Theory of a Fishkeeper

Feeder Fish
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So I'm going to get to the point as fast as I can. I had a 5inch Oscar, 4inch GT, and 6inch Senegal Bichir in a 75 gallon tank. They were in like this for a few months and only the GT and Oscar fought for the first two days and were completely okay after that. Two days ago I came home to a massive crack in the glass and water all over my floor, with only around 3 inches of water still in the aquarium. I had no choice but to move the three fish into my only open tank which is a 20 gallon long. Money is tight for me right now and I wont be able to buy a new 75 for a few more weeks, but my GT has been tormenting the Oscar. I have tried almost everything to try and get the GT of my Oscar's back but he is being relentless. One idea someone gave me was to add a few small convicts into the aquarium to keep the GT from just tormenting my fish, but to spread out the aggression. Has this worked for any for you? I just need a temporary fix because I'm getting another 75 or possibly a 90 within a few weeks, but I'm not sure if my oscar will make it at this rate. Please let me know any suggestions.
 

kno4te

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Could always add more cichlid me to spread the aggression but likely need a larger tank with lost of properly place decor. I’d suggest removing one fish and keep the cichlid as a solo fish.
 

Theory of a Fishkeeper

Feeder Fish
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Feb 19, 2019
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Could always add more cichlid me to spread the aggression but likely need a larger tank with lost of properly place decor. I’d suggest removing one fish and keep the cichlid as a solo fish.
I would remove one but I dont have another place to put the other one
 

Jexnell

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Do you have a big plastic storage tote laying about? Use it as a temp tank. The filters from the broken 75 if a HOB or canister will be easy to use on it. Then you can keep one in the tank and one in the tote.

Edit: or you can go get a new one, Home Depot normally has some for $10 bucks or less.
 

duanes

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The reason they fought in a 75, is that the 75 is too small for those two cichlids, to me 75 is too small for 1 oscar alone.
Most ciclid aggression is about tank size, if the tank is too small, there will be overt aggression, if the tank is the right size, aggression will be minimal, and confined to bluster.
If you want to keep both fish together, since you need to buy a new tank anyway, don't bother getting another 75, but get a proper size tank for those two species. Double at a minimum.
 

Rocksor

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Well you should rehome either the oscar or gt now. When you get your new 75, you will run into the same problem later on down the line. You have a better chance with a 6 foot 180g.
 
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Theory of a Fishkeeper

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 19, 2019
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The reason they fought in a 75, is that the 75 is too small for those two cichlids, to me 75 is too small for 1 oscar alone.
Most ciclid aggression is about tank size, if the tank is too small, there will be overt aggression, if the tank is the right size, aggression will be minimal, and confined to bluster.
If you want to keep both fish together, since you need to buy a new tank anyway, don't bother getting another 75, but get a proper size tank for those two species. Double at a minimum.
They didnt fight in the 75 if you read the post. They fought in the 20. And they are no longer fighting in the new 75 I bought them. And in about 2 months they'll be in a 250 as the tank I ordered will be here in a month and then I have to cycle it
 

DonnyB

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While a 150 would be wonderful for those two fish let's not get Crazy at 125 would be fine and you could even have a couple other inhabitants.

I once tried a GT and Oscar, the GT won and then lost when I got home (see avatar). My O is king around here. YOu would have better luck with a make convict or firemouth perhaps in a 75. Something that can't destroy the O long term. I have kept this combo successfully in both 90 gal and 75 gallo tank.
 
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