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Predator Tropical Fish
Nate Jamieson


Some tropical fish, either because of their size, feeding habits,
or just their natural behavior, are not suitable for beginners to
try and raise in a community tank. These are some of the big and
bad, that you may want to avoid until you're more experienced.


Oscar - This native of the Amazon River and its tributaries, is a
large fish, reaching 13-14" in length, although it can be
sexually mature and laying eggs at 4". They do best in a tank
with no "fussy" things like slender plants or ornaments. They
prefer a medium texture substrate because they're great diggers,
but do like wood or rock platforms that create a cave. The
recommended food for Oscars is feeder goldfish, because they
basically will eat anything small, that moves. This is why they
can't be kept with smaller fish, or livebearers that will have
young. Most hobbyists use a special large stick food that absorbs
some water and moves with the motion in the aquarium, so it
mimics prey.


Jack Dempsey - Another South American native, the Jack Dempsey
comes in many of the same dark colors and spotting as the Oscar,
featuring greens, brown and gray areas, which may help large
species like this to hide amongst the bottom rocks. The Dempsey
is similar to the Oscar in other ways as well, being a bottom
digger, and preferring caves and wood to rest under. They are
also a live feeder that will devour anything that moves, but
unlike the Dempsey, they pursue their prey, and are considered to
have "attitude" that makes them best suited to a tank of
like-minded fish.


Discus - While not the bottomless pits that Oscars and Jack
Dempseys are for feeding, the Discus is still a large fish, even
at 6", and because of their native Amazon River environment,
require a fairly specific habitat. In the wild they lived where
trees had fallen into the river, and made their homes under and
around the branches. In an aquarium, that means keeping a thick
substrate where the light does not reach down to, as well as lots
of wood pieces for hiding, and vegetation that goes from bottom
to top. They are live feeders as many large fish are, but
generally subsist on a diet of shrimp, tubifex and daphnia in
good quantity. They are a fish that lives naturally in groups of
five or six, and in the home environment, do not take well to
upsets or changes in the tank.

Nate Jamieson

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