New 125 Gallon! I'm Back :]] Hello Oscar!

[Raechal]

My oscar that I had for a few years recently passed a few months ago and I had no idea why. I tested my water and everything was perfect, there was nothing wrong with him externally or anything. His only tank mate was a parrot cichlid who had been his tank mate for 3 years and they never fought and she even tried mating with him.


Anyways, after he died I sold my large fish tanks and couldn't stand looking at the fish tanks without him in it. But my neighbor was just selling a 150 gallon in his driveway for $150 and it comes with everything! filters, sand, and tons more. So I had to buy it. It has a beautiful wood stand and canopy and comes with extra lights as well. It is a beautiful tank.

So with my new tank I really want to purchase another oscar, preferably a tiger oscar like my previous one. And I was wondering if you thought there would be enough room to add another medium sized peaceful cichlid.

I was thinking about maybe getting two oscars and over filtrate it and do regular water changes, or maybe a different type of cichlid?


what do you think?

 

[Raechal]

and I know this doesn't fit in the cichlid forum, but I was wondering if an armored bichir would be okay in a 125 with an oscar?

 

[shroob]

Whats dimensions of 150 (I think there are 2 common sizes in the US for 150, a 'regular' and a 'tall'). There should be plenty of room for an oscar + another larger cichlid, maybe 2 oscars + another cichlid (as long as the oscars arn't a pair).

I think armored birchir is another name for polypterus delhezi? If so they should be fine with each other, providing there isn't a substantial size difference.

 

[Raechal]

Whats dimensions of 150 (I think there are 2 common sizes in the US for 150, a 'regular' and a 'tall'). There should be plenty of room for an oscar + another larger cichlid, maybe 2 oscars + another cichlid (as long as the oscars arn't a pair).

I think armored birchir is another name for polypterus delhezi? If so they should be fine with each other, providing there isn't a substantial size difference.

Yeah I know the polypterus delhezi will eat anything he can fit in his mouth haha so I am thinking about purchasing the oscar a little bigger than the bichir if I end up doing it that way.


I am not exactly sure on the measurements right now as the tank isn't in my house yet.

We still have to move it into my house and I think we will be doing that this weekend.


i think it is just regular, not tall or anything.

 

[england]

hiya,,,hehe still got the bug then..............

yes if its the 5ft/2ft/2ft you could have two and other fishes....

 

[foley69]

why not get something like an emerald cichlid they are good with oscars and grow roughly the same size

 

[england]

yes i have one of those emerald cichlids in a grow out with a polleni small spot.......both around 2inches at present,,,,both very sexy fish

 

[shroob]

At the risk of sounding noobish...emerald cichlid?

 

[Davo86]

At the risk of sounding noobish...emerald cichlid?

the other name for the chocolate cichlid (Hypselecara temporalis)

 

[shroob]

At the risk of sounding noobish...emerald cichlid?

the other name for the chocolate cichlid (Hypselecara temporalis)

Oooh, common names suck sometimes so misleading. Seen some worse ones at LFS though.

 

[foley69]

i nearly bought one for my 25gal a few month back until i got home and realised how big they get sexy fish as well

 

[Raechal]

I've never seen an emerald cichlid at my lfs. I go to a few to see what they get in and I never really see anything other than africans, oscars and parrots. That is pretty much their selection when it comes to cichlids.

If I got two oscars, what other fish could I add if any?

 

[england]

whats the meausurments?
chocolates are hard to find,i stumbled across mine when i wasnt looking

 

[Raechal]

whats the meausurments?
chocolates are hard to find,i stumbled across mine when i wasnt looking

I don't even know. something like 5 feet wide and i am not sure what else. I don't have the tank in my house yet. I put $50 down on it and am going to pay the rest when i get paid.

 

[shroob]

Tank width will be important in seeing what tankmates you can have. I'd have thought any of the medium (6") to larger (12") should be ok as long as temperament isn't an issue eg. you tank could probably support a flowerhorn, but the aggressiveness might not be ok for the oscar/polypterus.

As a preliminary short list I would say:
Convict
Firemouth
Blue acara
Rainbow cichlid
Severum
Jack dempsey
Texas (can be risky)
Salvini (can be risky)
Nic (Hypsophrys nicaraguensis)

All depends on tank size and the personality of the individual fish as well.

Just doing a quick search it seems the regular 150 gallon is 72"x18x"28", so given the volume not that great dimensions for larger cichlids, would be alot better if it was wider instead of taller. But then the one you're getting could be different dimensions of course, so until we know its going to be difficult offering stocking suggestions.