OT: Any FW fish experts??

[rebekwl]

My baby Oscar is getting nipped to death by my younger, and used to be teeny-tiny midas fish. I was looking at him closely yesterday and I am actually starting to see some flesh!! I'm wondering if I should try treating him with something or just let him be. Usually my big Albino Oscar protects him, but I guess he can't always be there. I feel so bad for him!! We didn't know what kind of Cichlid the midas was when we got it, and now it is terrorizing the whole tank. Is it true that once he gets bigger he will go on to completely take over, and kill everything else in there? If so he's gotta go!!! Any suggestions?

[vdituri]

On the nipped part I would say leave it be unless you see signs of infection. I had 2 oscars before and the bigger one started terrorizing the smaller guy with REALLY bad fin damage, but as soon as I separated them he healed up amazingly fast. Have no info on the midas.
Hope this is helpful

[Cougra]

I would recommend separating the Midas Cichlid from the tank to prevent the oscar from being damaged further. It wouldn't hurt to treat the injured oscar with an antibacterial/antifungal medication as well to ensure that it heals cleanly. What else do you have in the tank?

[rebekwl]

Hmmmmm lets see...

1 Bumble Bee - I've heard these can be quite mean once they get older...
1 Electric Yellow (Yellow Lab)
1 Electric Blue Hap
1 Jack Dempsey
1 Albino Oscar
1 Tiger Oscar (the victim)
1 Chocolate Cichlid
1 Convict
1 Midas

A close LFS told me he would take the midas, but I have seen some BIG fish in some tiny tanks in his shop, and don't want mine to end up like that. He was so cute and innocent when we first got him. I wish I could put the oscar in my comminity tank to heal, but all the little fishies will become food if I do that!!

I will see about getting him some treatment for his wounds...

[Frankie]

What size tank is this Rebekah?

[saltwaterfarm]

I would be concerned about the midas as well. I think you will have problems down the road. I lost an Oscar to another cichlid in my freshwater tank years ago. The oscar was at least 2X, if not 3, the size of the other...

[mps9506]

The midas will typically be very territorial as they get larger. How large of a tank do you have. All the fish you mentioned will require a very large setup to accommodate their size and personality. I always cringe when I see African cichlids in the same tank as New World cichlids, guess it's just the way I was brought up. I would suggest at least a 150-210 gallon tank for that combination of fish you have listed. They are all very territorial.
A midas (sometimes these are sold as red devils so check carefully), can get along just fine with oscars and other large cichlids provided they have the space.

[rebekwl]

The tank is only a 55 gal and looked HUGE at first because they were all so small. They are growing now, and still aren't very big, but I am concerned that they it will get overcrowded when they get bigger. We are planning on getting them a bigger tank eventually. It seems the Midas is really the only one growing!!!

Here are a few pics...

[mps9506]

Two full grown oscars will fill out a 75 or 90 gallon tank by themselves.
I would probably recomend a 6 foot long tank and if you are a fan of the oscars and midas get rid of the africans, keep the midas, oscars, convict and chocolate.
One of the nicest display tanks we kept at our store was a 125 with a pair of jaguar cichlids and a pair of synspilums. Given enough space everyone will get along fine.

[Frankie]

It seems Mike beat me to it! That tank is not going to last long with two Oscars. I hope you upgrade for there sake.

[rebekwl]

I am deffinitely wanting to change things with this tank, but my husband insists that I stick to the SW and leave his cichlids alone. I serioiusly want to get that Midas out of there asap, but he's sure that all will be well. He will find out that he's wrong though, and then it will be too late. I just feel bad for the fish!! Thanks guys for your support!!

[Frankie]

Well, some people need to learn the hard way. Like me! just let him do it his way and if he fails at least he's got you there when he runs into trouble.

[SubRosa]

I find it curious that people won't think twice about treating a fish in a manner that would result in serious legal troubles if it was done to a cat or dog.

[Frankie]

I think it has to do with the food chain issue but i agree that fish are people too!

[2455coop]

I had never heard of a Midas Cichlad....but I recognized it in your pic as a Red Devil (Amphilophus labiatus). It is one of the most territorial fish out there. I had a singel female in a 125g She was beautiful but I couldn't put anything else in the tank because she would kill them.

As I was reading the list of your tank mates I could't help but notice you are definetly mxing Central and South American Cichlids with those from Africa. I hate to tell you this but those 2 types of fish will get along when small but will not make it when mature. They have 2 different requirments as far as Ph and alkilinity. I would choose 1 or the other but not in the same tank.

Oscars reach 12" when mature. I would recommend at least a 75g( a 125g would be better) for the 2 that you have with only a large Pleco. Maybe a sailfin Pleco(18") or another larger pleco that wouldn't be an easy target.