30th Oct 2009
Oscar Fish Tankmates
Keeping an Oscar fish is one of the most rewarding experience any aquarium hobbyist could have. You would be amazed on the personality these fishes possess. They are very smart, personable and active. They have their way of charming their owners as they somehow behave like dogs and more often, family members.
If you keep an Oscar fish and plan to have a community aquarium, it would take a lot of consideration in choosing tankmates for your Oscar. Aggressive fishes like the Oscar fish could do well in large groups, but would tend to fight if there’s just a few of them. It’s either keeping one Oscar fish or many of them, but not a few. A few Oscars kept in the same tank would result for the stronger one to bully the weaker one. But the more Oscars that live together would divide the abuse of the strongest Oscar. Generally, Oscars do best if kept alone but a male and a female Oscar would pair up pretty well. Oscars of the same size will less likely result for the weak one to be bullied. These fishes are territorial and aggressive, they will eat anything that fits their mouth so adding in smaller fishes in your Oscar tank is not a wise idea. Because of their hearty appetite, smaller fishes introduced into his territory become quick snacks for the Oscar fish.
Oscars can be paired with other species as well, but only with those of the same size or larger ones. In choosing tankmates for your Oscar fish, caution should be observed as more aggressive specie may tend to bully your Oscar too. The Large Plecostomus is among those known to be best tankmates for the Oscar fish. They will also do well with some type of barbs, Synodontis catfish, Scavenger catfish and Black Lancer Catfish. Other large neotropical cichlids such as Jack Dempseys, Jade-eyed Cichlid, Chocolate Cichlid, Salvini and Texas Cichlids may also be considered. Other South American cichlids are also about the same size of Oscars, and sometimes could be larger, can be suitable tankmates as well. If you wanna go for Silver Dollars, Pecos, Severum, Pumpkinseed, Banded Leporinu and Blue Acara, they are known to get along with your Oscar fish, and are possible additions as well. Clown or tiger loaches and sharks may also be added in.
The Oscar fish is an excellent choice for an aquarium and deserves to be the center piece of your showcase. Their personality makes them wonderful pets. Keeping them with other species may take a lot trial and error. It does pay to learn about these interesting creatures. If everything works out alright, your aquarium will result to a very beautiful display.
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