Oscar fish are one of the most aggressive fish one can ever have in his/her tank. They’re nice and very fun to have, anyway. But the question is, how well can they do with Rainbow sharks in the same tank? Well, this article is all about if Oscars could live with Rainbow sharks in the same tank peacefully.
Can Rainbow Sharks be kept with Oscars? Yes, Although Oscars are aggressive and Rainbow sharks are semi aggressive, but they could live together if they stay out of each others way.
Rainbow sharks, although could grow very big, but they are not as aggressive like most aggressive fish.
Related: Can Neon Tetras live with Rainbow Sharks?
They are classified as semi-aggressive because they are territorial and could spend their time chasing any fish who tresspassed on their territories.
Apart from that, they don’t usually bother smaller fish, once they’re well-fed and live comfortably in a large tank with nice water parameters they like.
Let’s look at the data of these two fish and see if they can live in the same tank and water.
Oscar Fish Water Parameters and Temperament
Oscar is normally aggressive fish that does not do well with many fish, especially peaceful fish.
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They are freshwater dwellers and live at a temperature of 75-80°F.
Their ideal pH is between 6-8 and water hardiness is between 12-15dh.
When it comes to size, fully grown oscars in captivity are usually 11-12 inches in length.
However, some Oscars will grow up to 16 inches and weigh well over 3 lbs.
Oscar fish could be classified as an omnivore because they eat living organisms, especially fish, crustaceans etc and plants, and vegetables too.
Rainbow Sharks Water Parameters and Temperament
This shark thrives in freshwater with low current and substrates, and plants.
So consider getting them a low-powered filter and aquarium plants to replicate their natural habitats.
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They live at a temperature of 75-80°F with a pH of 6-8.
Their water hardiness is 5-8dh, and they could get really big to occupy 30 gallons or more per fish, depending on the size.
They’re semi-aggressive and are voracious eaters, and at the same time omnivores.
They can eat anything edible including other fish, worms, shrimps, etc, but they love eating plants and vegetables, so add that to their meal on a regular basis.
They love chasing other fish and even their own species too.
Can Oscar Live With Rainbow Sharks? Yes, Oscar and rainbow sharks could live together without many problems if they mind their territories.
Related: Can Frogs be kept with Rainbow Sharks?
From the above data of the 2 freshwater fish, you will notice that their living conditions are almost the same, and even their temperaments are almost alike.
So can they truly coexist? The answer is yes! although they might be having small problems like the shark chasing the Oscar all over the tank and fin nipping etc.
But from experience, Rainbow sharks don’t normally disturb other fish as such, unless the water condition or tank is not suitable for them, thereby breeding aggression in them.
So when keeping a rainbow fish, try to get a large tank like 55g, but once you want to keep a mate with it, then 75g and above is ideal, depending on the size of the fish.
Also try to keep hiding/resting places like caves, vegetation etc in their tank, so that they won’t get stressed easily which may lead to aggression.
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Again reduce the number of males of Oscar and rainbow sharks in the tank because the male ones are far more aggressive than the female.
When it comes to food, feed everyone in their claimed territories to avoid confrontations.
Some Other Suitable Tank Mates For Oscar
- Firemouth Cichlid.
- Jaguar Cichlid.
- Cichlasoma.
- Parrot Fish.
- Convict Cichlid.
- Jewel Cichlid.
- Jack Dempsey.
- Green Terror Cichlid.
Rainbow Shark Suitable Tank Mates
Also if you are interested to know other types of fish that could possibly be kept with rainbow sharks in the same tank, here they are:
- Zebra Danios.
- Dwarf Gourami.
- Honey gourami.
- Boseman’s rainbowfish.
- Congo Tetras.
- Neon Tetras.
- black skirt tetras,
- bloodfin tetras,
- Cardinal Tetras.
- Buenos Aires.
- Colombian.
- White/black skirt.
- Diamond.
Conclusion
Yes, Oscar and rainbow sharks could live, but it may not be totally peaceful, as no animal is guaranteed to live 100% peacefully with other animals of different species etc.
So look out for them always and tap the tank if you notice any form of aggression from them.