I have my year old oscar in a 75 gallon by himself. I just bought a nice one of those big resin made tree stump root from my LFS. It has many hiding places but none my Oscar could get into ( 2 big) I would like to get a catfish to help clean up some of the left over food debre but dont know which species would be the best. I dont want a pleco they get to large but something in between that my O couldnt swallow as there all all those good hiding places now for a catfish plus I want the O to have as much room in that 75 gallon any ideas would be apprceated.

in a smaller tank like you mentioned i would recommend a pictus catfish or perhaps a striped raphael catfish.
either should be able to do the job you are looking for and still fit into your "stump" for safety.......

can we have a pic of your stump, would love to see it, i also have a small catfish and he hides all day in my hollow tree stump and comes out when the lights are out, my oscars are 4inch and they are interested in my catfish but he is fast, and really never goes to far from his home, he is only 3inch and he is black with white spots, xxx

have an up sidedown cat fish he about 6in long and he holds his own in my oscar tank

I keep a Pictus with mine. He's waaaay too fast for the O to catch, and definitely entertaining. Plus he's only about 6" long. Don't think he's gonna grow much more either.

thanks for the helpfull adivice guess I will be making a trip to my lfs this weekend.

i have had pictus cats with my cichlds and they have been great because they dont hide all day + they clean up the tank well.