Is a Pleco my only option for my voracious oscar?

[Jintoh50]

Hello all,

Got a newish tank (about 6 weeks) starting to get some algae growth. Also one very hungry oscar in it!! (he's about 3 and some change inches and AWESOME, kinda scares me how crazy he is at feeding time though, jumped up a few times biting my finger when putting pellets in) (its a 75G). I tried putting 2 nerite snails in to help with the algae thinking he's gonna eat those lol; he didn't disappoint.

I don't want plants, I know he'll destroy those to anyway. Any other options other than Plecos? I didn't want to put anything biggish in the tank with him, he was to be the sole proprietor of the tank but hoping for something that'll go more unnoticed by jaws but is too much of a hassle for him to catch.

 

[CassCats]

A pleco on the small side will still risk ending up as food id think.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Unless the pleco is bigger than the Oscar, I wouldn’t. Oscars have been known to eat anything that can fit in their mouth.

If you were going to get a Pleco, it would need to be 6in+. However, common plecos grow to be 12in+. (So you need to take that into account.)

 

[CassCats]

And most plecos that grow large that aren't the common pleco or sailfin plecos come with a heavy price tag.

And most larger aren't algae eaters either, tending to grow more on the meatier side as adults mostly.

I picked myself up a vampire galaxy pleco. Will grow 9-10 inches as an adult, but would risk being a very expensive meal for an Oscar lol

 

[Jintoh50]

Yeah I figured I was going to run into trouble with adding anything to this boys tank that wouldn't over crowd it or just become a meal. I'll have to talk my wife into letting me build a DYI aquaponic setup above the tank to help with Nitrates between water changes. Its only @ 5PPM before I do another change. Maybe my lights are on too much? Iv'e got them on 8hrs, I work all day sitting right in front of the tank so I like having them on 8hrs.

He knows when I get lunch he gets fed, funny how nuts he goes when I leave and come back with a plate.

 

[HoldenOn]

LOL, sounds like a real character, would love to see a video. I hope to someday upgrade to a bigger tank and get a Oscar.

 

[DomTay94]

Get some photos/Videos up of this character.
I’m a big fan of breaking the mould... most people tell you oscars are the biggest baddest monsters you can get and they’ll eat and kill everything but that’s totally BS to be honest. I’ve 2 huge Oscars , Red Devil, snakehead , Vieja hartwegi, convict, Red terror & a pleco and the Oscars are the softest fish in the tank! They are rarely aggressive not even at feeding time. However they will put any fish in there mouth if it’s small enough that is true. A reasonable size convict , green or red terror , jack dempsey etc are all more than capable just make sure you have some decor to break the line of sight and some hiding places and you’ll be fine. For anyone interested my set up is 4x2x2 and I run an all pond external and internal plus 75% water change once a week some times I water change twice. My fish are coloured up and happy as a pig in ..... ! Look forward to seeing your fish mate all the best.

 

[DomTay94]

Here’s some photos

 

[Jintoh50]

Sorry for late response. Oh yeah he's a big baby. Like I said I sit right in front of the tank working so he really knows me. My wife or kids come in and get near the tank he moves slower, changes from black to gray and just gives them the side eyes.

My wife said he's losing his color, told her no he's not its just because your near the tank LOL; she didn't appreciate that.

 

[Jintoh50]

I've not put anything in the tank he won't eat. I give him quite a variety of foods.
Just gave him avocado for the first time, loves that too (does his happy dance for more).

The only thing I've given him that gets no dance is banana and spinach. I'm going to try a few more snails I think, I did get 2 snails and he ate one fast. I assumed he'd eat the other but he's not touched it so may be the 3 food he doesn't like lol.

Gave him a bit too much of the avocado looks like, no more food today. Best I could do with my crappy phone and my photo skills. Don't panic about the spot on his gill, something to do with my camera, its not on the fish

 

[HoldenOn]

Wow I love his color

 

[AilyNC]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh when I donated my two Gold Spotted Common Plecos to the City Aquarium they put them in the Oscar tank there was already some Plecos in there

 

[HoldenOn]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh when I donated my two Gold Spotted Common Plecos to the City Aquarium they put them in the Oscar tank there was already some Plecos in there

They will grow, it'll be fine hehe

 

[AilyNC]

They better behave

 

[Jintoh50]

Had a friend over who has a much better phone so got him to take a better pic of my boy so wanted to share.