Bocourti and Oscar in a 125 gallon.
- Thread starter Ammon
- Start date
I would not put two 12in plus cichlids in a 125gal. The most aggressive one will pick on the weaker one till it dies from wounds or stress.
In my opinion if you want multiple big cichlids think of a 8x2x2 at least.
In my opinion if you want multiple big cichlids think of a 8x2x2 at least.
I’ve been looking at large tetra relatives and spanner barbs. The electric blue Acara have a wonderful shape and their blue highlights would look amazing next to either red or green.
If I find a better fish to fill their role then I would definitely go for it.
Beside the obvious size problems in a tank as small as a 125.
There is a water parameter disparity, Oscars and blue acara are both soft water, neutral to lower pH species.
The bocourti are hard water, high pH water species, preferted pH around 8.
I grew my bocourti out in a 150 gal, but had to move them to a 300 at a little oer a year, because they grew quite fast.
Although they are non-aggressive, if kept in too small quarters can get testy.
I kept mine with similar hard water high pH species Chuco intermedium
As the bocourti age, they become more and more vegetarian, and if fed a steady diet of some of the foods oscars prefer can have dietary issues.
Mine could go thru a head of romaine lettuce, and a dozen large dandilions or other succulent plants per day to keep intestines moving.
There is a water parameter disparity, Oscars and blue acara are both soft water, neutral to lower pH species.
The bocourti are hard water, high pH water species, preferted pH around 8.
I grew my bocourti out in a 150 gal, but had to move them to a 300 at a little oer a year, because they grew quite fast.
Although they are non-aggressive, if kept in too small quarters can get testy.
I kept mine with similar hard water high pH species Chuco intermedium
As the bocourti age, they become more and more vegetarian, and if fed a steady diet of some of the foods oscars prefer can have dietary issues.
Mine could go thru a head of romaine lettuce, and a dozen large dandilions or other succulent plants per day to keep intestines moving.
Last edited:
Oscar's are just big messy fish. Half of what they eat comes flying out thier gills. Also when they poo, and there is a lot of it, when grown it's as big around as a pencil and 3 inches plus in length.
In a 125gal I advise no other fish save a catfish. I would suggest one from the Pimelodus family such as the Ornatus. They are not so sedimentary, and should help clean up all the food shrapnel the Oscar expelled while eating.
I grew out an Oscar from one of those ultra cute little one inch fry. Tried many different fish to live with her and the only thing that worked was an Ornatus.
Oscar's grow so fast, sooner that you think they will out grow it's tankmates. And as with all fish, if it fits it's food. She lived with these Roseline sharks for six months plus. Then one day this happened.
Then I tried silver dollars, and this one was just big enough to not fit
But she never went after the Ornatus, for some reason it just wasn't on her food radar.
In a 125gal I advise no other fish save a catfish. I would suggest one from the Pimelodus family such as the Ornatus. They are not so sedimentary, and should help clean up all the food shrapnel the Oscar expelled while eating.
I grew out an Oscar from one of those ultra cute little one inch fry. Tried many different fish to live with her and the only thing that worked was an Ornatus.
Oscar's grow so fast, sooner that you think they will out grow it's tankmates. And as with all fish, if it fits it's food. She lived with these Roseline sharks for six months plus. Then one day this happened.
Then I tried silver dollars, and this one was just big enough to not fit
But she never went after the Ornatus, for some reason it just wasn't on her food radar.
I plan to add all of the fish at once with the Oscar being the smallest in a group of harmless fish. That way they might stay too big to eat as the Oscar grows. If I add slow growing fish like clown loaches then they’re going to have a temporary separate tank until they’re over 6 inches.
Be careful of overstocking. A 125 isn't as big as you think! The O alone will make it look pretty tight as it grows! It's easier to plan for adult size than just stocking numbers.
