Top 10 Tank Mates for Oscar Cichlids

Tank Mates for Oscar Cichlids. It can be tricky finding the best tank mates for Oscar fish, but we compiled a list of the top tank mate options from our own experience, combined with research and shared experiences from others.
Oscar Care Guide: • Oscar Cichlid | Care G...
Oscar Growth Rate: • Oscar Cichlid | Growth...
Oscar cichlids are awesome South American cichlids due to their incredible personalities and great color. Oscars can get huge and their max size can be around 12-15 inches. Due to this, their growth rates are accelerated and they need large tanks, especially if you're going to keep them with tank mates.
If you're interested in any of the products used in my 180 gallon aquarium, feel free to check out the affiliate links below.
Food
- Xtreme Krill Flakes - geni.us/iTAWsN
- Xtreme Big Fella Pellets - geni.us/9Cra
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Equipment/Scape
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- Carib Sea Sand Substrate: amzn.to/37p2Kzf
Chemicals/Media
- Easy Green Fertilizer - geni.us/NAl6lK
- Seachem Purigen - geni.us/d9EFZ
- Seachem Prime: geni.us/iys7T
- Fritz Glass/Acrylic Cleaner: geni.us/uvmwK8
Thanks for watching, and we'll see you next week!

[@wiggitywak2050]

We have an angelfish and two blood parrots in a 75 with our tiger oscar..they have been together for almost 3 yrs now. No issues at all....

[@wartownrecords6620]

No issues with angelfish and Oscar?

[@wiggitywak2050]

@@wartownrecords6620 nope...not with ours!

[@monke1351]

@@wiggitywak2050Do you have any problems with your Oscar being territorial?

[@wiggitywak2050]

@@monke1351 no not really..the 3 of them do their own thing for the most part.

[@Iamapuzzle]

The Oscar will eat the angelfish

[@masonsia1884]

Dang been waiting for this one. I own one and can't figure out what tank mate are good for it

[@CichlidBros]

Glad it’s good timing 🤙🏼

[@Hugh_Jainus]

This is definitely one I've been waiting to see

[@COOPERSCICHILDS]

Awesome video

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks for watching!

[@KristalSugar]

Severum are my favorite cichlid too! I have three of the types you have! And several Oscars in our bigger tanks. Nice list of recommendations!

[@chadcochran6721]

Great Video.. I kept knife fish with mine.. They got along great.

[@tjautocross]

Thanks Troy! Love the regular updates and information you share.

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks for watching and following along!

[@karstenbroda5752]

​@@CichlidBrosHow many watts do the 2 lamps have?

[@amazingaquaticsandexotics3030]

awesome video

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks!

[@Constantine_Cvl8]

Great suggestions, I've been keeping six in a 1000 gal pond, the only non-oscar fish there is a carpintis, which has been a sort of aggression warden for the oscars.

[@sheilabruin-blake9507]

Gorgeous tanks 💜

[@davidglass914]

I like Oscars and I want to get 2. I am trying to save up for a 150 gallon tank. It's going to take me some time but I'll get there. Thank you for the great information for tank mates. Love all three of guys videos. Awesome please keep up the great work.

[@bambamwilliams5419]

I currently own and have a 400g South American Cichlids tank with Oscar's,Green Terrors,Jack Dempsey`s,Fire~Mouths,Jaguars,Convicts,Peacock Bass,and a few Picasamus altogether in my tank and they get along just fine!!! 👌🏿😊

[@CichlidBros]

Sounds like a great tank!

[@bambamwilliams5419]

Thank you I appreciate it because I actually follow you here on IG and have been for the last few months and you have helped me out in so many ways and I will continue to watch your videos on here to gather more tips & information 😊

[@seanaustin8516]

Great video love the content brother I love how you break everything down with the African sickness what type and you educate us on how to raise and take care of them I love it y’all the best⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🤟🤟🤟👑👑👑🐟🐟🐟🔥🔥🔥🔥🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks for watching! Glad it’s helpful!

[@hotamv5099]

Nice collection 👏👏👏👏👏👏👍👍👍👍

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks!

[@lisamessineo8725]

Awesome video !! I was wondering why the Jack dempsey wasn't on the list .. In my tank I have a Oscar and a Jack dempsey who grew up together and they are both very large but I first started with 2 Oscars , a convict cichlid and a Jack dempsey and they were all very small and I bought them together to put in my tank and to be honest my Jack dempsey killed everyone except the Oscar he's now been with for 2 years .. Now I know what not to put together lol

[@CurieBohr]

Blue Akara is a beautiful fish. Never seen one before

[@Vstromxt]

I had a 75g with one large Oscar, one large peco, two breeding pairs of convicts,an African claw frog, snails, one large jack Dempsey. The convicts had fry all the time, the other fish kept the convict population from getting out of hand. My big Oscar his name was Frisco tried to eat a large convict. It was stuck in its mouth for several days. I pulled the fish out by hand and Frisco's mouth was stuck open for several weeks. He eventually recovered. Frisco eventually got to big ( about 4 years old) so I gave him to a pet store that had a large tank for display/ advertising.

[@jaymilo8425]

I used to keep pacus, an African knife fish, jack dempsey, firemouth, several plecos and a green terror with my Oscars

[@FreeSwimmer]

cool stuff ! I just downsized my 1000g maintank to a 450g maintank. I will still be using my 210g sump filtration, so Im gonna add to my stock. Ive got 2 mature gold Severum and just added 6 juvenile green Severum ( thumbs up to Severum ) and have alarge Common Pleco and Rhino Pleco and 2 True Parrots, hiwever 1 is too dominant, so only 1 will remain. 2 Uaru and and an adult Jurapari. So I am picking up 10 SDs and a Green Terror and a Tiger Oscar tomorrow. I will grow them out together, for a month or so, in a 75g, before adding to the 450g.. I was considering some Central American Cichlids, but who knows ?

[@CichlidBros]

Awesome. Sounds like an amazing setup!

[@shibibi1]

I'm considering an Oscar and I'm trying to decide if I want to pop one straight in the huge tank and let it grow up in their... Or transfer it between grow out tanks as it matures. I'm leaning towards putting the Oscar straight in the big tank and using grow outs for tank mates as needed. Though, I'm only certain on a Pleco as a tank mate... Tanks big enough for more, do might add a few clowns after growing them out.

[@grahamelliott7461]

Your channel is great,are chocolate cichlid slow growing,cheers graham

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks! They aren’t as fast as Oscar’s, but moderate growth rate

[@yorkaquariums1840]

Great video! Question for you.. I have a full grown male angel and full grown male convict in a standard 75 gallon with danios as dithers. They've both grown up together as fry (little experiment to test if that does help aggression) and they have gotten along very well for a really long time with the angel as the clear boss. My question is, outside of growing up together, do you know of any CA/SA cichlids that wouldn't come in and tear up the angel but be tough enough to stand up to a convict if needed? Thanks!

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks for watching! A couple options that might work: electric blue acara, Geophagus tapajos (if you have sand) or maybe a severum

[@francescocarucci3279]

Quanto cresce un Astronotus in 125

[@andreaswessberg955]

Great video! Do you think a Black ghost knife would work with an oscar?

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks! It would probably work out with a large tank

[@dhammaboy1203]

Hey Cichlids bros - a question that could prehaps be made into a video? And I realise it’s not going to have a simple answer because an Choc. Cichlids or Oscar is obviously bigger than say an EB Acara. How many South American (also Central American) Cichlids should go into an aquarium? How do you work it out? I’ve recently swapped African Cichlids for South Americans (& yourselvles and Jason on PTA have been a huge influence on that decision). I realise SA Cichlids should NOT be squashed in like African are to reduce the aggression. So how would you work it out say for everything from a 75g up to 180g? (I have a 90g now & moving up to a 180g when our new house is built in about 6months). Thanks for all the great videos!

[@2023BeTheChange]

i love the eyes of the chocolate cichlid.

[@Skysmeller1]

I just got 3 juveneille Severums to accompany my 6 inch Red Spotted Severum. One gold and 2 Turqoise Severums. I waited one week to get the second green Severum and he’s getting picked on a little bit and chased around but not all day. Will the 2 greens most likely learn to be together or is it a bad idea to have two Severums of the same color together long term?

[@PlainsPup]

Great video on a great channel! The cichlid and sunfish families are at the top of my list, and I love catfish, too. I used to keep oscars, and they remain one of my all time favorite fish to this day for their beauty, personality, and behaviors. The approach I like for keeping oscars is letting them be a "benevolent dictator," ie letting them be the biggest fish in the tank, and keeping them with species that are ounce-for-ounce a bit more aggressive, but smaller and less powerful. That way, the oscar remains on top without bullying anybody. I successfully kept my oscar that way with a Jack Dempsey, a firemouth, a convict, and a jewelfish. And like the video says, I've found oscars and plecos can be a good combination, too. I also learned from my mistakes that oscars are only moderately aggressive, so they cannot handle very aggressive species. My five-star general cichlid cornered my oscar, so I had to separate them. About the same thing happened with my green sunfish. Both of these species are significantly smaller than oscars, but much more aggressive, and were not good tankmates for the oscar.

[@Iamapuzzle]

If Oscar fully grown then it will eat convent and fire mouth Oscars and get 20 inches long

[@PlainsPup]

@@Iamapuzzle They don’t get that big.

[@Tropicalfishcrazechannel]

Good tank mates I keep parrot fish with Oscars

[@gluvmaster8859]

I’ve had my Oscar since he was 1.3 inches. He’s 2 years old, but is only 7”. I feed blood worms and krill. Should I switch to pellets to help grow?

[@mindovrmatter33]

Long time reefer who has gotten hooked on smaller planted FW and shrimp tanks. I’m currently thinking about setting up a big South American cichlid tank with an Oscar as the main focus. I’m wondering what style of tank do you recommend? Internal over flow with a sump or something with just an appropriately sized canister?

[@opethmike]

Personally I think that whenever possible that sumps are the way to go.

[@velmamiller5077]

I Have a couple of convicts and angels with my oscar along with a pleco

[@lindawilliams7264]

Where did you purchase your 180 tank😊

[@JoseRamos-ob9wk]

I have a Jack Demsey with three Oscars and they seem to be doing good

[@CichlidBros]

Very nice

[@wirwp17]

Bicher are great tank mates for oscar

[@rickysmith8177]

My sun catfish and oscar are great together

[@blakemcclurkin4842]

I just got a 129 gallon aquarium it is 5ft x 2’ tall x 19” w, I’m setting it up for an Oscar I’m getting a buddy of mine the Oscar is 12+ inches, I already an a pleco in another tank that I will be moving to the 129 when it’s set up. What do you recommend that could comfortably be in that size tank with the 1 Oscar?

[@opethmike]

Immaculately kept beard!

[@CichlidBros]

Haha thank you

[@sheilabruin-blake9507]

Oscars are beautiful fish

[@CichlidBros]

Agreed!

[@dhammaboy1203]

Hey Troy - do any of the Cichlids in your 180g tank bite you during cleaning? (I ask because a couple of my peacock cichlids frequently bite me during cleaning! It doesn’t hurt but is surprising but I want a chocolate cichlids when I set up my 180g & they have big mouths!!? 🤣

[@CichlidBros]

I haven’t run into that yet! My peacocks do sometimes pick at my arm when doing maintenance though!

[@josepheddy4247]

Ok cichlid bros, my question is I’m setting up a 125 gallon tank for a pair of my oscars that I just got that are 4-5 inches right now in a 75 gallon. How many pairs of oscars can I put in my 125 gallon I’m setting up now.

[@wirwp17]

Can we add Datnoid

[@avidhossanmansur9830]

My advice will be to keep just one oscar if you don't have a pond-sized tank. Because I had 3 in my 450gal SA cichlid community. All was fine for about a year but 2 of them ended up forming a pair and started killing everything else in the tank. In a matter of weeks, I lost the other smaller oscar, a 7' silver Arowana, and a large parrot cichlid. I didn't have any tanks to put them in so I ended up giving them back to the pet store.

[@CichlidBros]

Hmm yeah it could be an issue with any cichlid if pairing up/breeding starts. I’d remove or separate the pair if it were to form

[@avidhossanmansur9830]

@@CichlidBros Correct!

[@stayathomecichlidmom3579]

Sounds familiar. I grew out 3 and 2 paired off. They killed the 3rd. The female almost ripped off the makes lip in a 125g, as a last ditch effort I moved them to a 220g and they have been fine ever since, breeding every other month. I had 2 plecos with them, just recently they killed my juvenile Three beacon, my full spot watermelon however is almost 18 inches. They fight ALL THE TIME. I'm now working to get the Watermelon out. They are extremely peaceful otherwise. Mine wouldn't be able to turn in a 75g. Have to imagine it stunts them.

[@samamashahid3022]

Can you mention the names of this oscar tank community fishes?

[@blakemcclurkin4842]

Would you put any tank mates with a full grown Oscar in a 75 gallon?

[@nickh3064]

I'm setting up a 125g. I'm thinking about 2 Oscars, 2 severums, and a group of 4 geophagus. I would leave the tank open with large river rocks. Is this too much for a 125? Thanks for your time!

[@francescocarucci3279]

Quanto Cresce Oscar In 126, Litri

[@francescocarucci3279]

Km

[@francescocarucci3279]

125,,, , Litri

[@jaredbielanin3545]

What about the Jack Dempsey

[@ceejay80s]

Can a marble fenestratus vieja cichlid be a tank mate for a oscar

[@CichlidBros]

Likely would work together if you have a sizable tank ... (125g+)

[@rickylgovier7016]

Hi I am thinking of putting my Oscar (Dexter) in with my Frontsas,the tank is 6/2.5/2 run by a fx6 and a enternal filter, and a wave maker, the Frontsas are on the med size heaps of caves and hiding places.

[@CichlidBros]

I typically wouldn’t recommend them as ideal tank mates, but it would likely be fine. I’d just keep a tank running as a back up option if the Oscar doesn’t play nice

[@nothuman4164]

Could I get bichirs with my Oscar’s possibly?

[@CichlidBros]

With a large tank, probably

[@Brynhi1d]

Hmmm. More than one Oscar, twist my rubber arm!!

[@CichlidBros]

Do ittt 😂

[@tamrasirois401]

Do you still have your King Tiger Pleco?

[@CichlidBros]

Yep, in the 150, hiding usually

[@tamrasirois401]

@@CichlidBros I got one too because I liked yours and I agree. The only time I know mine is still alive is when I clean my tank and move rocks around.

[@lucmeyer2733]

😃

[@gethseman]

Can arrowaan go in tank with oscars in 125?

[@CichlidBros]

I wouldn’t in a 125. Needs a larger tank

[@ryancollins2740]

As long as the fish cant fit in an oscars mouth or it is too aggressive for the oscar it'll work. We've kept many species with the oscars

[@CichlidBros]

I wouldn’t take that blanket approach. There are plenty of fish that are big/docile and would not work with an Oscar

[@ramzabeoulve2110]

I have rainbow shark with my oscar😚 The oscar will try to chase it when the first time you put the rainbow shark, if your rainbow shark survive for a day not eaten, the oscar will just stop chasing it😁

[@reverendlee7617]

Believe it or Not. I had a friend who had a Betta and a Perch (from a lake) that lived together for years. 😂😂😂

[@mohammedriyas585]

My Oscar tank mate is flowerhorn

[@CichlidBros]

Be careful with that. Most flowerhorns won't play nice long term

[@twistedadjust]

Will a jack Dempsey kill a jewel cichlid

[@CichlidBros]

Sometimes they’re compatible. Big tank and plenty of hiding spots will increase success

[@twistedadjust]

@@CichlidBros thanks for the info I have a 90 gal

[@justkaiiv6050]

My top 10 Oscar Blood Parrot Flagtail Prochilodous Pike Cichlid Red Terror Green Terror Umbee Cichlid Red Hook Silver Dollar Four Line Catfish Common Pleco

[@CichlidBros]

Not bad! Red terror and umbee could cause aggression issues. But large tank could help with that

[@andrewgotishan8157]

Are those fake plants if so what kind are they?

[@shibinbelsam]

I am having 6 Oscars and 4 redspotted severum in a 65 gallon tank.

[@CichlidBros]

Good tank mates, but I’d recommend a much larger tank once they’re larger

[@shibinbelsam]

Sure

[@tartamilloyt]

hi

[@Iamapuzzle]

Why you didn’t add arrows clown knives stingrays alligator gar snakeheads peacock bass red devils Jaguars pacu red tail catfish tiger shovel nose catfish and datnioides on the list

[@CichlidBros]

Most of those are not possible for common fish keepers. Need massive tanks for those, and I wouldn’t include many of them anyway

[@ZeitakuLifestyle]

Had 2 plecos with my Oscar and he messed up both of them 😞😞😂

[@Cichlid_4_ever]

Out of all you keep from South America why not the predator South American cichlids like the red devil cichlid? The majority of the cichlids you refer to are not easy finds from your Petco PetSmart shops. I have to drive forever to find half of what your talking about except the Oscar of course. But the varieties of the Oscar’s is amazing. The lemon Oscar’s, the albinos, long fins, the tiger Oscar’s do they all share similar personalities?

[@CichlidBros]

Red Devils are Central American. I tend to avoid big box stores and shop at local fish stores or online which is delivered to your door

[@Cichlid_4_ever]

@@CichlidBros I’ve tried the online bit but how do you find the ones that aren’t p.o.d. the closest airport that does that for me is 2 hours still

[@lucmeyer2733]

Did nobody habe Affrican cichlids whit oscar ?

[@Thedonsmoney25823]

I've seen a video of an oscar eating a mice

[@stuff2209]

My Severum won’t grow😶

[@tktropicals4997]

Love these fish but you need a large size tank and on a low income, hard to be able to afford one.

[@1uhot426]

Im pissed i cant find a damn geophgus lol

[@CichlidBros]

Some good ones online!

[@kevinmaas6790]

My Oscar’s ate my bala shark 😂

[@kevinmaas6790]

I tried

[@Shaden0040]

Oscars will eat the eyes out of a plevo's jeaf.

[@stayathomecichlidmom3579]

And if you have a bonded pair, don't bother. Lol. I grew out 3 Oscars, 2 paired off and killed the other. They just killed a pleco. My Full spot watermelon is far to big. Interestingly enough, my Oscars never touched them, they actually wouldn't go near the dead fish. Now my Africans, I've woken up with a skeleton.

[@patrickmicheal9480]

Oscars are not cichlids

[@sparklez36]

Yes they are, they’re South American Cichlids

[@JoseRamos-ob9wk]

Awesome video

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks!