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| Astronotus ocellatus (The Oscar) |
| Family: |
Cichlidae |
| Maximum Size: |
19" (47.5cm), 3.5lb (1,580g) |
| Distribution: |
South America (Amazon Basin of Brazil, Colombia, and Peru) and Southern Florida, USA |
| Temperature Range: |
72-79oF (22-25oC) |
| pH Range: |
6 to 8 |
| Water Hardness: |
5-19 dKh |
| In their native habitats, Oscars inhabit slow-moving, shallow waters where they feed on crayfish, smaller fish, and anything else that will fit in their mouths. In the aquarium they are really no different. Any fish that will physically fit in an Oscar's mouth is at risk. Even if smaller fish survive for months or years living with an Oscar, that is no guarantee that they will not be eaten in the future. Feed these fascinating animals a varied diet consisting of fresh or frozen shrimp or fish, preferably of marine origin, or blood worms (mosquito larvae). Freshwater meats and live feeder fish should be avoided as they are almost certain to cause disease. Beef heart and other terrestrial meats can be offered, but should not be the main diet. If fresh or frozen marine shrimp are too costly or not available, dry cichlid pellets are a suitable diet as long as they are supplemented with other meaty foods. |
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| Red Oscar |
Tiger Oscar |
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| Albino Oscar |
Zebra Oscar |
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| Oscars are large fish, commonly reaching 12" (30cm) in length in home aquariums. Due to their size, adult Oscars require a large tank of at least 75gallons. A larger tank is, of course, preferable. These are aggressive fish and are best kept as single specimens. If there will be multiple oscars in an aquarium, they should be introduced all at once at a young age. Of course, multiple oscars require even larger tanks than single specimens. Cramming Oscars into too small a space will very likely lead to territorial violence. Oscars are large, aggressive fish requiring a meaty diet. The large amounts of food consumed (and so waste produced), together with the fact that Oscars are terribly messy eaters, means that the filtration system must be powerful and well-maintained in order to keep water quality high. |
| They are well-suited to aquarium life because they are hardy and can tolerate a relatively wide range of temperature and pH. Like other cichlids, poor water quality can cause Oscars to develop hole-in-the-head syndrome. Read more about HITH here. Simple water changes and routine filter maintenance should help avoid any such problems, though. |
| Back to the Cichlidae Family page |
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