Oscar friendly non cichlids

[ford130]

Has anyone kept smaller, hardy dither fish types with Oscars without mishaps?
Apart from the usual silver dollar and tin foil barbs. Looking for something to draw some of the aggression and attention away from my Nic and Acara that my T. Ellioti is giving them but without becoming an Oscar snack. Any experiences welcome.

 

[cacichlids]

What's the tank size/stock?

And what's the size of the ellioti and the fish it is bullying?

 

[nfored]

I have 4 bala's and a rainbow shark.

I actually saw my biggest bala do what I call the body slam to my O. He swims up fast right next to him and then swings to the side and uses his body to slam the O.

 

[Racersk]

I actually kept tiger barbs with my oscars for a while, they did alright, but in the end my bichirs thought they were tasty!

Speaking of, bichir's will work, as they bludgen past the oscars aggression...It doesn't seem to phase my bichirs in the least.

 

[ford130]

What's the tank size/stock?

And what's the size of the ellioti and the fish it is bullying?

1 x Oscar 8"
1 x Lutino Oscar 6"
2 x Gold Severum 5"
1 x Jack Dempsey 6"
1 x F1 Blue Acara 4"
1 x Nicuraguan 5"
1 x T. Ellioti 6"

No issues with aggresion other than the T.Ellioti continually chasing and seeking out the Nic and Acara.

They are in a 120 gallon for now, upgrading later in the year as the fish grow.

 

[guapoteman]

Ive had luck with bichirs and synodontis

 

[cacichlids]

1 x Oscar 8"
1 x Lutino Oscar 6"
2 x Gold Severum 5"
1 x Jack Dempsey 6"
1 x F1 Blue Acara 4"
1 x Nicuraguan 5"
1 x T. Ellioti 6"

No issues with aggresion other than the T.Ellioti continually chasing and seeking out the Nic and Acara.

They are in a 120 gallon for now, upgrading later in the year as the fish grow.

If the Blue Acara is male he will rapidly reach 6" and the aggression will stop.

I have never owned an Ellioti but my experience with other Thorichthys species is that they are especially intolerant of their own kind... so my guess is adding another t. ellioti or even something that looks similar like a t. meeki will effectively end the aggression towards the acara/nicaraguensis.

I'm pretty sure a 4" Firemouth would work like a charm (the dither firemouth/ellioti have to be a little smaller than the acara or they will start bullying him too).

 

[ford130]

I'm not sure of the sex of the Acara, this is a pic of it, can you tell??

 

[Yanbbrox]

Please don't take this the wrong way, but if you added a brick an Oscar in a bad mood would take offense

 

[cacichlids]

I can't tell from that pic but take a look at the dorsal/anal fins. Males develop long, pointy tips. They also grow larger, and much faster. Mine grew from 1.5" to 5" from Jan to April... the female only grew 1.5" - 3.5" in the same time.