Oscar, JD, and ??? upcoming 90 gallon tank

[Something Fishy Here]

Hey guys, planning my new 90g fw tank I'll be getting in the next couple weeks. Been out of fishkeeping for a year and excited to get it up and running. I'm thinking I want an Oscar and Jack Dempsey, I've read they can be good tankmates, but wondering how many fish I can stock. I'm looking at the fluval fx4 and sand substrate. Could i do an Oscar, JD, a couple clown loaches and a few tinfoil barbs or what that be way overstocked? Biggest fish I had before was a couple severums in a community 60, so just figuring out where to go with this tank, I'd like more than 2 fish but don't want to be rehoming fish or returning them. Thanks for any advice or information guys.

 

[Sinister-Kisses]

Are you planning to upgrade again, to at least double that size of a tank?

If not, then hard no. A 90 gal is not large enough for an adult oscar, even kept by itself.

If the 90 is the long term or end plan, then stay away from Oscars completely. You could get away with a JD and some smaller tank mates.

 

[Deadeye]

I agree with Sinister-Kisses
An Oscar needs at least 125, so when people keep a solo one on a 90 it really is the bare minimum.
A Jack definitely is a better fit, and you could pair them and get a group of either fish in there.

 

[MultipleTankSyndrome]

a couple clown loaches

Those wouldn't work. They get too big for a 341 liter, and are not compatible with either oscars (https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/...h-for-a-clown-loach-tank.749578/#post-8444937) or Jack Dempseys (https://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=23380&p=196138&hilit=jack#p196138).

it really is the bare minimum.

If 473 liters is at least what an oscar needs, wouldn't a 341 liter not be big enough?

 

[Something Fishy Here]

No won't be upgrading, 90g is max for the space we have. Just looking for something bigger than the typical community fish. I've read several places that 75 is big enough for an oscar and they sound like fun fish personality wise. But if a 90 is too small I'm not hung up on an Oscar, that's why I'm doing the research. Also thought about peacocks/ haps but seems t be a lot of trial fish and rehoming involved from what I can find in forums. If I went with a JD pair what else could go with them?

 

[MultipleTankSyndrome]

By the way, I'd skip the tinfoil barbs too. They get huge (35-40cm) and are very active - you'd probably need a large-footprint tank in the 1500-2000 liter range for their adult size, and even that may not be enough for them to swim at full speed.

I believe Sinister-Kisses can tell you well about why a 284-341 liter is too small for an oscar.

 

[PhishMon84]

No won't be upgrading, 90g is max for the space we have. Just looking for something bigger than the typical community fish. I've read several places that 75 is big enough for an oscar and they sound like fun fish personality wise. But if a 90 is too small I'm not hung up on an Oscar, that's why I'm doing the research. Also thought about peacocks/ haps but seems t be a lot of trial fish and rehoming involved from what I can find in forums. If I went with a JD pair what else could go with them?

The first two responses were spot on. Clown loaches do just fine with large cichlids in the appropriate sized tank, this tank is not appropriate

I wouldn’t put an Oscar in a 90 for more then a year.

my largest Oscar is 14”+ and 3 inches wide. You’ll be doing multiple daily water changes.

jacks are great fish but I would do either a green terror or carpintis and keep it as a wet pet or with tough dithers like adult Buenos Aires tetras

 

[MultipleTankSyndrome]

Clown loaches do just fine with large cichlids in the appropriate sized tank

Just wondering, how did you arrive to this conclusion? Everything I've read on Loaches Online says it's a bad combo.

I'll tag Redshark1 as he has experience trying the combo and it didn't work for him, so maybe he can explain.

 

[PhishMon84]

Just wondering, how did you arrive to this conclusion? Everything I've read on Loaches Online says it's a bad combo.

I'll tag Redshark1 as he has experience trying the combo and it didn't work for him, so maybe he can explain.

Well that’s the difference between anecdotal experiences and personal experiences!

baby Clown loaches tend to be somewhat fragile and ich prone. Once they get around 4” plus they are tough as nails. Also they have these sort of like switchblade barbs which prevent them being eaten.
Kept them with all kinds of CA cichlids, including amphilophus, parachromis. Keep them with all kinds of bottom dwellers including pimelods and doradids, kept with butterkoferi as well. We’re talking years not months or weeks

the only fish I don’t like mixing them with is rays.

 

[Something Fishy Here]

Well, green terrors are beautiful, but again I don't want only 1 or 2 fish in the tank. Any other suggestions for fish that break 5" and can be kept with a handful of other fish?