Oscar tankmates

[Mythic Figment]

Oscar bottom feeders besides plecos are tricky. Cories won't work due to their small, easily swallowed size. Many actual catfish grow too big for a 75. Loaches might work if you buy them at an already large size (5 to 6" yoyos or angelicus loaches in a group of 3). I don't know much about actual catfish, but don't get anything larger than 8-10".

As for convicts, I still recommend no more than 2 and to have both be female. Yes, female can pair up on rare occasions, but you are very unlikely to see that. Having 3 males could turn into a territory nightmare. Two males could work, but still will encounter aggression issues more often than if you get all females.


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[Anchovie]

Gulper cat?


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[tomahawk]

Could get a bigger tank... ;-)

I'd go non-cichlid - the smaller Central Americans cichlids will bully the Oscar; the smaller South Americans will be food.

12" bichir is best bet. Or how about nice synodontis Angelicus?

If have to go with a cichlid, how about a mid-sized pike?



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[Mythic Figment]

Could get a bigger tank... ;-)

I'd go non-cichlid - the smaller Central Americans cichlids will bully the Oscar; the smaller South Americans will be food.

12" bichir is best bet. Or how about nice synodontis Angelicus?

If have to go with a cichlid, how about a mid-sized pike?



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I love the idea of a bichir.

Synodontis is hit of miss in my experience. Some are fine. Some refuse to live with any other living thing and will beat it up until it or its victim are dead.


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[Omni663]

Lol. I'd be nervous a gulper cat would end up eating the Oscar regardless of size. I've seen some scary pics on here. Is there a pike cichlid that would get long fine with my Oscar?


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[Lupin]

Lol. I'd be nervous a gulper cat would end up eating the Oscar regardless of size. I've seen some scary pics on here. Is there a pike cichlid that would get long fine with my Oscar?


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An 8 inch gulper chomping a 14" aro, I saw that pic before. Gulpers are a bad choice as Oscar tank mates.

Raphael cats will work but they are the dullest unless you have a moon light up. They sleep most of the day as they're nocturnal. Just check the doradid catfish and find out which ones will work well for you. Most get too big so just be warned of your choices.


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[Lupin]

I love the idea of a bichir.

Synodontis is hit of miss in my experience. Some are fine. Some refuse to live with any other living thing and will beat it up until it or its victim are dead.


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Synodontis eupterus will work well. Funny little catfishes that grow too fast. In my amateur days, I thought I was just dealing with 2" adult cats until several weeks passed and I found myself dealing with 8" monsters. Boisterous but funny little cats.


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[Mythic Figment]

Synodontis eupterus will work well. Funny little catfishes that grow too fast. In my amateur days, I thought I was just dealing with 2" adult cats until several weeks passed and I found myself dealing with 8" monsters. Boisterous but funny little cats.


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I only ever owned one. It went on a killing spree of all my fish. I had just started into fish keeping. Had a 55 with a koi, datnoid, Chinese sailfin shark, bunch of tetras.....real noobish setup. Cold water types with warm and aggressive with peaceful. The syno killed and partially ate almost all of my fish in less than 24 hours. Datnoid was the only survivor of being lunch, but he was so badly banged up that he didn't pull through. Was really upset. But it taught me a ton about researching fish beforehand and not just impulse buying.


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[Omni663]

I have a 29 gallon with a 3 inch firemouth and five 1.5 inch tiger barbs. The only bichirs I can find locally are roughly 3 inches. Could I grow one out In there to 6 inches and then throw him in with the Oscar?


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[Lupin]

I only ever owned one. It went on a killing spree of all my fish. I had just started into fish keeping. Had a 55 with a koi, datnoid, Chinese sailfin shark, bunch of tetras.....real noobish setup. Cold water types with warm and aggressive with peaceful. The syno killed and partially ate almost all of my fish in less than 24 hours. Datnoid was the only survivor of being lunch, but he was so badly banged up that he didn't pull through. Was really upset. But it taught me a ton about researching fish beforehand and not just impulse buying.


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That's very strange. I never had issues with my eupterus and I had a lot of them before. I suppose keeping them in a group helps a lot. But small fish definitely would be eaten though. Had severums, bichirs, loaches and plecos with them. There was never an issue since I raised the cats from 2" in a community setup.


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