odoe isn't a messy eater. Can't say I saw it deficate in the 3 years I had it. My odoe grew 2" a month to 8". Faster than any oscar I've ever kept. But that's an exception I'd say. I was feeding plump feeders every day.

Also the payara in question is a scomb. Show me one larger than 12". So the need of a massive tank I guess depends on what massive is to you. And if your talking about large payara you'd be meaning armatus which would no doubt kill an oscar imo.

 

[RocketGarStar]

False. Odoe like calm water. Show me one bigger than 14". My tank has plenty of dw. Odoe can live in a 120, more length it'd surely be happier though. Skittish depends on the specimen. Mine begged like a cichlid at times for food and would chase my finger if I waved it back and forth in front of the glass fast. Mine was fine with a jag. When it comes to cohabitating fish there's no definitive answer. So to say it will "no doubt be bullied" by a fish that isn't even that territorial (oscar) isn't the brightest. You can get a very mean odoe and it kill the oscar or vice versa. Or you can get two average fish and be just fine. If it comes down to a fight my money is in the odoe, faster and larger mouth and teeth, will do more damage, not to mention oscars are easily put in place majority of the time. I'd say the cichlid produces more waste. Odoe isn't a messy eater. Can't say I saw it deficate in the 3 years I had it. My odoe grew 2" a month to 8". Faster than any oscar I've ever kept. But that's an exception I'd say. I was feeding plump feeders every day.

Also the payara in question is a scomb. Show me one larger than 12". So the need of a massive tank I guess depends on what massive is to you. And if your talking about large payara you'd be meaning armatus which would no doubt kill an oscar imo.

Here's your scomb. Odoes are super cool fish, I just don't think they'd be very well suited to live with a big dirty oscar. Also - odoes get massive and probably shouldn't be kept at all. Theyre super active predators that like to school. Just get something from the gar characin family that doesn't max out at 2 feet?

 

[moe214]

View attachment 1316417
Here's your scomb. Odoes are super cool fish, I just don't think they'd be very well suited to live with a big dirty oscar. Also - odoes get massive and probably shouldn't be kept at all. Theyre super active predators that like to school. Just get something from the gar characin family that doesn't max out at 2 feet?

That's an armatus... lol. Take a look at the sticky. Odoes don't get much bigger than a foot. They're not super active they hover majority of the time. I'll agree they like company.

Curious have you kept either? Or done much reading on them?