Oscar (fish)

Oscar
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Cichliformes
Family:	Cichlidae
Genus:	Astronotus
Species:	A. ocellatus
Binomial name
	Astronotus ocellatus; (Agassiz, 1831)

Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus) is a species of fish from the cichlid family. Oscars have many common names. Some of these names are oscar, tiger oscar, velvet cichlid, and marble cichlid. The scientific name for the oscar species is A. ocellatus. Oscars can grow up to 16 inches (41 cm) long and weigh over 3 pounds (1.4 kg). The Oscar fish is a smart species of fish. Oscars are popular as aquarium fish. Oscars are also very aggressive.

Description

The Oscar is a large predatory fish at grows up two 18”. Their bodies are colorful and dark colors mixed with bright colors. Different variations include some with albinism “albino oscar” and others with darker variations “tiger oscar”.

Behavior

The Oscar is an aggressive predator from the Amazon River. Oscars create territories and attack other fish that come into their territory. Captive bred oscars can do well in certain community tanks with only fish from their region. For this to work you need to get you oscar from a breeder as small as possible, so they know the other possible tank mates are not a threat/food.

Feeding

Captive oscars may be fed prepared fish food designed for large carnivorous fish. They can also eat crayfish, worms, and insects. Insects include, crickets, mealworms, grasshoppers, praying mantis and even hornworms. At about 6 months age, oscars can be fed live feeder fish, such as minnows, small gold fish and other feeder fish that can fit easily in their mouths. Captive bred oscars do best when fed natural frozen “carnivorous” fish food, along with live insects and crickets to keep a varied diet. These include, frozen bloodworms, frozen mysis shrimp, frozen beef heart, and frozen mixed fish cubes, as well as live feeders stated above.

Oscar (fish) Media

1831 watercolor of Astronotus ocellatus by Jacques Burkhardt.
Ocelli on dorsal fin and caudal peduncle
These are my pet Oscars, I call them Othello and Desdemona.
picture of baby oscar cichlid
The oscar at the Särkänniemi Aquarium in Tampere, Finland
A leucistic long-finned oscar