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My Oscar

 

Astronotus ocellatus, commonly called Oscar, is native to rivers of South America.  This Amazonian cichlid can grow to around 13 inches long.  Mine is a Red Oscar named Ash.  Difficult to determine gender, one usually must wait for a couple of Oscars to pair off to breed these fish.  Ash has shown male aggressive behavior when sharing a tank, so I will for now maintain that Ash is male.

On an average day, he will munch a few pellets for breakfast, beg for krill at lunch, and have a little of both for supper.  Trust me, he’s got a lot of personality, even in eating.  He prefers the krill, but the pellets have more vital nutrients to ensure health.  A big danger for Oscars is Hole in the Head, and one of the leading causes noted has been lack of a variety of vitamins in the fish’s diet.  This is why I insist he eats the pellets as well.

Ash has more than doubled in size since I bought him four months ago.  I started him in a cheap 5 gallon tank until I could come upon more adequate accommodations.  The tank was upgraded to a 10 gallon this month and will be upgraded again in the early months of 2003.  Oscars need plenty of room to grow.

Oscars are playful and aggressive.  Having real plants in the tank is not a great idea, since they will be torn up before you can blink.  I have taken the lid from a plastic bubble (like from the toy machines), and placed it in his tank.  He has fun wearing it and racing it across the tank.

Okay, here’s an article I wrote for a web group, which says basically the same thing, only it’s got a lot more information that I couldn’t even begin to match at the present moment:

 

Catch of the Day--November 8, 2002:

 

Today's featured fish is the Oscar. Scientifically named Astronotus Ocellatus, it displays the star mark of its species. ("astro"=star, "notus"=mark). Oscars come in a wide variety of colors and patterns. There are Red Oscars, Tiger Oscars, and even Albino Oscars. Juveniles are typically brown and have more detailed patterns. Then as they mature, they develop colors and the patterns meld together. Some Oscars don't have well developed star marks, such as the Red Oscar which was bred for a vivid orange color rather than pattern. Oscars can reach lengths of 14 inches, though in tanks, they usually only reach 12 inches. In the wild they can get quite large. People will often purchase the fish not knowing how big it will get, and try to keep it in a small tank. This is not really good for the fish, but you can keep an Oscar in a 10 gallon and he will do okay, just so long as you're okay with having a dwarfed Oscar.

These fish are aggressive and territorial, so it's best to keep them in a large tank as a mating pair, rather than in a community tank where they will gobble up other fish, and eventually each other. Oscars will eat just about anything you give them: krill, bloodworms, pellets, feeder fish, even peas (I know, it sounds weird, but if you're eating peas and carrots and notice your fishy friend eyeing you, drop one in and see how fast he gobbles it down). You must have a variety of foods to help fight of sickness. A particular nasty, Hole in the Head, affects Oscars with a vengeance. HITH is an erosion of the sensory pores on the head and lateral line. Oscars are very prone to this disease. You can prevent it by making sure the fish gets a variety of nutrients, has clean water, and make sure the filter is free of loose carbon dust. Oscars aren't really particular about their water conditions as long as you don't let the water get dirty and don't change things too suddenly. These fish are messy eaters, so you will need to change your filters very often to keep them working. Also, invest in a vacuum pump. As these fish get bigger, you will notice it's not as easy moving them into the bucket to clean the tank out, and then you have to chase a squirming cactus across the floor.

 

 

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Copyright © 2003 Shelby Healy

Page created 1.6.2003

Last modified 1.6.2003