Can oscars do well with jack dempseys?

[Fish sticks]

If you raise them all together at the same siz e they should be fine. It's not like a small P Bass or Wolffish it will learn that they aren't food unless you up their aggression by live feeding. I don't understand why people treat Oscar like they are sharks if you raise it with same size fish it should be fine.

 

[jgentry]

If you raise them all together at the same siz e they should be fine. It's not like a small P Bass or Wolffish it will learn that they aren't food unless you up their aggression by live feeding. I don't understand why people treat Oscar like they are sharks if you raise it with same size fish it should be fine.

It has nothing to do with the oscars attitude or it's ability to eat other fish. It has everything to do with how much waste they produce. Oscars in general are not mean fish and nobody is claiming they are. They are just extremely messy and require large filtration, large tanks, and large amounts of tank maintenance to keep properly.

To the OP, I think you would be fine with 1 oscar and a female JD. I recommend a female becuase they are smaller and usually less aggressive.

 

[Fish sticks]

It has nothing to do with the oscars attitude or it's ability to eat other fish. It has everything to do with how much waste they produce. Oscars in general are not mean fish and nobody is claiming they are. They are just extremely messy and require large filtration, large tanks, and large amounts of tank maintenance to keep properly.

I understand that the tank needs to be large because of waste and filtration but he wasn't asking if he needed a bigger tank just if they would get along. I just feel like people act like Oscar are bullies which isn't true my friends had a Frontosa, Oscar, Jack and Blood Parrot in his tank and he got them all at the same time and they get along completely fine.

 

[Jason_S]

i have, 2 oscars, 1 jack, 1 green terror,2 tinfoil barbs,1 raphael cat,a pleco, and a red lobster in a 100 gallon. So far all get along. They have been together for about 2 yrs. The cat is 6" long and barbs about 5". The cichlids are 4-5".

Welcome to MFK . Ok that being said, I agree with the other who replied to your post. If, after 2 years, your oscars are no more than 5" then there is definitely something wrong. They should be at least 10" if not much larger by now. The barbs should be around a foot long as well.

To the original poster...yes, 2 oscars and 2 JD's are too much for a 75 gallon just from the standpoint of waste out put...unless you have a drip system or automatic water changing system then it'd be next to impossible to keep the water quality where it needs to be.

One JD and one oscar might work out in a 75 but even then you may wind up with aggression problems.

 

[shamrock]

Personally, I never have just two cichlids I get atleast 5 to spread aggression with that said with fish that big you would probably need a 240 gallon tank.