| Oscars or Astronotus ocellatus are native to | | | | their dietary needs become more substantial. Do |
| South America. They can be found in the Peru, | | | | not keep them with smaller fish. They won't be |
| Venezuela, Columbia, French Guiana, and the | | | | there in the morning. Oscars use a suction |
| Amazon River basin. They are a member of the | | | | mechanism to capture their prey. They have |
| Cichlidae family more commonly referred to as | | | | been reported to lie on their sides mimicking death |
| cichlids. This family includes, angelfish, discus and | | | | in order to induce their prey to draw closer. |
| African cichlids. Numerous numbers of new cichlids | | | | Mature oscars can be fed tubifex and |
| are discovered every year. So the actual number | | | | bloodworms, insects, crustaceans, chopped meat |
| of species belonging to the cichlid family is unclear. | | | | and dried food. |
| Estimates vary from 1,300 to 3,000 different | | | | Oscars are commonly kept in mono-species |
| species world wide. | | | | tanks. They require a water temperature around |
| Oscars are among the largest species of the | | | | 79°F and a pH level around 7.2. Oscars have |
| cichlid family. They will grow to an adult length of | | | | a vitamin C deficiency and need to be |
| 12-16 inches and can weigh in excess of 3.5 lbs. | | | | supplemented. They will develop health problems if |
| Don't consider buying one for your kid's 10 gallon | | | | the are not. If you like plant life in your aquarium |
| aquarium. | | | | you will want to have floating plants if you intend |
| Selective breeding has produced a number of | | | | to raise oscars. They will uproot plants from the |
| ornamental oscars bred specially for aquarists. | | | | aquarium substrate. If they are provided with |
| Albino, leucistic, xanthistic and red marbled oscars | | | | proper living conditions they can live up to 10 |
| are all a result of selective breeding. The variety | | | | years of age. |
| with mainly red coloration is typically sold under | | | | Oscar Spawning |
| the trade name, red oscar. The patterning of the | | | | Oscars are strictly monogamous. They will mate |
| red pigment differs from one individual to another. | | | | with a single partner for life. |
| This is a highly marketable trait. | | | | Oscars, like most cichlids, will clean flat surface to |
| Oscars are intelligent fish. They are aware that | | | | deposit their eggs on. They are biparental |
| another world exists outside of their aquatic | | | | substrate spawners. In laymen's terms this |
| environment. They come to realize who it is that | | | | means; Once the eggs are hatched they will |
| keeps them fed. Oscars will often rise to the | | | | burrow a shallow pit to keep the eggs in. Both |
| surface when their owners are in the room. If | | | | parents will then stand guard over the eggs and |
| you put your hand in the tank they will most likely | | | | the fry once they are hatched. |
| not shy away. They have even been known to | | | | The fry will hatch about 36 hours after |
| enjoy being petted. | | | | fertilization. Once the fry are swimming freely |
| Oscars are primarily carnivorous. You can fed | | | | they will need to be fed. Oscar fry can be fed |
| them tropical fish flakes when they are small. | | | | rotifers, newly hatched brine shrimp, powdered |
| There are commercially available fish foods | | | | eggs, or finely crushed fish flakes. |
| developed specifically for cichlids. As they grow, | | | | |