I have had 2 oscars in a tank and a jewel cichlid in a tank together for mayb a year and a half now, i just recently added a red devil and they killed it, the guy at the petstore said they would be fine, should they have been? is this weird?
2007-02-22 02:48:25 · 9 answers · asked by P.Lankton 1 in Pets ➔ Fish
All those are fairly compatable given certain guidelines. The Oscars can certainly get large enough to eventually eat the Jewels so that would eventually become a problem. Also they are all quite territorial and adding anything to the tank is a potential problem as you have seen. It's not so much that they are incompatable species, it's the fact that the other had territories established in the tank and killed the intruder. To house these guys together they should all be about the same size and all housed in a very large tank (125+ gallons) So the guy at the pet store was both right and wrong. He should have asked more questions and warned you that fighting would occur because th others had been in the tank so long.
MM
2007-02-22 03:55:42 · answer #1 · answered by magicman116 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Although you are right - and all of your listed fist are in the same family (South American cichlids) - they are all definitely on the aggressive side. You may be able to get away with housing the Jewel and red devils together - but Oscars are pretty territorial. If you want to have a happy and healthy tank - I would avoid having various aggressive fish together - unless you have a relatively large aquarium - with lots of hiding places. You may consider looking at African cichlids - they are equally entertaining and color full, plus - you can house a variety of them together.
Good luck,
2007-02-22 03:07:14 · answer #2 · answered by bmwest 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cichids, despite popular belief, are not compatible with each other. They are territorial and see other cichlids as threat and competition. This means the only way you can mix them is if you have enough room for all of them to claim a territory, and this means a massive tank.
If you introduce a small red devil, the oscars will kill it. If you introduce a grown red devil, it will kill your Oscars. You won't win.
The right thing to do with these aggressive fish is keep them is species tanks.
2007-02-22 04:56:41 · answer #3 · answered by Ghapy 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Oscars and Jewel Cichlids are not at all compatible. The oscars will no doubt grow much bigger than the Jewels and harass them to death. Oscars are a New World cichlid and they require soft, acidic water to thrive. Jewel cichlids are an African cichlid and they require very hard, alkaline water. So by keeping them together, territorry issues aside, you are undoubtable giving one species an environment that it can not thrive in.
2007-02-22 06:06:46 · answer #4 · answered by fish guy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As Far as I know all of the species listed above are HIGHLY territorial and should be kept apart as the larger fish will usuall eat the other fishes fins causing it to be virtually helpless. I own and oscar whom is about hand size and tank buddies are no option for him. However Oscars can be placed in a tank together as long as you try to do it in groups of 5. either 1 or 5 no in between (not sure why but thats what the pet store told me in Tallahassee and it seems to ring true from my experience).
Hope I helpped
Lydia
2007-02-22 02:55:55 · answer #5 · answered by fun_and_fluffy_carebear 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I hope you have an enormously large tank. Two oscars pretty much fill a 30 gal tank.
2007-02-22 06:20:29 · answer #6 · answered by .... . .-.. .-.. --- 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. This is not weird. I have seen larger fish pick on littler fish, I have seen faster fish pick on slower fish. Maybe, you already have enough in your tank for the type of fish you have.
2007-02-22 03:01:05 · answer #7 · answered by Veneta T 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Basic rule of thumb with Oscars...If it will fit into their mouth..They will damn sure eat it
2007-02-22 02:52:08 · answer #8 · answered by nalla 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are all very aggressive and territorial. I would suggest that you not mix these species.
2007-02-22 07:25:41 · answer #9 · answered by my_salty_load 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋