meeting dolphins in vanuatu with oscar?

[Corona]

I'm setting up a 125 gallon tank and I'm planning to keep an Oscar, I'm thinking of adding a venustus cichlid and a blue tursio cichlid to it, do you guys think that's a good idea.

[willie32]

Not a good idea.

[sidthy]

If you look up blue tursios, you'll see they're best kept in groups. Venustus cichlids, on the other hand, are solitary and can hold their own. I highly doubt it'd put up with an Oscar in its space, though. Oscars aren't exactly known for respecting boundaries outside of breeding. Both need hard water, which might not be ideal for the Oscar. It's always a good idea to do some research on the fish you're interested in keeping.

[Corona]

Considering the size and peaceful nature, keyholes might work. They reach 4 inches in length and have a taller profile. Would they be too big for an Oscar to swallow, or could they still be a potential snack? With sufficient cover at the bottom, do you think they'd be compatible?

[Corona]

I'm thinking a group of keyholes, not just a single one.

[jaguar]

It really depends on your water parameters, but personally, I think a combination of a pleco and a few convict cichlids would work better. Convicts can definitely hold their own if the Oscar decides to get aggressive, whereas keyhole cichlids are a bit more timid and might end up getting bullied.

[graye]

Keyholes would get eaten.

[willie32]

My earlier response was a bit of a knee-jerk reaction, I admit.

On a more serious note, for tankmates with an Oscar, I'd recommend sticking with big South American Cichlids. Severums, Uaru, and Chocolate Cichlids are top contenders, in my opinion. Geophagus species like Winemilleri, Altifrons, and Satanopercas are also worth considering. I'm not too keen on mixing in Centralfake American cichlids, though - the water requirements are just too different, and their behavior's not quite compatible.

As for the Malawis you mentioned, @sidthy's already covered the Venustus and Dolphin Cichlids pretty well. But let's just say it's not a great idea to mix them with Oscars - the water requirements are a major issue, for starters. Malawi water's extremely hard, almost like a dead, landlocked ancient sea. The cichlids there have evolved so rapidly that the term "cichlid" almost loses its meaning - it's like saying "fish" in a lake teeming with life.

One thing to consider, though - do you really want an Oscar and some South Americans, or do you actually want a tank full of cichlids? If it's the latter, you might be better off with Tanganyikan or Malawi Cichlids. That way, you can create an environment that's more in line with how they live in the wild.

If you do decide to stick with an Oscar in a 125-gallon tank, here's a possible setup: one Oscar, four Geophagus or Satanoperca (like Winemilleri or Daemon), six Spotted Silver Dollars, six Hoplo Catfish (the big, chunky species), and one or two medium to large plecos (maybe a Panaque or Royal). Alternatively, if you want to go the Malawi route, a group of Blue Dolphins and some Venustus could be pretty cool.

[Corona]

I think clown loaches could be a good fit, but it really depends on your water parameters. They're pretty hardy and can stick up for themselves, but they're also schooling fish so you'd need a group. I'd say 6 or more would be a good number. They're also nocturnal, so you'd need some hiding places for them during the day. A mix of open swimming space and plants or rocks for cover would work well.

[Corona]

I'm still not sold on earth eaters, so I'm thinking of alternatives. Threadfin acara could work, I think 1-3 of them might fit in with my Oscar.