Oscar Tank Advice & Ideas?

[Oscar_Dad]

Hey all -

LONG time fish keeper/breeder of many FW species, but now later in life I've reduced to one tank. A 220 with 4 adult Oscars and a Gibby.

When I first added the young 6-ish inch Gibby, they pecked at him here and there (mostly out of curiosity) and quickly got bored with him. Now that the Gibby (Who I named Barry) is a foot long, they leave him alone... except for one that likes to hang with him.

I'm looking for ideas for possible additional inhabitants. Maybe another type of cat I haven't thought of? My concern is that I don't want to totally max out the bio load of the 220 even though it's well filtered. I have a 55g sump and a FX5 on it.

I guess with winter approaching and my yard workload decreasing, I'm thinking about the tank. Any thoughts/suggestions?

I've searched the web, but you know the shallow nature of the advice you find in those artocles. I've casually watched this forum for years and figured I'd get better ideas here.

So...

Leave it alone?
Another cichlid?
A cat?
Something else entirely?

 

[PhishMon84]

Not knowing the footprint I'll mention some of my cats that I really like and either currently own or are looking to source.
I have a trio of 180's (6x2x2)

Active Pims: Vulture or small group of Ornate Pims
Woodcats: Fisheri they shoal can become light active and have a natural & primitive look to them
Doradids: Rhinodoras sp, Irwini or Centrodoras
If you're ok with mixing continents i really enjoy my albino Hemibagrus Nemerus- always active, inquisitive and can hang with the O's
I'm a sucker for most synodontis cats
dwarf giraffes cats are fun too

the world is your oyster and options are vast

 

[tlindsey]

Hey all -

LONG time fish keeper/breeder of many FW species, but now later in life I've reduced to one tank. A 220 with 4 adult Oscars and a Gibby.

When I first added the young 6-ish inch Gibby, they pecked at him here and there (mostly out of curiosity) and quickly got bored with him. Now that the Gibby (Who I named Barry) is a foot long, they leave him alone... except for one that likes to hang with him.

I'm looking for ideas for possible additional inhabitants. Maybe another type of cat I haven't thought of? My concern is that I don't want to totally max out the bio load of the 220 even though it's well filtered. I have a 55g sump and a FX5 on it.

I guess with winter approaching and my yard workload decreasing, I'm thinking about the tank. Any thoughts/suggestions?

I've searched the web, but you know the shallow nature of the advice you find in those artocles. I've casually watched this forum for years and figured I'd get better ideas here.

So...

Leave it alone?
Another cichlid?
A cat?
Something else entirely?

Welcome aboard

bio load of the 220 even though it's well filtered

Welcome aboard

I suggest leave it alone because of waste those two species produce.

 

[FINWIN]

Even a 220 is gonna be easily maxed bioload wise with 4 O's and a Gibby. I don't know what size your oscars (and Gibby) are but you might want to consider another tank...I have a red oscar Brick and he's on the larger end and still growing...no way could I get four of him in a 220, much less a gibby...just sayin'. And I've got him in a 225 with smaller fish now.

I'm more amazed your oscars all get along territory wise.

 

[Deadeye]

I agree that it is best left as is. Oscars and plecos are super high waste.
If you cut it down to 2 oscars you could possibly keep some sort of dithers with it.

 

[Gourami Swami]

I agree that 4 oscars and a pleco is already maxing out your bio-load on a 270ish gallon system. The gibbiceps especially once it gets huge will be a poop factory. Very nice plecos though, I once had a footlong gibby that was stunning with jaguar patterns all over.
If you wanted other cichlids or large fish, I would say perhaps cut the group of O's back.