Looking For The Perfect Oddball

[Raechal]

So my tiger oscar and my parrot fish have bonded and mate and lay eggs often, although I am pretty sure nothing will come out of it. But oh, well. I have them in a 120 gallon with sand substrate and a few fake plants and caves and pots. I am looking for the perfect oddball for my tank.

I was thinking along the lines of maybe a fire eel or a type of bichir?

My oscar is a little under 4 inches right now and so is my parrot fish.


I was thinking something that usually stays on the bottom and won't interefere with my oscar and parrot fish mating. I wouldn't want them to get in the way or fight or anything.


Any ideas?

 

[flamingonhot]

A bichir is a perfect addition, just about nothing bothers them from my experience, and in turn they leave most fish alone.

Be careful though, since they are both large aggressive cichlids they may get territorial to any new arrival, and most bichirs don't fight back, they usually just swim away and get attacked multiple times. Make sure there isn't a huge size difference.

Try going for P. Senegalu, P. Retropinnis, and P. delhezi. There are some more out there but those are the 3 most commonly kept and less agressive of the species, avoid ornates, get HUGE and most likely there will be a problem with the oscar and parrot cichlid.

 

[Raechal]

A bichir is a perfect addition, just about nothing bothers them from my experience, and in turn they leave most fish alone.

Be careful though, since they are both large aggressive cichlids they may get territorial to any new arrival, and most bichirs don't fight back, they usually just swim away and get attacked multiple times. Make sure there isn't a huge size difference.

Try going for P. Senegalu, P. Retropinnis, and P. delhezi. There are some more out there but those are the 3 most commonly kept and less agressive of the species, avoid ornates, get HUGE and most likely there will be a problem with the oscar and parrot cichlid.

Thanks. I was looking to get a senegal bichir. I have seen those around the most commonly.

 

[beblondie]

Bichirs are basicly non agressive predators and should be kept with non agressive species.Cichlids especially egg laying cichlids can become very agressive egg guarders.Personaly I wouldn't put a senegal
or any of the smaller upper jaw bichirs in with an Oscar but hey thats just me -Anne

 

[Raechal]

Bichirs are basicly non agressive predators and should be kept with non agressive species.Cichlids especially egg laying cichlids can become very agressive egg guarders.Personaly I wouldn't put a senegal
or any of the smaller upper jaw bichirs in with an Oscar but hey thats just me -Anne

Well I know my oscar is still a juvenile, but he is not aggressive what so ever. My parrot cichlid is the one I am worried about. She gets VERY protective over my oscar and her "caves"

 

[flamingonhot]

Who knows, my cousin has his with tsn's, oscars, and all that and it does fine as long as you make sure it get's food.

I have mine with needlenoses, an oscar,and the like and it's doing great! I have a regular senegal and an albino senegal.

Who knows if it would work for you.

My cousin's didn't do the greatest but that's because all he ever fed were ungodly large pieces of food to fatten up the tsn's and oscar lol.

 

[beblondie]

Something you need to take into account also the behaviour of juvenile fish is not always continued as the fish ages and matures many species as juveniles tend to accept other fish (saftey in numbres) however as they grow and mature into adulthood they can become very territorialand agressive.I'm not saying that this is always the case each fish will have its own ''personality''.
I grew up in a house of oscar keepers and have seen all kinds of strange behavior form vey docile to very agresive.I also have had bichirs that were timid easy going fish and I have had a just plain mean ones who had to have his own tank no other fish were allowed he wasn't happy about my hand, the filter intake or the heater-Anne

Something I forgot to mention since parrot cichlids usually only get 6-7 inches in length and oscars can reach over a 12'' the parrot could be in trouble in the future.Not saying its definate just saying its a possibility

 

[ringham]

I think tat eeels would look gr8 in your tank. If your tank is big enough (i think it is) then a tyre track eel will get it's own territory. If you tank isn't big enough then there may be problems over terriotory.

 

[pieman]

Maybe a group of 3 spiney eels?

 

[ringham]

If you were going to get three then I don't recommend a tyre track eel. 2 peacock eels and a fire eel would be good. Tyre tracks get pretty big and because they can be aggresive then I wouldn't recommend getting more tan one unless you have a pretty big tank (IMO).