Best oscar and female jag tankmates?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
tommybhermitage said:
It's a 125 now, oscars maybe 4 jag 3 jd 2. I might end up upgrading after some years but not certain.


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Well the recommended tank size for a jag is 125. And that is with nothing else in the tank except maybe a pleco. I am not entirely certain about jag rate of growth, but oscars grow fast. They need 75g to themselves with very little wiggle room for tankmates. If you are not going to upgrade for some years, it might be wise to keep the stock as is. The other option you are left with is housing other cichlids there temporarily and rehoming them once your aggression levels start to climb. But ultimately, you will need to watch the Oscar and jag carefully once they reach their max sizes. Both those fish will not have enough territory in a 125 at full grown size.

If you go the temporary tankmates route, you will still need something of an aggressive level. Now oscars tend to be more on the semi-aggressive, "gentle giant" side and its uncommon (though not unheard of) to find an Oscar that is a bully. I know little bout jags, but have read they are fairly aggressive and will not tolerate territorial invasion. Jack dempseys, green terrors, and convicts are the fish I know enough about to tentatively say are okay. Special attention should be paid to the jaguar and its aggression. If things get too rough, someone will have to go.


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I know, I've heard female jags can be in a 75, males 125 preferably 180. And the oscar and jag get along great they follow each other lol, the jags female. I have a small male dempsey I think I'm gonna try. My oscars pretty aggressive and the jags more passive.


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tommybhermitage said:
I know, I've heard female jags can be in a 75, males 125 preferably 180. And the oscar and jag get along great they follow each other lol, the jags female. I have a small male dempsey I think I'm gonna try. My oscars pretty aggressive and the jags more passive.


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Well you may have lucked out with the jag.The tension should be lower than expected as they get older because they are growing up together. The JD is definitely worth a shot too. Just be sure to keep an eye on aggression. In my experience, aggressive oscars are not often seen. But again, its uncommon, not unheard of. LOL Keep an eye on the jag too. With large cichlids, attitudes tend to change as they get bigger. Suddenly the fish they grew up with who was bigger than them is now smaller and the tank dynamic flips.


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tommybhermitage said:
Would it be better to have a female dempsey or male?


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Female would be best if you are going to try to keep them all to full size in that 125 (make sure to have it fairly decorated with caves or other rock structures to break line of sight to better help reduce aggression). But if you are going to upgrade in the next 1.5-2 years, a male would likely work better. The JD will likely be the least aggressive if your Oscar has an attitude and it will also be the smallest. There are pros and cons with that one. A male will be more aggressive and better able to stand up to the jag and Oscar when outbreaks of aggression happen, but it will also likely cause a few of those outbreaks with its aggression. A female would be more docile and less likely to stir things up, but it would also be more apt to become a target to the jag and Oscar when they are in a mood.


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