Stocking 75 Gallon - Oscar Or No Oscar?

[squidneh]

I had been thinking it'd be a few more months before I upgraded to  larger tank, however I found a 75g on craigslist for an irresistible price.
I really, really want to get a juvenile oscar.  Something about them just captivates me, I have been obsessing over them for quite some time.
 
Tell me your opinion on mixing an oscar with these other fish of mine?
-Rainbow Shark {4 inches}: She stays on the bottom and is mostly peaceful, she has gotten used to my corys now, will occasionally have a spat with my algae eater but nothing bad.  
-3 Emerald Corys (will be bumping up to 6 or 7 in the new tank): Act like typical corys going about their cory business
-Chinese Algae Eater {4 inches}: I have read they can become aggressive and destructive as adults, but have had no such problems yet.  Will keep an eye out for it but he is pretty chill unless something pisses him off (bright lights or the neons crowding around in his pirate ship)
-6 Neons: I'm aware these guys would likely become food, which makes me a bit sad, but..
 
How do you guys think an oscar would do in this set up, introduced as a juvenile? I am going to have a lot of driftwood and hiding spots, with the corners planted although I'm aware the oscar would likely tear it up now and then. And of course, this will not be until the tank has been prepared properly, cycled and etc. I also will have very good filtration (looking into some marineland filters) and I actully enjoy vacuuming the tank (wish I could say the same for my house!) 
 
If not an oscar, I am looking into a few other cichlids
-Blood Parrot
-Severums
-Geophagus (forgive me if I spelled that wrong)
 
OR I am also intrigued by eels, however I'm worried that would leave me with a lot of bottom dwellers and not so many mid/upper level swimmers.  Perhaps a smaller eel and a cichlid as well?

 

[sawickib]

Alight im just going to be honest here ok, and give you different stockings.
 
Stock #1

• One oscar / no other tank mates
• they produce a large bioload so frequent and large water changes is recommended, also decent filters
• they need almost no direction in a tank this size, due to needing swimming space
• 75 gallons is the absolute min. for oscars, and then 150 for two and so on and so fourth 
• oscars will eat ANY small tank mates

Stock #2

• could do geophagus, depending on the species not all geos can go into a 75 gallon
• blood parrots do not mix well with geos
• severums are your choice to mix with geos, they can be a little aggressive

Stock #3 

• Community tank, full of tetras
• cories
• centerpiece fish
• rainbow sharks can be very aggressive as they mature
• chinese algae eater, you just wait will become large and mean and will go after the slime coat of other fish

Stock #4

• Eels, is very broad
• Species you may NOT keep are, python eel, fire eel, and tire track eel, i may be missing a few
• one example of a suitable eel is a peacock eel, you can have quite a few

Stock #5 

• Bichirs
• Almost all upper jaws would work
• Heres their names, p. palmas palmas, p. palmas polli, p. palmas buet., polypterus senegalus, polypterus retropinnis, polypterus delhezi, polypterus moke. and those are the only bichirs suitable for a 75 gallon

I can further expand on any of the stocking you like the most, just dont want to go into detail on that many haha

 

[squidneh]

Thank you! I appreciate the honesty and suggestions - that is what I was looking for.
 
I like the idea of peacock eels. I will look into those further. Any midsized centerpiece fish you can suggest? I love gouramis, but the shark doesn't like fish with long/showy fins.  I had one a few months ago and it didn't last long, poor fella. Maybe in a larger tank it'd be alright, or if I got a male with some females so it would not be one single target, but I'm unsure.
 
i also like bichirs - I have read a little bit about them, but never really considered them. 

 

[sawickib]

A pair of angelfish male/female would be nice, or one severum, i personally like the super red severums.
 
The shark will become a problem for your bottom dwellers, i can guarantee you that he will become a tank and will not tolerate many bottom dweller.
 
You could just rehome the shark as it limits your stocking, it seems you want a mixture of peaceful oddball fish and normal fish. So i would up the emerald cory school, as well as the neon tetras, very high would make some amazing natural behavior. 
 
You could do this

• 2-4 peacock eels
• 8 emerald cories
• 20 neon tetras
• 2 pearl gouramis
• 1 pair of angels
• Maybe a pair of rams or another species of cory at 8 or more to make a really cool tank full of schooling fish, beauty and oddball-ness

Bichirs will limit your stocking, meaning they cant be with anything that will fit in their mouth.

 

[squidneh]

Thanks sawickib 

That sounds like a good list too, and you are right, I am into oddball fish, but don't want to venture into the more aggressive species until I get myself a larger tank.  I'm quite attached to the shark, so when the time comes I likely will just get him his own tank with some tough friends, no matter how soon or far off that may be.