ATT: Fish Geeks

[starlitt]

So tell me about your fish

I have two Tiger Oscars, one is 7 inches and the other one is 6 inches and I have a Pleco. We have a Separator between them cause if we let them swim together they will kill each other or at least the aggressive one will kill the other one off. They are in a small 30 GAL. tank we are going to upgrade when they get a little bit bigger.

I also have a 5 1/2 GAL. tank, I might throw a few loaches or tetras in there.

 

[Russ]

I eat fish from time to time.

Russ, NCNE

 

[Imaginer]

I know what you are talking about.

We had Oscars too. The tank was a bit small for them with the divider. They survived until we moved to Texas.

Use to feed them tiny frogs that come out after a rain in Florida. They are aggressive! Even in a Anatomy/Physiology class, our teacher had oscars. Someone fed it goldfish.

 

[starlitt]

Not recommanded to feed Oscars feeder fish because they bring diseases into the tank.

They do eat fruit, seeds from terrestrial plants that fall ino the water if they were in the wild, aquatic invertebrates like crabs and insects, and yes some fish. Larvae of flies, dragonflies and crustaceans. Actually, Oscars will eat anything-its not recommanded to feed them everything though. Also worms (either collected nightcrawlers or cultured red worms), mealworms and crickets, snales and crayfish. Clams, mussels, and prawns.

I just feed my Oscars pellets. I love it how they get so excited about feeding time, did you teach your oscars tricks?

 

[trmiv]

Oscars are like garbage disposals. I don't really like them myself, but they were really big sellers at the fish store I used to work at. For South American Cichlids I prefer Dovii's(you think those Oscars are agressive, check out the Dovii, one word MEAN), Red Devels, Tri Macs, Festae, Tetracanthus, and my favorite Managuense.

I have African Cichlids myself. I have two tanks right now, a 100 gal with mixed African Cichlids from Lake Malawi, and a 60 gal with a breeding colony of Brichardi from Lake Tanganyika.

 

[frogger]

starlitt

My sis loved Mollys and Betas. Not a good mix!

She still has Mollys in a 50 gallon tank with other fishes.

 

[starlitt]

Dovii

Oscars are like puppy dogs with fins and gills thats why I like them so much. I don't know the nature of Dovii's but they seem to grow big, 30 inches aleast. So tell me more about them, I am doing a little research about them right now.

For those who do not know how oscars look like

Oscars

 

[Regine]

Everytime I get a goldfish or two they are fine for a few days and then suddenly die. And I'm not doing anything bad or wrong to them. So now I've just given up.

 

[Imaginer]

Didn't teach them any tricks. Though, they do manage to try and come out of the water if you hold the pellet high enough.

 

[starlitt]

toolgirl- I had goldfish before, I was about 10...I won them from a Elementary school fair and they lasted pretty long. First off goldfish like their water cool, you need good filteration, clean the tank atleast once a week depends how dirty your fish is...you probably need a water test kit to test the PH levels and ammonia levels, nitrite is deadly to your fish and ammonia. For my fish tank PH levels don't really matter but nitrite and ammonia is most important for any fish tank.

 

[starlitt]

Imaginer- I just feed them out of my hand and pet them, I haven't taught them to jump through a hoop yet

 

[trmiv]

starlitt:

Dovii's are just awesome, one of my absolute favorite fresh water fish. But, they are mean as hell and will eat other cichlids, and they will surprise you will how big of fish they can eat. They are pretty much unsuitable for any tank under 100 gallons, and a tank in the 200 gal and over range is best for them. They get BIG, and they grow FAST. My friend had one that killed off a Managuese (Jaguar Cichlid), a Red Devel and two Jack Dempseys within a month. But, if you have the tank to keep them, they are fun to have. Great personality and they flash attitude with their looks.

 

[starlitt]

trmiv


AH, toooooo aggressive for me. Gee, wonder if Dovii will eat the cat? Joking. Dang he killed all those poor cichlids within a month? So how can the Dovii have a tank mate? With its own kind? They are territorial, I can diffidently see that.

 

[trmiv]

starlitt

Unless it's a really big tank with defined territories, they really don't like to have any tank mates. They absolutely cannot be kept with their own kind(especially two males), they will fight to the death. Not all fish will tolerate other fish in a confined space. These are animals that are used to large territories which they defend very aggressively, so they most likely won't tolerate other fish in My friend who had the one that killed all the fish managed to get it to live with on Jack Dempsey, but that was only because the Dempsey was a really passive female, and didn't pose a threat to the Dovii.

This isn't to say all Doviis will do this, I've seen some live with three or four other fish for a few years no problem. They are really intelligent, so their personalities can vary. But usually the end result of large cichlids in a fish tank is a few fish will be killed by a dominant fish.

 

[ratkil]

Have been out of fish for several years, just started getting back in a little. 29 gallon tank with a Red Devil and Blue Acara.

Those Dovii sound like Snakeheads, cool fish but pretty much the only thing you will have in your tank.

 

[Aquaman]

Who better to reply to this thread than........ Aquaman

I must be the ultimate 'fish geek' on this forum.......... I have a fishroom I've got over 80 tanks ranging from 5 gallons to 180 gallons. For freshwater I keep fancy goldfish, south american dwarf cichlids, angelfish, discus, cory cats and many many different tetras & barbs. For saltwater I keep many different types of fish (clownfish being my fav) and I have a couple of reef tanks.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[starlitt]

Aqua - You are the ultimate fish geek Very impressive. How long does it take to clean all your fish tanks?

 

[Aquaman]

I have 5 different systems on central filtration but usually every Wednesday & Saturday I spend about an hour working on cleaning one system (ie. clean gravel & change filters). Thank the good lord for Python water changer I'd have too spend a lot more time if I hadn't planted most of my freshwater tanks (ie. plants love the ammonium & to a lesser extent nitrite & nitrates produced by the fish & food). Everyday stuff like cleaning glass (gotta love those algae magnets) & feeding only take about 1/2 an hour.

Unfortunately, when I get married (hopefully next year) I'll have to scale back the fish room I'll actually have to change my 50 ft X 30 ft room to a 10 ft X 10 ft room The agony

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Starlitt........ you really should get a bigger tank for those Oscars. A friend of mine raised 4 - 1 inch babies to 12 inches in a 100 gallon tank (even that was too small). For 2 Oscars I'd get at least a 4ft 50 gallon tank. In a tank that size the 2 fish should be ok.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[starlitt]

Yeah, I am going to upgrade the tank when I have some $$$, the fish are not to big right now so they can wait a few more months.

My gosh Aqua what a task it is for you to clean the tank, feeding takes only 1/2 hour? You feed them twice a day right? So you spend an hour everyday feeding your fish, I think thats amazing that you are so devoted to what you are doing. Some people think its easy keeping fish but its actually not, its a task and a challenage to keep them alive.

 

[Aquaman]

Starlitt.......... only 1/2 hour a day. I've got many food dispensers that feed many of the tanks a high quality flake or pellet twice a day & I feed once a day with frozen or live food. Not all tanks get fed everyday. For example I feed my goldfish once a day because if I feed more they will get way too fat. I feed my Discus 4 times a day (once with flakes, twice with frozen foods & once with live food).

Cheers,
Aquaman