CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

So, obviously I'm brand new to your forum. Seeing as I have been enjoying the wealth of information here for a couple of days now, I decided it was time to register and introduce myself.  I guess I would consider myself to be a moderately experienced keeper of community and semi-aggressive freshwater fish.  Recently, I've taken an interest in the challenge of keeping cichlids, and especially oscars.  Right now, we have a semi-agressive 55 gal tank and two 30 gal tanks. 

One 30 is currently dedicated to housing a pair of kribenses and their completely unexpected brood of fry.  I thought these guys needed some pretty specific tank conditions in order to breed... I guess my tank fit the bill just fine.  I'm completely in awe of my little female though.  She was once the most timid member of my semi-agressive tank.  In motherhood, she is absolutely fearless.  She even had Scooby, my 8 inch pleco, totally cowed before we moved them to the 30 gal. tank. Any suggestions on what I can do with her 16 babies, and when I can safely seperate them from mom and dad?  The babies seem to do fine on their own... I'm more worried about mom and dad.   

The other 30 contains 2 young oscars.  They're fine for now, this is only a temporary measure.  Their permanent home is arriving next weekend, a 125 gal tank.  I think it's fair to say that a 125 gallons, even with two fully grown oscars, is a pretty sparse tank.  I have Scooby (the 8 in. pleco I mentioned) and/or a pair of very closely bonded black-fin cat-sharks that I'm considering for potential tank mates.  All of these are bigger than the oscars, and not in immediate danger of becoming oscar chow.  I've also considered just getting one or two more oscars.  Or... should I think about getting something else alltogether?  Exotic and colorful is great, but I would rather have a healthy, active tank.  Always something moving to catch the eye. I'm completely open to any input that you might have here. 

I'm also interested in any suggestions you might have for preferred types of substrate and tank decoration.  I know that oscars are playful, intelligent little guys, prone to rearranging their tanks and eating live plants.  I'm content with a natural looking tank, but more concerned with making my fish happy than making a tank look exactly like I want it to.  Again, any input here is greatly appreciated.   

I also have a 1000 gal koi pond in my backyard.  I've always wanted a koi pond, but this one came with the house, and I'm only now discovering just how poorly it was designed.  Let's just start with the fact that there was absolutely NO filtration whatsoever.  The addition of a super efficient UV biofilter has vastly improved water quality and clarity, but I'm still a helpless victim of pond sludge.  I would welcome the opportunity to bend the ear of anyone with expertise in this area. 

Finally...  we're not just fish people.  My family includes a husband, 2 kids, 2 cats, a cockatiel and a recently adopted 7 month old puppy.  Our house is a veritable zoo.  It's a lot of work, but I wouldn't have it any other way.  I'm also very well versed in ferret, although sadly we have no ferrets right now. 

I'm more than happy to converse on any of these topics, but my experience with mammals far outweighs my experience with fish.  It is likely that I can offer reasonably helpful advice regarding the former, but will need much info regarding the latter.  I hope, at least, to become a beneficial member of your "tank."   :laughing7:

Hi Chayse, what a nice post! Welcome to the forum x

HI and welcome to the forum.

From my point of view, in the 125, I would keep just the pair of Oscars in it, mixed with a diffrent type of fish, if you introduce other Oscars, at a later date, the first pair my not get along. Now if your looking for a breeding pair, then get four others asap around the same size of the two existing ones. Then once they get around 6 inches they will pair off. Now you could find new homes for the other four, and your off to the breeding race's. Personally I find Oscars and Jack Dempsey's to be a great set of tank mates. If you want flash and speed, maybe some silver dollars. I think Mark Stone, one of the admins here, has kept his with Green Terrors, but I might be mistaken, so maybe he will post his suggestions.
As for the Krebs, well I suspect the breeding will continue, so maybe you can find a pet store to take the extras, or you have a ready supply of feeders for the Oscars. Mom and Dad should do fine, maybe move out the pleco to the Oscar tank, to eliminate the aggressiveness.
Oscars need to dig, at least IME, so I vote for coloured gravel. In my tank I mixed red with blue, I kind of like the look.
If you do get JD's then some clay pots will be required, but for the Oscars, well open water is good maybe a plastic plant to play with and move around, at least till you get tired of re setting it. I also put in some nice looking rocks, in mine, gives mine something to rearrange besides the gravel. Anyhow, welcome again, and I look forward to finding out what you decide to do.

Thank you for your welcome.  As for the 125 tank, that's been put off for yet another week.  Difficult circumstances, a widow parting with her departed husband's hobby.  I'd sooner just buy a tank as to push the issue, but I'm afraid of ending up with 2 large tanks. I'm not sure of where I could put them.  Anyway, I'm watching my oscar tank like a hawk, and with 25% water changes every week, they seem to be doing just fine.  Still, I'll feel better when they're safely moved into their permanent home. 

When I do get my 125 tank, I would like to try keeping my two oscars, the two catsharks and my pleco there.  Actually, a third oscar would perfect the tank, if I could have my way, but I realize that might overload the tank.  The two oscars that I have aren't aggressive toward each other, but they don't seem particularly interested in each other either.  I added a bunch of plastic plants and rocks to their tank, but they're not really interested in those either.  Is there something else I should be adding?  I'm not trying to breed my oscars.  I would just like to have a little more diversity in my smart little fishies.  Is a third oscar an option?  Or would I be better to stick with my pleco and catsharks?

The krebs are doing better than I ever expected.  A blue gourami in my semi aggressive tank was aspiring to be a bully, so I moved him into the 30 with mom and dad kreb and all their babies.  He now seems to take the brunt of their aggressions while gaining a more realistic opinion of himself.  My babies are growing like wildfire, and I have found a pet store that is more than happy to take them once they grow to size.  I'm glad for that, because while giving feeder goldfish to my oscars has never presented any moral dillemas, giving them my kreb babies somehow did. 

Sounds like the O's are in good hands. On the suggestion of adding in a third Oscar, I would vote no. The reason, well
if you have three, then IME its almost a guaranty of a fight waiting to happen. Here's why: Three Oscars, all male, need I say more  . OK the second mix One male, two females. Now the male will be happy, however, the two females may not like it. Last but not least, two males and one female, here we go again, one happy female, and two males fighting for her.
As for the Oscars moving the plants around, etc, they don't really start digging and rearranging things till there about 6" or so. The same goes for pairing off.
I notice the line about feeder goldfish. Personally, I don't use feeders for mine. Its not that I am against it, just store bought ones, carry too high a risk of bringing disease into your tank. Second, they are pretty much empty calories, much like junk food to people. I just made the comment, in case you couldn't find homes for the Krebs. It beats flushing them down the toilet, so to speak, and at least you would have had a disease free source of junk food for the O's.