Input on integrating a juvenile Venustus with a juvenile Oscar

[TUCCI]

I’ve got a 75g with a 2” Oscar and 6 CLs (also juveniles)…..I’m considering adding a venustus while the O is still young but am uncertain as to the method that might allow me success.
I am aware that’s it’s not recommended and they are not from the same part of the globe and they prefer a ph in the 8 range instead of the 7.6 I have now but, I’ve seen and heard it done and would like assistance…….really could use input.


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[MultipleTankSyndrome]

Just my $0.02, but I would highly recommend to separate the oscar from the loaches. This is a good summary of reasons why:

Full grown clowns with a Polypterus bichir lapradei?? - Loaches Online Forum

However, Oscars vary in temperament from fish to fish, and their aggression level towards other fish can sometimes heighten as they mature. This is not to say that they are the most of aggressive of cichlids, because they are not. They will, however, think nothing of trying to eat any fish that fits into their large mouths. They are also quite a sedentry species that may see the clowns playful antics as potentially irritating. You could not say for sure that a large specimen would not go for other smaller fish within the same aquarium.

Other points to bear in mind are that clown loaches, (as I'm sure you already know) enjoy a good amount of flow in the tank, which the Oscar, preferring much slower circulation, will find a bit too much. Oscars are messy feeders and are pretty gluttonous when adult. Although you will need a decent amount of filtration for clown loaches, this will need to be stepped up some more when you take into account the huge body mass of an adult Oscar in the tank as well.

I'll grant that some species from fast flowing and slower waters have been mixed successfully with large enough and distinct enough areas of flow and calm for each. But it depends on the species in question, and given how oscars are known to 'sulk' at anything they don't like, I suspect they would not be a species that could be mixed with a faster water species no matter how large the calm area was.

Plus, some more things not mentioned:
-Oscars grow much faster, so would become a physical threat to the loaches shortly.
-Clown loaches do best, by far, as the dominant species in their tank, which they obviously wouldn't be with an oscar. RD. can vouch for this as well.
-I have seen in another thread that you said you had adult oscars with clown loaches, in which a clown loach was swallowed but spit out after and unharmed. Even if it was unharmed, don't you think it would be pretty stressful for the loaches to be swallowed/spit out and live with the fish that had done it?

I can't comment on the giraffe cichlid with the oscar though. But I hope the above helps.

 

[TUCCI]

Appreciate the input however I've kept CLs in with large Oscar's for many years and aside from the one time mishap they coexisted quit well especially with good places of refuge should the O be set on a sushi meal. The trunk on the left has deep caverns and is hollow and is already too tight for the O to raid even at its present size. The compatibility issue with the two species is moot.
Incorporating a Venustus is where I need input, has anyone done so successfully....thank you in advance for the dialog.

 

[TUCCI]

After doing extensive reading about the bio-load placed by a single Oscar and only having it in a 75g I’m beginning to recall the incredible issue I’ve had in the past with keeping the Nitrates down and the tedious amounts of water changes that inevitably turned me off to the hobby. I’m gonna need to re-evaluate my strategy on raising one.

 

[neutrino]

After doing extensive reading about the bio-load placed by a single Oscar and only having it in a 75g I’m beginning to recall the incredible issue I’ve had in the past with keeping the Nitrates down and the tedious amounts of water changes that inevitably turned me off to the hobby. I’m gonna need to re-evaluate my strategy on raising one.

Wise choice imo. Not only that but risky temperament and behavior differences, venustus tend to be very active and sometimes being quite aggressive (this varies), you could end up with a war. I wouldn't do it for aesthetic reasons in the first place, to me it's quite an odd combination-- my opinion-- but set that aside and the only way I'd even attempt it would be in a community of large fish in a very large tank.

 

[TUCCI]

Wise choice imo. Not only that but risky temperament and behavior differences, venustus tend to be very active, and sometimes being quite aggressive (this varies), you could end up with a war. I wouldn't do it for aesthetic reasons in the first place, to me it's quite an odd combination, my opinion-- but set that aside and the only way I'd even attempt it would be in a community of large fish in a very large tank.

Agreed, its the reason I'm a member of this fine Forum. If I leaned on advice in the past I could have saved myself a lot of aggravation and enjoyed the hobby much more.....appreciate all the input.

 

[RD.]

Good choice amigo, and refreshing to see someone listen to some sage advice being offered from fellow members.

 

[duanes]

Good choice amigo, and refreshing to see someone listen to some sage advice being offered from fellow members.

Agree.
Water parameter differences aside.
With all those fish in such a small box of water, unless you plan on daily doing daily "large" water changes, the likelihood the oscar would become riddled with HITH in short order is almost assured.

 

[TUCCI]

Thank you all for your insights....cheers