Pet Forum / Aquaria / Cichlids / May 2004

Keep it at 1 pl*co, 3 oscars, and trade the tinfoils off for some
severums or other large cichlid and I'd think it'd be great.  Forget
about the sharks, though, they get 36" full grown and have a delicate
temperment.

--
dan

Perhaps 3 new oscars instead of 4. They can grow to a foot you know.
If you have had a single oscar for 5 years, then it must be pretty
big. I guess that my biggest concern is that if you introduce the 3-5
inch oscars at the pet store (however, some pet stores may have bigger
ones), and if your oscar is huge, then your present oscar may bully
the new and smaller ones. Try to get the 2 largest (and healthy -
important!) oscars you can, and set up them up in your 75 next to/in
the same room as the 120 (if possible) with your big oscar so they can
see each other (good to do anyway 'cause of potential disease from new
fishes.)

Also, to reduce the high amounts of ammonia etc in a newly established
tank, pump roughly 30%-40& of the water from your 75 into your 120 and
then fill the rest with freshwater. That way, your 120 will establish
quicker. Still, don't introduce the 3-4 oscars, 3 tinfoils, & 2 plecs
all at once. That can cause your ammonia, etc, to sky rocket in a new
tank.

Sorry this is long,

-Cookie

Skip the tinfoil barbs and please skip the plecos.. definitely not two of
them.  I never see the benefits of plecos.. they might get rid of algae but
mine always poop these really long tirds that never disappear.

I'm partial to Oscars though.  I'd just go with the four Oscars.  The one
you have is probably good size so you'll have to make sure you buy big tank
mates.

It will work fine as long as you get a 120 gal long tank. I am basing this
on the assumption that Oscars are bottom dwellers. I raise African, so am
not extremely knowledgeable on Oscars. 120 gallons is a nice size tank,
offering allot of territory. If they are bottom dwellers, a longer tank
provides more territory resulting in less fighting. If you have a tall tank,
you need to get fish that are not only compatible, but also with layered
territories. What I mean by this is: some top dwellers, mid to top dwellers,
and bottom dwellers. If you do it this way, you can take better advantage of
the territory. But remember, more fish mean more water changes. I have a
medium to large Frontosa, Tangerine Tiger, Red Empress, Nagara Flametail,
and a Jewel Cichlid in a 55 gallon tank. It works fine. They have plenty of
holey rock caves to go around and it works well. I do a 40% water change
once a week, and have double to needed filtration. My fish thrive under
these conditions.

JOHN TYCE