If you are an aquarium lover, I am sure you would have at least one oscar in your tank. They are invariably one of the most popular aquarium inhabitants. However, Oscars are known to be aggressive towards other fish. That would make you have that inevitable question that might consistently be lingering in your mind. What ffish can live with Oscars? What are the best tankmates for oscars? Let us try finding out the details.
Some most common fish that can lie with Oscars can include Silver Dollars, Plecos, Severum cichlids, Jack Dempseys, and loaches. You should always avoid smaller fishes, fin nipping fish and shy fish with Oscars.
Oscar Fish – An Introduction
Before you can decide on the best tankmates for Oscras, it would be practical to check out the behavioural patterns of the Oscars. In fact, oscars are the most popular among the freshwater fish and considered to be water puppies. Scientifically known as Astronotus ocellatus, Oscars belong to the larger fish varieties belonging to the genre of South American Cichlids.
They are bright in color and come with a few easy care requirements. But, their behavioural pattern may be a little disappointing. If you are wondering about the right tankmates to keep with Oscars, to be matter of fact, Oscars do not need any tankmate. Based on my own experience, I would say Oscars hate tankmates. They are happy alone and keep themselves entertained.
Oscars are primarily a preaddatory fish. If something is small enough to get into their mouth, they will devour it. That is one of the reasons why you should avoid keeping an Oscar with any other fish.
Best Oscar Tankmates – A Possible List
| Fish Name | Scientific Name | Size (inches) | Origin | Diet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Dollar | Metynnis argenteus | Up to 6 | South America | Omnivore |
| Green Terror | Aequidens rivulatus | Up to 8 | Central America | Carnivore |
| Pleco (Common) | Hypostomus plecostomus | Up to 18 | South America | Herbivore |
| Jack Dempsey | Cichlasoma octofasciatum | Up to 12 | Central America | Omnivore |
| Clown Loach | Botia macracantha | Up to 6 | Southeast Asia | Omnivore (Scavenger) |
| Giant Gourami | Osphronemus goramy | Up to 24 | Southeast Asia | Herbivore |
Even when Oscars do not have the tankmates exactly in the right sense of the word, you can perhaps try out with the following species.
1. Silver Dollars
In contrast to Oscars, Silver Dollars are peaceful fish. However, they can grow to a huge size. They can grow to up to six inches long. That would mean keeping more of these fish may not be the right option in a small tank.
Silver Dollars tend to be very active fish. Of course, they can live in small tanks, but if given a larger tank, they can thrive to their fullest. The size and agility of these fish make them the right pick for an Oscar tank.
2. Green Terror
Green terror cichlid comes with the similar needs and size of an Oscar fish. The similar behaviour would make the two avoid bullying. However, make sure that the Green Terror you choose to keep in an Oscar tank is of the same size as the Oscar. Junenile Green Terror are found to be eaten away by the Oscars.
In fact, Green Terror should be the excellent fish genre to be in an Oscar tank. The temperament and behaviour of the two match and that can even make them get along really well. Or at least, it can help them stay away from each other.
3. Jack Dempsey Fish
Jack Dempsey is yet another fish that belongs to the category of cichlids. These can be big fish with a fierce personality. You can choose from among a huge range of Jack Dempsey fish with different colors.
Jack Dempseys are aggressive and thus can be a match for the Oscars. Since they are of the same size, they get a good opportunity with the equal territories. Once again, just like in the case of Green Terror, choose the oscar and Jack Dempsey to be of same size.
4. Giant Gourami
Of course, a Giant Gourami is not much common, but can be a great pick for a tank with the Oscars. Giant Gouramis can grow to 2 feet in length and can suit the aggressiveness of the Oscars.
They tend to be relatively peaceful, but can geet more aggressive as they grow further. However, otherwise calm behavior of the Gouramis can be an asset as it can also calm down the Oscars.
5. Clown Loaches
Clown Loaches can grow to a size of a foot and this can make them the right tankmates for an Oscar tank. They are also known to be very demanding and that is exactly what would make them the right tankmates for Oscars.
Crown Loaches are known to be semi aggressive in nature and territorial. They defend their place at the bottom of the tank.
6. Pleco
The common Pleco or the sucker fish is an excellent tankmate for Oscar fish. They can grow to be a length of up to 20 inches and can live a long life. The monster size of these fish keep the Oscars at bay and stay peaceful.
Suckeers can cling to the vertical walls of the aquarium, but most of the time, they tend to dwell at the bottom on the substrate. This will ensure that they do not interfere with the Oscar fish swimming above. That apart, they can also help you keep the tank clean by cleaning up the left out food.
The Closing Thoughts
Oscars are typically are not comfortable with any tankmates. However, if you are adventurous enough and want to experiment, you can try out a few combinations. we assume that the list off a few best fish that can live Oscar fish should give you a good idea. Make sure to keep a watch whenever you add a new fish to an Oscar tank and remove them immediately if you notice any sort of aggression.
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