I Have A 55 Gallon Tank

[xcharmanderx421]

Anyone know of species that'll grow to about 8 inches? I want to be able to throw cockaroaches in there and have them eat them. Please no oscars I want a planted tank too.

 

[Corleone]

Oscars are too big anyway. Wanting a planted tank limits a lot of your options in the size range, particularly for the behavior you want to bring out in them. The best options for that behavior would be mid-sized aggressive cichlids like green terrors or convicts, but they would completely destroy plants. Possibly one of the more community-friendly bigger cichlids like festivium or severum, but if you're looking for a fish that will give a hard "strike" on the food you're offering, aggressive cichlids of the "killing machine" variety would be more to your liking.

 

[DaveW860]

I have 2 oscars and a pelco in a tank that is primarly planted with no issues. I know you said no oscars but well.... i got awesome plants still with no problem. cheers

 

[Corleone]

Your oscars are immature, though, from your other post. When they become mature and start establishing territory, they'll start excavating substrate and moving objects out of their territory, at which point those plants are liable to be forfeit.

 

[backtotropical]

Your oscars are immature, though, from your other post. When they become mature and start establishing territory, they'll start excavating substrate and moving objects out of their territory, at which point those plants are liable to be forfeit.

Agreed, if you have oscars and plants together in harmony, the oscars are almost certainly juvenile. Adult oscars will uproot them and tear them to bits faster than you can replace them, until you get fed up and don't have plants anymore.