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The common Oscar fish is recognizable thanks to its touch black - and - orange stripe . This metal money is part of theCichlidaefamily and also include mutations with vibrant colors like jaundiced and juicy , mostly inglorious , and even all - lily-white ( albino ) .
What is an Oscar Fish?
Also known as the Tiger Oscar , Marble Cichlid , or Velvet Cichlid , Oscar fish are a tropical species native to South America . Different color assortment of the Oscar Pisces the Fishes are popular for freshwater fish tank , though tank mates must have suitable temperament to coexist due to the Oscar ’s territorial nature .
While these fish are gentle to spot because of their look , they ’re also cognise for their personality : Along with move items around inside the armoured combat vehicle , Oscars also present aggression towards other Pisces know in their habitat .
Species Overview
Common Name(s):Oscar , Tiger Oscar , Marble Cichlid , Velvet Cichlid
Scientific Name : Astronotus ocellatus
fully grown Size:12 to 14 inches
Credit:Thiago Santos/Getty Images
Life Expectancy:10 to 15 eld
Origin and Distribution
Like many South American cichlid fish , the Oscar originate from the Amazon and Orinoco river basins . They are vulgar in the aquarium hobby with most person being enwrapped bred .
They are unremarkably sold in South American food market as a intellectual nourishment fish and have been introduced to Asia , Australia and North America . They are label anon - aboriginal pestilence speciesin many US state where fish have been released into the wild .
Colors and Markings
The common Oscar is also known as the Tiger Oscar , a darker brown to light dark-green Pisces the Fishes with highlights of red and orangish . The color convention can vary wildly with a characteristic eye spot , or ocelli , on the tail end fin . There are albino variations with an all lily-white body with red blot .
Tankmates
Be very deliberate when selecting tankmates for your oscar . Although they may bulge out small , many speedily outgrow modest tankmates and then devour them . These are semi - belligerent cichlid fish who do not play well with many community Pisces . Remember , whenchoosing compatible cichlid species , make certain you pick out fish from the same part . Even though there are manyvarieties of cichlids , their origin will dictate what water character parameter are best for them . Since Academy Award are South American , be sure to stick to other South American varieties .
For your oscar tank , it is estimable to pick out fish of a similar size who can hold their own . This includesJack Dempseys , Convict CichlidsandSilver Dollarsas a few examples .
Oscar Habitat and Care
Oscars are ill-famed redecorators . Do not get attached to anything in the aquarium and expect your fish to move everything . This is especially true of live plants with roots . Oscar will fag up plants , overturn rocks and toss sticks away . It ’s just in their nature and there is not much you’re able to do to deter rearranging deportment .
This aggressive nature towards their tank decor may turn against filtration and other lifetime support point you have in their storage tank , such as powerheads and heaters . Oscars have been know to break these items , even if you endeavor to be sneaky about hiding them . The unspoiled solution for many destructive oscar tank is toincorporate a sump . In doing so , you may move all of your biography support equipment out of the main tank and away from your Pisces the Fishes .
Oscars are sticklers for good water alchemy , so it is vital that you keep up with yourregular maintenanceandcheck your H2O chemistry regularly . They are more susceptible to Head andLateral Line Erosion , also known as Hole - In - The - Head disease , which can occur when Pisces are inveterate stress .
Oscar Diet and Feeding
Oscars are serious carnivores who will raven upon smaller , more docile fish in their tank . It is decisive to pick out suited tankmates who will not look or play too tasty .
As with most pet fish coinage , a well - rounded dieting will consist of a pelleted cichlid diet and meaty postscript . There are many pelleted cichliddietsthat are in force for a wide variety of cichlid diets , carnivores include . extra protein - fertile foods to give your Academy Award include bloodworm , tubifex worms , frozen krill andother larger frozen diets . Although some recommend course your Academy Award lively foods , this should be deflect in purchase order to limit the spreading of disease into your system and potentially overpopulate your tank car .
Gender Differences
There is a very small outside difference between male and female Oscar . You will need to safely catch and handle your Pisces the Fishes , and flip them upside down to see their urogenital curtain raising . Oscar females will have one larger hole , which is the opening for their eggs . Academy Award males will have holes of similar size . If they are not reproductively mature , the holes will wait the same size regardless of their sexuality .
Breeding the Oscar
Even if you have one male and female oscar , they may not be concerned in breeding . Oscars can be picky when it comes to take a Ilex paraguariensis . If your Pisces the Fishes are not ab initio interested , do not despair and try move them back to their main storage tank , integrate dissimilar interior decoration items to the training army tank or getting a larger education cooler .
It is recommended tobreed your oscarsin a separate tank away from other fish , in a 100 Imperial gallon storage tank or larger . Temperature is critical to stimulate spawning , and should be warmer than their usual tank , 79 to 86 F ( 26 to 30 ascorbic acid ) . You will postulate some rough substratum for the Pisces to lay their nut . The female person will lie between 1,000 - 2,000 eggs which the male person will then swim over to fertilize . The eggs and minor will be guarded by their parent and should stay in the education tank until they can resist for themselves .
More Pet Fish Species and Further Research
If you wish oscars and are interested in some similar Pisces species , read up on :
Check out additional fish coinage profiles for more information on otherfreshwaterfish .
