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I am interested in getting some tropical fish for my new Tank
( Length 4ft width 1ft height 1ft.2" )
i really like oscars but have been told i cant have other fish and i have been told i can..

The fish i was considering were either

1. Oscar, green terror OR yellow severum and a sailfin pleco

2. Oscar, jack dempsey OR yellow severum and the pleco

3. Jack dempsey, green terror and the pleco

4. recntly was told an oscar, some silvers x 3 and a pleco would be ok.

Are these fish compatible with one another i will be getting them all as young fish only 2-3 inches

the filter i will be using also is a aqua one 1200 external filter. and have a aqua clear hang on filter if needed

Please help me fish experts

The problem with Oscars is that they grow to be LARGE. And while you may think a 4ft tank is big enough when they're juveniles, it won't be big enough once they start piling on significant body mass. Well fed Oscars can grow to be a frightening size in a surprisingly short space of time, and when they do, that's when the trouble starts if they don't have enough space.

For long term maintenance, you should seriously be thinking of 125 gallons as a baseline setup, because Oscars can grow to be around 35 cm long! Factor into the equation that they not only need space because of their large physical size as adults, but because they are strongly territorial (and especially so once they're in the mood to breed), and the space requirements start to become expensive.

I would recommend that if you want to start keeping Cichlids, you choose something a little less troublesome as your first Cichlid species. In a 4ft tank, you still have a fair number of options, but it's wise to stick to either [1] the smaller species (dwarf Cichlids), or [2] species with a reputation for relatively benign behaviour. This still gives you a lot of choices.

The trouble is, dealers have a habit of stocking the wrong choices for a newcomer to Cichlid keeping. They tend to stock fishes such as Oscars, which grow to be honking big bruisers built like battleships, Dempseys, which have a well-deserved reputation for aggression, especially in the wrong tank setup, Convicts, which again have a well-deserved reputation for aggression, and Green Terrors, which frankly, being both large as adults (30 cm) AND aggressive, are totally unsuited to a beginner to the world of Cichlids.

Even the dwarf cichlid choices on offer tend to have their problems associated with them. Venezuelan Rams (also known as German Rams and Blue Rams in some quarters) require elevated temperatures to keep them happy. Kribensis, whilst a popular favourite, are still capable of being fairly aggressive in the wrong setup, though with a 4ft tank, you'll have enough space to keep these happy without too much internecine warfare breaking out, particularly if you plan ahead for their arrival.

The BIG points to remember with Cichlids is that they are intelligent, highly developed fishes, with complex social behaviour patterns, and they are usually motivated to get what they want. The trick is to give them what they want right from the start, so that they don't cause you lots of headaches by turning anti-social when they don't get what they want. So, what do Cichlids want?

Usually, they want space. This is the first requirement. Give them lots of space, and this goes a long way toward making them happy.

Next, they like to be able to conduct their affairs with some degree of privacy now and again. Which means arranging the decor to break up lines of sight in the aquarium so that they're not constantly glowering at each other from a distance. If they have some corner to call their own, where they can court potential mates and possibly start a family without all the neighbours watching them, again, this will make them happy.

The worst thing you can do, is put large, aggressive, highly territorial Cichlids in a tank that's too small, and without proper attention to decor. This is a recipe for disaster, and the Cichlids will demonstrate this in short order, by displaying all of the bad aspects of Cichlid behaviour that you don't want, such as trashing your furnishings and declaring all-our war on each other. if you want Cichlids to live happily in your aquarium, and display all the good aspects of Cichlid behaviour, then give them space, and carefully planned decor. Cichlids can never have too much of either.

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002