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My
Oscar

Astronotus
ocellatus, commonly called Oscar, is native to rivers of
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--
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