As Green terror can grow as large as 12 inches, it requires a large tank of at least 55 gallons. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The cichlasoma genus of fish is a genus of fish species that incorporates a large number of subspecies. This fish also like to hide behind the ornaments so it will also appreciate a few pieces of driftwood and rocks. If you got larger Oscars then you will have to upgrade the tank to at least 125 gallons. This fish is quite aggressive and it can hold its own against Oscar Fish. People usually consider Pleco herbivorous and feed them mostly plant-based diet. Why Severum cichlids are good tank mate for Oscar Fish? And will hide near plants, driftwood or any ornaments in your tank during the day. These fish are quite large, as they can grow to up to 24 inches in size. (Are They Friendly?). And ideally, Nitrate level should be zero but Oscar Fish can tolerate nitrate up to 40 PPM but still, you should try to keep it as low as possible. Bichirs are another good tank mate for your Oscar Fish. They stay in their territory (usually behind rocks or other tank ornaments) and can gel with different non-aggressive Cichlids, ScavengerCatfish, and Plecos, besides Oscars. Are Oscar Fish Good Pets? Silver Dollar spend most of their time in the middle part of the aquarium. Think the tiger Oscar will get along with these tank mates, or should I not even try it? A 125-gallon aquarium is large enough to accommodate them. It is not necessary to keep tank mates in an Oscar fish tank. So ideally for a pair of Oscar Fish you will require a 120-gallon tank. However, if you want to keep two Oscars, then you will need a minimum tank capacity of 125 gallons. Yes, you can put 2 Oscars in the same tank. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); AFC was designed and made with fish keepers like you and me in mind. Im keeping freshwater fish from a few years now. Therefore, the minimum recommended tank size for a single Oscar fish is 55 gallons. So, lets take a look! Yes, you can keep an Oscar Fish in 55 gallon tank. An Oscar tends to bully its tank mates, so you need an equally aggressive creature. Therefore, you will need a tank of 125 gallons or more to give adequate space to both the fishes. You should also follow best practices while cleaning the filters. Jul 26, 2022. . Firemouth cichlid is another fish from the Cichlids family you can keep with Oscars. They are great fish even for beginners, though. Moreover, due to this, you will not need an air stone or air pump, as your filter should be able to provide more than enough oxygen for the tank. They are however known for being quite aggressive and territorial. How big will an Oscar can get in a 55 gallon tank? Oscar fish have personality and keeping some tank mates with oscar fish is recommended to encourage social interactions. Besides, Black Banded Leporinus is a very active algae eater fish so it will help to keep algae in control in your aquarium. Oscar Fish spends most of its time in the middle part of the tank so it will not bother you Oscar Fish. And for two Oscar Fish, you will require 75 to 85 gallon tank. Besides, Convict cichlids are very active fish and they usually spend most of their time in their territory inside caves or plants, etc so they will not bother you Oscar Fish. Oscar Tank Mates. One of the most problematic aspects of keeping Oscar fish is that they are prolific diggers, they are curious, and they are boisterous. While looking for a tank mate for your Oscar, ensure the tank is large enough to house both fishes. Thanks to their behavior, blood parrot cichlids are compatible with many other cichlids, including Oscars. Bichir can grow as large as 30 inches so you will require a large tank to keep it in an aquarium. To an adult Jack Dempsey, you should feed 2 times per day. An Oscar fish needs 55 gallons of tank space at the least, although closer to 75 gallons is the ideal. Large, passive or moderately aggressive fish can go well with Oscars. it will stay active during the night and during the day it will spend most of its time hiding behind decorations or near driftwood. If you are keeping these two species together, make sure you first observe their aggression. Why Jack Dempsey is a good tank mate for Oscar fish? In fact, they are a type of carp. The AquariumFishCity is reader-supported and we hope you love the products we recommend! Outside of the occasional territory tussles, everyone gets along well. In general, they tend not to be very complicated to care for and should not cause too many problems if they get enough space and are treated well. Generally speaking, the more room you can give your fish the better, so we personally would aim for at least 60 gallons per Oscar fish. But as mentioned earlier, they can grow pretty fast and ultimately you will have to upgrade the tank and keep them in a larger tank to avoid stunting. All these traits make the convict cichlid a good partner for the Oscar fish. Its pH tolerance range is between 6.5 to 7.5 and it can do well in soft to moderately hard water. . Its pH tolerance range is between 6.6 to 7.8 and the hardness tolerance range is between 6 to 8 GH. Tankmates would need to be larger than 5 inches to live with the Oscar, so for bigger fish you would really need a bigger tank. If you set your tank up properly, you really should not have to do anything in order to keep these fish happy in terms of the water hardness level. For one Oscar Fish, you will require at least a 55-gallon tank and for every new addition of Oscar Fish you will require an extra 20 to 30 gallons. LovesLC. as well as territorial species like Oscars. So the ideal pH and hardness tolerance range of Green terror is nearly the same as Oscar Fish. Bichirs are also nocturnal fish i.e. You should try to match this diet in your aquarium as well. The larger the better! If you want to keep two of them, then a 75-gallon tank would be better. Also, try to avoid having other smaller animals in the tank, like the smaller invertebrates shrimp, snails, and other similar creatures. So these are the best tank mates for Oscar fish. But Plecos are omnivorous fish and you should not only feed them plant-based diet but occasionally, you should also feed them meaty foods like frozen or live bloodworms, brine shrimp, etc. You should purchase already mated and spawned Oscar Fish to put into your breeding tank. Convict Cichlids 3. The ideal water parameters for Silver Dollar are quite similar to that of Oscar Fish so you can easily keep them together in the same tank. 24. Many people have confusions and there are a lot of conflicting opinions on the internet about tank size for Oscar Fish. Oscar Fish can grow very large. You should consider some of these fish species as tank mates for the Oscar fish in your tank. You will need at least a 125 gallon aquarium for more than one Oscar Fish. Although they are predatory, their targets are usually smaller fishes. And as they belong to the Cichlids family, they can hold their own against Oscar Fish. The firemouth cichlid is another species that would make a good tank mate for the Oscar fish. Oscar Fish can live up to 20 years and it can grow up to 12 inches. If you wish to keep multiple Oscars in one tank, you should add a minimum of 20-30 gallons per fish tank size. Oscar Fish rarely come near the substrate of the aquarium. Heres What To Do, Answered by Dr. Olivia Speight, BVSc MRCVS (Vet), Have a cat? So you can keep Green terror with Oscar Fish if you just manage to keep the temperature within the ideal range. Scientific Name:Andinoacara rivulatusFamily:ChilidaeOrigin:South AmericaCare Level:ModerateColor Form:Blue, Green, WhiteSize:8Temperature:72-80 FPH:6.5-8.0Diet:OmnivoreMinimum Tank Size:50 gallonsTemperament:Semi-aggressive. The black ghost knife fish are semi-aggressive fish that would make good tank partners for the Oscar fish. Besides, they have a roundish and laterally flattened body, resembling a silver coin that makes them appear much larger than their standard 6-inch size. Plecos are nocturnal fish and they are inactive during the day and usually hide behind ornaments like driftwood or rock or near plant matters. They tend to get aggressive when they dont have enough space in the tank. If this is the case, then you should get a tank divider or a separate tank altogether. You should also keep driftwood and rocks which will provide them more hiding places. It also helps to reduce ammonia in your tank. Disclosure: I may earn a commission when you purchase through my affiliate links. Pros of keeping with Arowana . Jack Dempsey is a very large fish (up to 15 inches) so it will not get eaten by your Oscar Fish. In the wild, they feed on small invertebrates and small fish. Its pH tolerance range is between 7 to 8 and the hardness tolerance range is between 3 to 10 KH. Its pH tolerance range is between 6-8 and the hardness tolerance range is between 5 to 20 KH. Oscar Fish can be very aggressive and it will eat anything that can fit into its mouth. Some good examples of Oscar Fish tank mates are Convict cichlids, Firemouth cichlids, Silver dollars, Silver Arowana. So when it comes to aquarium size for Oscar Fish, the more the better! And occasionally you should also feed them vegetables such as spinach, boiled peas, etc. or driftwood in the tank. So, most aquarists wish to add a bit more color and spark to their aquarium and look for a suitableOscar fish tank mates. Their diet mostly consists of meaty food. It has literally flattened silver body that looks similar to an old silver dollar. Convict cichlids are one of the best fish you can keep as a tank mates in your Oscar Fish tank. Besides, the ideal water parameters range that Pleco require is quite similar to that of Oscar fish, so you can easily keep them together in the same tank. Please leave a comment if you have any question. use these ways to increase the oxygen levels. 13 Types of Oscar Fish For Aquarium (With Images). Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts This means that this species is not hard to care for at all, and it will eat a variety of different foods. Jaguar Cichlid 7. Oscar Tank Mates 125 gallon. Severum cichlids are moderately aggressive so they can hold their own against Oscar Fish. They would make great fish tank mates for the Oscar fish because of their peaceful demeanor and also great looks. Occasionally, you can also feed them frozen or dried bloodworms, earthworms, mealworms, daphnia, brine shrimp, etc. The fish you are thinking about keeping with Oscar Fish should be large enough to not fit into the mouth of your Oscar Fish or else it will most likely going to get eaten by the Oscar. Besides, Firemouth cichlids are very hardy and easy to care for so you dont have to give them a lot of attention. In the wild, it feeds on crustaceans, insects, invertebrates, and other small fish. Also, you should regularly feed them frozen or dried bloodworms, brine shrimp, daphnia, etc. 15 Ways to Lower Temperature in an Aquarium (With and without Equipment). Prior to becoming Editor-in-Chief of It's a Fish Thing, Lindsey studied marine biology at the University of California-Santa Cruz. The ideal water parameter range for Jack Dempsey is quite similar to that of Oscar Fish so you can easily keep them both together in the same tank. This fish is very territorial and it will form territory in your tank. So you should feed them meaty foods like frozen or dried bloodworms, brine shrimp, etc. Usually, other fish that belong to cichlids family are good tank mates for Oscar Fish because they can get pretty large and can hold their own against Oscar Fish. These are large, funny-shaped fish and they aren't going to tolerate being picked on well. The bala shark is quite a large freshwater fish species that can grow to up to 12 inches. They can grow up to 12 inches, almost the same as Oscar fishes, making the chances of being eaten by Oscars negligible. Besides, Bichir is not a nocturnal fish which basically means that they stay active during the night and during the day they hide behind any ornament in your tank that could be driftwood, rock, or plants. It is also a nocturnal fish which means that it will stay active during the night and hide behind any ornament like driftwood, rock or near plants during the day. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hi, Im Tom Jones. Severum cichlid can grow as large as 7.9 inches so it requires a large aquarium of at least 45 gallons. I hope youll find the content on my site helpful. Why Silver Dollars are good tank mates for Oscar Fish? Silver Arowana is also known as Monkey fish or Dragonfish. Due to their peaceful behavior, they make a great choice for community tanks. Can Flowerhorn and Oscar Fish Live Together? In your aquarium, you should try to emulate the same and feed them insects, bloodworms, mysis shrimp, etc. So the ideal water conditions for Pleco are very similar to that of Oscar Fish so you can easily keep them both together. Primarily, you can feed them vegetarian flakes. As they are omnivorous, you should occasionally feed them meaty food such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, etc. They make for a popular choice in larger community choice due to their playful behavior and attractive looks. But this doesnt mean that they cannot coexist with other tank species like the Oscar fish, but it simply means that they should be kept by experienced tank keepers and people who know what they are doing. However, when they are mating, they start to be very aggressive towards other fish. Occasionally, you should also feed them frozen or dried bloodworms, brine shrimp, daphnia, blackworms, etc. Firemouth cichlids are omnivorous and they are not fussy eaters so they will readily eat anything you put in their tank. Convict cichlids are omnivorous so they will eat whatever you put into their tank. So, if we are talking about a 125-gallon tank, your filter should be able to process at least 375 gallons per hour, although even more is better. But if you have a large tank then doing water change once a week is sufficient. But they can be kept as a single specimen, which is why a 30-gallon tank would be good enough for plecos. Convict cichlids belong to cichlids family and they are known for their aggressive behavior so they can hold their own against Oscar Fish. Remember that it does need to be soft, because Oscars like to dig. Blue acara is omnivorous and in the wild, they mostly feed on invertebrates and small fish. Oscar Fish belongs to the cichlids family and they are known for their aggressive behavior. Pleco is also bottom dweller and nocturnal fish so it will spend most of its time near the bottom of the tank and will only stay active during the night so they will not bother you Oscar Fish. Elevated Nitrogen compounds such as Nitrate, Nitrite, and ammonia are very harmful to Oscar Fish. 12 Benefits of Live Plants in an Aquarium. Oscar fish tank condition Before we look into appropriate species that are best suitable for Oscar in a community tank, it is best you understand the basic requirements that you need to keep their tank alive. All the content on this site is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only and must not be used as an alternative to seeking professional advice from a veterinarian or other certified professional. They require regular tank maintenance, a very strong filter, specific plants, and they dont make for great community fish either. Hi! I hope now you dont have any confusion about Oscar Fish tank size. Some inexperienced aquarists make the mistake of putting another fish along with the Oscar in a 75g tank. Basically, whichever fish that can fit into the mouth of your Oscar Fish you should avoid keeping it in the tank. So basically, when your Oscar Fish is active Pleco is inactive and when your Oscar Fish is inactive during the night Pleco will be active. As they are omnivorous, you should regularly feed them vegetables such as boiled peas, blanched spinach, carrots, etc. Jaguar cichlid is a large fish that can grow as large as 24 inches. They create a territory for themselves inside plants or caves and often stay here. 7 Best Oscar Fish Tank Mates (Compatible And Safe), The Best Oscar Fish Tank Mates In A Tank (125g or Bigger), Apistogramma baenschi (Inca cichlid) Fish Species Profile & Care, Apistogramma borellii: #1 Easiest Apisto to Take Care of For Beginners, Apistogramma trifasciata Species Profile & Care. Ideally, you should keep other Oscars of the same size in the tank. You want to have some passive fish in there that will not get in the way of the Oscar fish. It can grow very large and it is not recommended for beginners. You also have to remember, minimum size equals maximum effort. In The wild, it feeds on plant leaves and algae. I created Aquagoodness to help beginners get started with the hobby and to share my experience. They are very attractive fish and they can grow to up to 7 inches in size. Ideally, those fish should also be quite large so that they do not get consumed. Beneficial bacteria help to keep harmful nitrogen compounds in control. With Oscar fish, however, they should get along just fine provided that you give them both enough space to live so that they will not clash and fight with each other. But when they grow up, they might turn aggressive to stray fish and smaller fish in the tank. Im Fabian, aquarium fish breeder and founder of this website. ATiger Oscargrows up to 18 inches, whereas anAlbino Oscarwill become 14 inches long. These beneficial bacteria form their colonies in the substrate and in the filter of your aquarium. Ardiej How big of a tank do i need? 12 Best Tank Mates For Oscar Fish 1. The convict cichlid would make a good choice for a tank mate for the Oscar fish. Some examples of fish that meet these requirements include: For 2 Oscar fish, you should have a tank that is between 100 125 gallons in size. You can also feed them small pieces of meat such as Beefheart and frozen fish. Although some Silver Dollars are semi-aggressive, most of them are pretty mellow and do not do well individually. Or another way is to get at least 6 to 7 juvenile Oscar Fish put them in a tank and grow them together. Silver Dollar 9. This fish is known for its hunting abilities. The minimum tank size requirement for Bichir is 90 gallons. In this guide we cover a few of the the best Oscar tank mates and everything you should know before keeping them. In fact, these can be quite territorial and aggressive fish, which is why most people do keep them alone. If you use something like gravel, Oscars are likely to injure themselves when digging. 6 Tips to Take Care of Live Plants in Aquarium. All Rights Reserved. These fish are very peaceful fish, and they tend to mind their own business in the tank. Pleco, etc. Also, keep in mind that Oscars like fairly strong currents, so the flow rate of the filter can be kept fairly high. Oscar Fish. Parmesany; Sep 19, 2022; Oscar Cichlid Forum; Replies 7 Views 180. It is usually safe to place Chocolate Cichlids and Oscars together since they are nearly the same size and do not threaten each other. Josh752; Nov 28, 2022; Oscar Cichlid Forum; Replies 11 Views 192. They also become more aggressive when they are breeding, so during that time, it might be a good idea to keep them separate. Copyright 2023 - SmartAquariumGuide. For a single Bichir fish, you will require at least a 90-gallon tank. So it can hold their own against Oscar Fish. I only want to add 1-2 fish (bio-load is occupied by a 13" oscar and a 12" common pleco) and I want something that would occupy the top part of the tank. Oscar Fish can live up to 20 years and it can grow up to 12 inches. So they will also help to keep your tank clean. Besides, maintaining clean and clear water is very important for successfully breeding Oscar Fish. SmartAquariumGuide.com does not intend to provide any kind of veterinary suggestion. Jaguar cichlid can grow as tall as 24 inches so it requires a large tank of at least 125 gallons. Lets take a closer look at what you need to know about Oscar fish housing requirements. You can keep 4-5 juvenile Oscar Fish in a small tank of 30 gallons. Then identify the pair and keep it in a separate tank. That being said, the ideal temperature range for Blue Acara is between 68-82 Fahrenheit. Oscar fish are used to living in fairly tropical waters, and therefore they do require you to keep the tank at a certain warmth. As Convict cichlids are omnivorous, to fulfill their vegetarian diet, you should feed them blanched vegetables such as broccoli, lettuce, spinach, etc. You should add an extra 50 gallons for each additional Oscar Fish. Green Tera is another fish you can keep in your Oscar fish tank. The ideal water parameters that Firemouth cichlid requires are quite similar to that of Oscar Fish so you can easily keep them both together. Hello, I'm Jeff- an aquarium enthusiast with over 25 years of experience caring for a wide array of tropical fish, including koi, goldfish bettas, cichlids and more! Since Oscars are pretty large, Bichirs pose no threat to them and vice versa. Bichir 2. Besides, the ideal water parameters range that the fish require should match the ideal water parameters range of Oscar Fish to keep them together in the same tank. We can say that the convict cichlids are quite similar to the Oscar fish in terms of behavior. It spends most of it its time in the territory so it will not bother you Oscar Fish. By The minimum tank size requirement for a single Firemouth cichlid is 30 gallons. This is a bottom dweller fish and spends most of its time near the substrate. This fish features black and yellow stripes that really stands out in the aquarium and instantly grabs your attention. So you should regularly check the water temperature of your tank with a thermometer and try to keep it under this ideal range. The clown loach, or the tiger botia, is a very well-known fish species among the fish tank keepers. Silver Arowana are also known for their jumping abilities and they can jump up to 3 meters high. They prefer slightly acidic water, and they can adapt to a number of different water settings, but they are more orientated towards warm waters. Its pH tolerance range is between 5.5 to 7.5 and it can tolerate hardness up to 20 GH. A 125 gallon tank is even better to allow for more swimming space and more controllable water parameters. The ideal pH range for Oscar Fish is between 6-8 and the ideal hardness level is between 5 to 20 KH. A bigger tank is always better. For one Oscar Fish, you will require at least a 55-gallon tank and for every new addition of Oscar Fish you will require an extra 20 to 30 gallons. As Jaguar cichlid belongs to the cichlid family, it is moderately aggressive fish so they can hold their own against Oscar Fish. All Rights Reserved. In the aquarium, primarily you should feed them Cichlids flakes and pellets. Its pH tolerance range is between 6-7.5 and the hardness tolerance range is between 6 to 20 DH. Oscar Fish can get very big and they can be very messy i.e. A simple rule of thumb to follow is to get a 55 gallon tank for your first Oscar Fish and then you should add extra 20 to 30 gallons for every new Oscar Fish. This fish can jump out of the tank so you should always keep a lid on your aquarium to prevent it jumping out of the tank. Oscar fish are messy eaters and can create a lot of waste, so a large and efficient filtration system is definitely required. While choosing tank mates for Oscar Fish, you have to keep a couple of things in mind. Most of these species are found in South America and its regions. While it is not aggressive in community tanks, it can be aggressive towards stray fish in your tank. That is when they can turn aggressive and it might be a good idea to keep them separate from other fish. So ideally, you should keep a single Oscar Fish in at least 55 gallon tank. This fish can grow up to 7 inches so they will not get eaten by the Oscar Fish. You may have heard that Oscar Fish is too aggressive to keep any tank mates with it. Blood parrot cichlids are a popular choice because they are usually non-aggressive and are easy to care for. If you really want these feisty cichlids, it is best to keep your aquarium an Oscar only tank. Therefore, you will need a tank of 125 gallons or more to give adequate space to both the fishes. scar fishes are energetic, intelligent, and easy to raise as long as you provide the ideal living conditions and a spacious tank. So, make sure you have sufficient ornaments and rocks in your tank to give this creature ample hiding space. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. The fast growth rate of Oscar fish can lead new fish keepers to issues. As Blue Acara is an omnivorous fish, you should also feed them vegetarian flakes, boiled peas, spinach, lettuce, etc. However, the aggression declines over time, especially if the Green Terror is slightly smaller at the start. The combination of these two species requires a lot of tank space. Ornate Bichirs can grow up to 24-inches, so remember to keep them in a large tank with a lid since they are active jumpers.Scientific Name:Polypterus ornatipinnisFamily:PolypteridaeOrigin:Captive-BredCare Level:ModerateColor Form:TanSize:2Temperature:77-83 FPH:6.5-7.5Diet:CarnivoreMinimum Tank Size:180 gallonsTemperament:Semi-aggressive. This can only be done in larger tanks. Green terror is not very difficult to keep if you provide it good water quality. All the content on this site is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only and must not be used as an alternative to seeking professional advice from a veterinarian or other certified professional. Be careful when they are spawning, though. You can see why it is so popular with tank keepers, but there are some considerations for you if you want to keep them with the Oscar fish dont keep them in the tank if they are mating or have just one fish of the species in the tank. You should feed them the food they can consume within 2 minutes. A Tiger Oscar grows up to 18 inches, whereas an Albino Oscar will become 14 inches long. Add a fine gravel or sand substrate in a 125-gallon tank that has an excellent filtration system. They are larger than the Oscar fish, which means that they will not be threatened by these fish. Pleco FAQ Conclusion How to choose tank mates for Oscar Fish? The ideal water temperature for Firemouth cichlid is between 75-86 Fahrenheit. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. So, if you have a tank large enough to keep more than two fishes, Severums will be a fantastic choice. Also, they are very messy fish i.e. If you keep fish in groups, then the Jack Dempsey fish will not get aggressive. Firstly, they are very beautiful; they are also called zebra cichlid due to the patterns of colors that extend over their bodies. The Jack Dempsey fish is not an easy fish to keep in your tank. And in captivity, it can grow up to 13 to 14 inches. It is a freshwater fish that is native to warm rivers of South America, especially to larger streams where they will find shelter in and between the rocks and branches. This fish comes in a wide variety of colors and they are quite inexpensive. No, keeping Angel fish with Oscars is not a good idea. Its pH tolerance range is between 6.5 to 8 and the hardness tolerance range is between 8 to 15 KH. So you can easily keep them together in the same tank. Black Banded Leporinus is herbivorous so its diet consists of plant-based foods. Oscars do like to explore their tanks and they are used to living in natural environments with a fair amount of debris present on the waterbed. . You can also feed eat cooked peas, blanched vegetables like spinach, lettuce, carrot, etc.