# Do Oscars "NEED" tank mates?



## Ralphy The Oscar (Mar 17, 2010)

I have a oscar who was living with a pleco but the pleco died (i think he wasnt getting enough algae ) my oscar would always eat the algae wafers even when i put them in at night in the dark lol. Should i be in a rush to find him a tank mate or will he be fine by himself?


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## kmuda (Nov 27, 2009)

Oscars absolutely DO NOT need tank mates. In fact, I think they do better solo.


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

pic pic pic !


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## John27 (Jun 6, 2010)

I agree with Kmuda, it's evident by the fact that the only tankmates they tolerate are ones that stay out of their way, hide, and are nocturnal, in other words, might as well not even be there. :lol:


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## Walter&amp;Norm&amp;Luke (Jul 28, 2010)

I had an Albino Oscar that i kept by himself and he would just lay on the bottom and he always looked on the verge of death and to be honest he kind of sucked. I got a tiger Oscar about the same size maybe a tiny bit bigger than him and once i got him the 2 of them became best friends and always swim around the tank in together and look happy as can be. I dont think i have ever seen them more than an inch apart in my 55 gallon in the 6 months since i got the tiger oscar. Obviously i wouldnt expect this with all oscars but i added another smaller tiger oscar and while he doesn't quite swim with both of them they leave him alone and defend him if my red devil goes after him.


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

3 Oscars and a Red Devil in a 55gal 

you seriously need to upgrade before WWIII unleashes! 
(or nitrates finish them off!)

well maybe i rushed to this veredict since i don't know their sizes, but if you plan to keep them as a couple you'll need at least a 125gal only for them.

I don't think a RD will work longterm with Oscars, is by far one of the most agressive Cichlids I've ever kept... and well Oscars are not nearly as agressive; one day you'll wake up and only see your RD in the tank.


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## Walter&amp;Norm&amp;Luke (Jul 28, 2010)

The RD is actually Pretty peaceful, whenever i put feeders in the tank he doesnt even go after them that much, he is a little smaller than the oscars and he sort of does his own thing, the only fish he picks on is a Green Texas that is a little smaller than him, the green texas has pretty much been chased and picked on its whole life but it is a trooper and never seems to be phased by it. I change 15 gallon a day so the nitrates wont be an issue, i'm looking into getting a 120+ for them cause i know they will outgrow it soon.


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

Green Texas? hehe well how big is your stock list.

H. Carpentis can be quite nasty too hehe

my first guess is all your fishes are juveniles?


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## Walter&amp;Norm&amp;Luke (Jul 28, 2010)

it's a 55 and i have 2 oscars roughly 4-5 inches, 1 thats probably 3 maybe 3.5, a green texas thats probably 3-3.5 a red devil thats 4-4.5, a JD that is 3.5 and 2 small JD's that are probably 1.5 and i have a few small caves at the bottom that a 1 inch demasoni lives in and somehow is not picked on by any of the big boys. I only put the Demasoni in because he was in my friends 10 gallon and his filter stopped working so we put him in temporarily but he gets food and no one bothers him, plus it would be a major hassle to try to move all the small caves and catch him.


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## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

Ralphy The Oscar, I don't know if anyone told you this yet but you do not need a tank-mate. :fish:


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## kmuda (Nov 27, 2009)

LSBoost said:


> Ralphy The Oscar, I don't know if anyone told you this yet but you do not need a tank-mate. :fish:


First reply to his post.


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

I keep my guy alone. :thumb:


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## Tiktaalik Owner (Aug 17, 2009)

It's nice to have other fish to look at. My 3 SDs & Firemouth are a riot. But they spend their lives staying out of my Oscar's way. He doesn't "like" them; he tolerates/ignores them. On a good day he goes about his projects: attacking the heater, knocking things over, dancing in his bubble wall. We project our needs & feelings on our pets, sometimes with disastrous results.

If Pixar ever makes an Oscar the Oscar movie, they should portray him as a Clint Eastwood type (back when he was cool), a tough guy loner who ignores the rest of the characters, occasionally head-butting them.


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

Tiktaalik Owner said:


> If Pixar ever makes an Oscar the Oscar movie, they should portray him as a Clint Eastwood type (back when he was cool), a tough guy loner who ignores the rest of the characters, occasionally head-butting them.


hahahaha +1 !!


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

It's a 44 Magnum in a Clint voice! :lol: :lol:


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## Tiktaalik Owner (Aug 17, 2009)

About 6 months ago I called my O The Oscar Josey Wales. Look at the marking in his middle. There's a man holding a gun, almost crouching, aiming toward the gill, possibly wearing a cowboy hat.










Can't see it? Okay, in this shot it's undeniable. There's an orange gunslinger dead center. The fish is looking back it him.










This sign should come as no surprise. Recently Allah sent the world proof of his existence via the markings on an Oscar http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2006/feb/02/paullewis. If that were my fish I'd keep him but he'd be converting to Buddhism.

The gunslinger has gained some weight. We all do. (Tank pictured before the addition of Amazonian background.)


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## Ralphy The Oscar (Mar 17, 2010)

LSBoost said:


> Ralphy The Oscar, I don't know if anyone told you this yet but you do not need a tank-mate. :fish:


haha yeah im not going to get him a tank mate unless i develop an algae problem.. thats the only reason i had a pleco in there with him. The tank is away from sunlight and i dont run my fish lights too much so i think i will be ok

and yes kmuda answered me quickly (i appreciate everyones feedback)


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

*Ralphy The Oscar* post us a pic of your Oscar plz! 

there should be a general rule to include a pic when starting a Oscar thread imo!

btw *Tiktaalik Owner*
that is some nice marking hehe 

idk why i love watching Oscars  
I don't think there's other fish as amazing as Oscars only followed closely by Viejas...


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## Ralphy The Oscar (Mar 17, 2010)

I dont kno how to upload a pic. =O sorry lol


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

you got any photobucket / flicker / hotmail account?

just have to upload there and post the link here


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## Ralphy The Oscar (Mar 17, 2010)

Here are some ok pics i took of my Oscar Ralphy! Hes like 4inchs getting closer to 5 i think


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## Tiktaalik Owner (Aug 17, 2009)

Handsome fellow! My O's long lost cousin?


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## Ralphy The Oscar (Mar 17, 2010)

haha they look similar, im still hoping my O's red color will come out better as he grows. I feed him Hikari Gold and Hikari Bloodworms/Krill but his red hasnt really jumped out just yet.


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## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

kmuda said:


> LSBoost said:
> 
> 
> > Ralphy The Oscar, I don't know if anyone told you this yet but you do not need a tank-mate. :fish:
> ...


LOL, I know kmuda. I was just messing around, I know you got to it first :thumb:

Nice oscar Ralphy, that looks bigger than 4 inches.


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## Ralphy The Oscar (Mar 17, 2010)

Thanks! He might be 5inchs close to 6. To me he doesn't look much different because hes in my room and i see him a lot each day but when my family members or girlfriend see him they think hes growing like crazy.


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## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

I know what you mean, it grow right before your eyes. When my last oscar die I didn't realize how big it was till I got another oscar. The new one was so tiny (about 2.5-3 inches), I had trouble finding it in my 100gallon.


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

Great pics guys! Sup Boost how are you my brotha? How's your new O doing?


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

looking good! :thumb:


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