Safe with an oscar?
- Thread starter bradvb
- Start date
What kind of fish are you referring to? Is it Bichir? As long as the bichir is large enough not to fit in your oscar's mouth, it should be ok.
Compatibility, the reality
When asked "will they get along ?" Sometimes the answer is as simple as yes or no, The truth is we speak in generalities some fish in theory should be ok together some not.The long broad sweeping statements are flawed as they are generalities I think we all know generalities are just opinions , but because we are dealing with animals each with its own personality its flawed.This question is harder with predatory fish, due to their natural habits ,predation! where they naturaly feed on the smaller , the weaker and the sick, claim territory and defend it . The actual answer is we don't know it's our best guess that they should or shouldn't get along.I know one of my bichirs is highly agressive which is completely different from what i have been told, so he's in his own tank , my others all conspecifics seem fine together which is oppisite from what i have read and been told. Its a case of trial and error to some extent and depends on the individual animal. When introducing a new animal into the territory of an established animal try rearanging the tank it tends to remove reference points for territoriality but most important watch for trouble and stop it before it goes to far.-Anne
When asked "will they get along ?" Sometimes the answer is as simple as yes or no, The truth is we speak in generalities some fish in theory should be ok together some not.The long broad sweeping statements are flawed as they are generalities I think we all know generalities are just opinions , but because we are dealing with animals each with its own personality its flawed.This question is harder with predatory fish, due to their natural habits ,predation! where they naturaly feed on the smaller , the weaker and the sick, claim territory and defend it . The actual answer is we don't know it's our best guess that they should or shouldn't get along.I know one of my bichirs is highly agressive which is completely different from what i have been told, so he's in his own tank , my others all conspecifics seem fine together which is oppisite from what i have read and been told. Its a case of trial and error to some extent and depends on the individual animal. When introducing a new animal into the territory of an established animal try rearanging the tank it tends to remove reference points for territoriality but most important watch for trouble and stop it before it goes to far.-Anne
Only problem Ihad was the gluttony of the Oscar-made it impossible to feed my Bichirs as the Oscar would take the food each time before the Bichirs knew what was going on. A very greedy, messy feeder is the Oscar.
I keep my polys with oscars. But my experience has been similar to berserker when it comes to feeding.... oscars will eat all the pellets I put in until they can't fit anymore in their mouths.
I found a way around it though, instead of throwing in the entire serving of food, I put in a little bit at a time, which the oscars eat first, and they seem to get full by eating multiple small quantities, then that allows me to throw in a little more which the bichirs swim around the top to eat (except my new lap, we'll see if she comes around).
My polys are still mid size... all around 7-10", and the O's are 7-10"
I fully agree with Anne though. I've had very aggressive O's in the past that wont tolerate anything, but most are fairly passive amongst fish they can't eat.
I found a way around it though, instead of throwing in the entire serving of food, I put in a little bit at a time, which the oscars eat first, and they seem to get full by eating multiple small quantities, then that allows me to throw in a little more which the bichirs swim around the top to eat (except my new lap, we'll see if she comes around).
My polys are still mid size... all around 7-10", and the O's are 7-10"
I fully agree with Anne though. I've had very aggressive O's in the past that wont tolerate anything, but most are fairly passive amongst fish they can't eat.
I ussually feed my Oscar cichlid pellets, and then I throw krill in and my poly's go to town. They get along just fine, which is weird because my Oscar is a huge prick.
