Hey, thought I'd share. This is my first exploration into cichlids LOL. Mum bought me an Oscar a month or so ago, as usual forgetting the part where I'd said I didn't have room for one. Anyway being a baby he's stayed in a 20g tank for a while, but we're picking up a 55g for him today and will upgrade again to a 125g when he gets to about 10 inch. I also bought him a few tankmates yesterday, boy that was fun i spent so much time on the net trying to work out what would go with him and getting so many mixed responses. I ended up with a
blue acara (should definitely get on with him)
an opaline gourami (a dither for him and the acara while their still small, will move to a peaceful tank before they get big enough to do damage)
an albino rainbow shark (one of the best scavengers I've found, will do a good job at cleaning up all the mess my O makes, since he spits more food out then he eats)

Merlin my O (6cm long)

The acara (4cm long)

The shark (6cm long)

The gourami (8cm long)


Ah well just thought I'd share

congrats on the :

i hope they get along

Wow, stunning new fish, good luck!

Beautiful new fish!

Congrats! You've got some great looking fish there.

The acara is stunning! Congrats

Very pretty fish you have there! I hope they all get along well.

Well, I don't know much at all about tropical fish combinations, but if they get on OK together, then great. That should make a nice tank indeed. You seem aware of your Oscars future requirements too, it's great you did so much research before getting your fish. I like the Gourami and the Acara too - very pretty fish. Good luck with them all

Double post, sorry!

Yay the 55g's almost ready to be used, just need a couple more hours for the stand to dry and we're off, will post some pics when its set up.

Emma

Darn it darn it darn it

The fish stayed in a 5g bucket over night while their tank heated up, and the gourami and shark somehow managed to jump a foot out of the water and onto the floor, I feel so bad.

did they survive? congrats on the new fish emma. have fun with tthem i love tropical fish

No they were crispy by the time I found them.

Some pics of the tank


Merlin the Oscar



Morgan Le Fay the Acara


Kelvin the Shark (moved him over from his old tank, need to find a new centerpiece now LOL)

That sucks. I'm sorry. Those were some great pics too. Things happen. Live and learn, right? You have quite a setup there.

awww no thats awful! If you want some more dither fish, Ive heard that the bigger rainbow fish can act as a good ditherfish for south american cichlids, the red irian rainbow or the beeosmani or turquoise etc any apar from the fancy finned or neon dwarfs.

Or you could consider a small school of silver dollars? I think they would be good espeicaly since your thinking of a 120 gallon tank if you like them make sure you learn the scientific name of the one you want there are quite a few different ones sold under the silver dolar name and they all vary you can get some that grow to a max of 6-7 inches and others that can reach 12 inches! Oh and be careful you dont get pacus ^^'' I've heard a few horror stories of people with "giant" silver dollars lol.

LOL, I'm thinking of going for a kissing gourami. As much as I like silver dollars and rainbows, their $15-20 a pop here, and if they don't work out, thats a lotta money down the drain.