Apistos + oscar fish?

[Hugo_Abreu]

Hello, everyone. First, I'd like to apologize if my English isn't the best.
I was wondering if it is possible to keep apistogrammas and an Oscar together in the same aquarium?

 

[Linus_Cello]

the apistos would be a snack for an Oscar
No

 

[Granamyr]

depends on what you're trying to do. If you're wanting to feed the Oscar apistos then it works great

 

[Hugo_Abreu]

Not even if I add a baby Oscar to a tank with apistogrammas before?

 

[Granamyr]

Oscars grow very quickly. So I'm sure the Oscar if it was small enough it would tolerate the apisto until the exact moment it became big enough to eat it and then it would be in the Oscars belly.

 

[Hugo_Abreu]

I understand that, but I've also read that some people have successfully kept Oscars with smaller fish. Rate occasions, of course, but it's possible if the Oscar gets used to the other fish since it's a baby. But as I said, those are rare occasions and "it's better to be safe than sorry"...

Thank you for the help

 

[Rams4life!]

If you want to try it, I'd suggest a larger tetra such as Widow/Skirt or Columbians. They can be found for sale for $1 at petsmart/petco so not that bad if they get eaten compared to an apisto!

 

[gerald]

I have seen that happen, where oscars seem to "bond" with small tankmates they have grown up with, and don't eat them, but will eat any new fish you put in. However, even IF the oscar grew up with Apisto buddies and didn't eat them, I'm guessing the Apistos would be intimidated by having him around and feel pretty stressed, not to mention the effect of a large oscar's waste load on water quality.

 

[Hugo_Abreu]

Thank you both for taking the time to help me.
Rams4life!, here in Portugal we don't have those stores but I understand what you mean and it does make sense. But I really wanted the Apistogramma with the Oscar. Of course that the fish's health is more important than what I'd like.
Gerald, I have seen it too. But honestly, those are two factors that I hadn't considered. Now, not wanting to "push it", just trying to have a beneficial conversation: Wouldn't the Apistogramma realize that it isn't a threat and get used to the Oscar? And with optimum filtration and PWA that second problem would be solved. No?

 

[Granamyr]

It seems like you are looking for someone to tell you it's a good idea to try this. If you've already decided you want to try it you should. It's not something I would attempt as by far the majority of the time you're going to end up with an Apisto fed Oscar.

 

[Hugo_Abreu]

I'm sorry, I think you're right. I should be more responsible, so I won't try it. I just got excited with the idea, I think... My apologies and thank you for all the help!

 

[Granamyr]

There's no need to apologize. Just don't think you're going to get anyone to agree with you that it's an option that's like to work. It's really cool when you look at fish tanks and see little fish with giant fish. Unless you have silver dollars though there aren't many fish that get large that don't just gobble up the little guys when they get the chance.

 

[abrooks12376]

If I was a breeder of many varieties of apistos and I had to cull.....I'd keep an oscar with apistos 2 seconds at a time...

 

[gerald]

They'd make an awfully cute couple for youtube if it worked! Like those videos of best-buddy cats and rats snuggled up together.
I remember seeing one with a huge male red devil and his little convict female "mate".

 

[Mike Wise]

I knew someone who had a 16"/40cm Mozambique Mouthrooder in a tank with an albino cory cat. She couldn't keep anything else in the tank or the cichlid would either eat or kill it. I asked her how the cory survived when nothing else could. She said that the 2 fish were part of a community as small fish. As the mouthbrooder got larger it ate everything in the tank. It even tried to eat the cory, but the cory spread its spines as the cichlid bit down. The spines lodged in the mouth of the cichlid who tried to spit out the catfish. It took 3 days for the cichlid to spit out the cory. It never tried to eat the little catfish again!