The Oscar Fish

THE OSCAR FISH

The Oscar Fish (Astronotus ocellatus) is a member of the Cichlidae family and is native to various rivers and waterways in South America. They are also prevalent in some tropical locations such as the waterways and canals in Florida.

There are various different types of Oscar available commercially nowadays. Some of the most popular types of Oscar available include the Red, Tiger, Albino and Lutino. All of these have been artificially bred from the original wild, or common Oscar and will not be found in their native waters.

Nobody actually knows exactly why this fish was labeled as the "Oscar", however it has stuck and I don't suppose it will ever be called anything but the Oscar Fish. The Oscar has become one of the most popular aquarium fish in recent times and people just seem to fall in love with them as soon as we see them. They are not the most colorful aquarium fish around, and certainly not the prettiest, in fact some people may describe them as being rather ugly. However, nobody will argue that they are extremely fun to keep. They almost certain appeal to people because of the way they interact with their owners. They have been nicknamed the "River, or Water dog" because of the way they behave. They often shake their heads and tails just like a dog, they really are adorable and it won't be long before know exactly why they have gained this particular nickname.

The Oscar Fish is definitely one of the more intelligent aquarium fish that you will come across, they seem to have the ability to recognize their owners and almost seem to be aware of what is going on outside of their aquarium. Feeding time is always fun as the Oscar really does live for food and dinnertime. The Oscar is the boss of its own tank and once you have been keeping them for a while, you will realize that it's best to leave them to rearrange the tank to how they like it. They are very well known for creating havoc in the aquarium, but in an amusing way I must add. They excavate the substrate like a JCB and move rocks and decor around with ease, an Oscar aquarium can sometimes look like a battle zone. Plants don't last very long so if you want to setup a showcase display aquarium, Oscars probably aren't for you.

Oscars have become extremely popular in recent years, especially since information is readily available on the Internet. Oscars are normally purchased as small babies but grow extremely quickly and can easily reach 10 or even 11 inches within 12 months. Assuming that you are keeping your Oscar in a suitable aquarium, feeding it on a healthy diet, and keeping the water in good condition, an Oscar can easily exceed 12 inches in size within a couple of years. Most people choose Oscars over any other fish because they do possess a personality. I know that's hard to believe but it really is true. Oscars seem to be able to portray what mood they are in. At feeding time they are excitable and swim around the tank like it's the last meal they are ever going to get. On the other hand, they can often sulk like little children if something has happened which they don't like, such as a water change, or rearranging the aquarium.

There are hundreds of species of aquarium fish available to buy, many of them have beautiful colors and will make an aquarium look stunning. But there is something about the Oscar Fish that puts it in a class of its own. The Oscar will often become very tame and can be coaxed to feed from its owner's hand. Many people also like "petting" the Oscar and strangely they sometimes seem to enjoy it and will approach your hand. It's not something that we actively encourage but there's nothing wrong with doing it as long as your hands are clean and you are not too rough.

The Beginning

You may ask where all of the different types of Oscar came from. Well, as we know, there are many types of Oscar available. Tiger Oscar, Red Oscar, Albino Oscar, Red Tiger Oscar, Lemon Oscar, the list goes on. None of these Oscars will be found in the wild, they have all been bred from one original species of Oscar. This species is the Wild Oscar, sometimes referred to as the Common Oscar. Most of us have heard of the Tiger Oscar, in fact, according to the poll on this website, the Tiger Oscar is the most popular choice. The Tiger Oscar was the first commercially available strain that was developed from the original Wild Oscar. While it retains all the colours of the wild Oscar, it does contain other colours such as red or orange which was thought to be a considerable improvement on the original.

In the late 60s, the Red Oscar made an appearance for the first time. It was completely different to what was already available which got people very excited. The fish was originally bred by a businessman in Thailand. He had discovered a few unusual Oscars amongst many others and after much hard work, finally managed to breed the Red Oscar which is much loved by Many an Oscar enthusiast.

The albino Oscar is relatively new, in fact, it was developed around 20 years after the Red Oscar so I suppose it could be classed as "the new kid on the block". actually, in many cases, you be no Oscars more than likely a Lutino Oscar.If you want to be really pedantic, a true albino contains no pigmentation and will have red eyes. However, Oscars that are white and not round I referred to as albino Oscars. 

There are many other species of Oscar that you may never heard of. I will briefly cover a couple. At some stage you may come across a purple, or even a raspberry Oscar. They will probably be very striking with vibrant colours which may take your fancy. You may wonder how they manage to breed the colours in to these type of Oscars. Well, they don't, they dye them in many cases. You may be wondering how they do that to a fish, surely all the colours will run off as soon as they put it back into the water. This is where things get quite horrible. What they do is dip the fish in what can be only described as a sort of acid. The protective membrane is then burnt away and then the dye is literally painted on. They are then treated once again so that the membrane grows back. The problem is, the dye often wears off in time which leaves you with a dreary looking fish. In many people's opinion, a horrible disgusting practice that should be phased out.

Finally, I will just mention an Oscar called the vieltail. These Oscars were developed quite a few years ago but don't seem to be as abundant as all their other counterparts. Occasionally you may come across one in the fish shop. If you do decide to purchase one of these, you have to be aware that they should be kept alone so their fins can develop properly. Also, their fins are prone to damage which can expose them to various fin diseases so do think carefully before purchasing one of these.

You Want to Keep Oscars

You might be surprised to know that the Oscar Fish can live as long as a dog, up to 15 years, sometimes longer. The oldest recorded Oscar I have heard of is 21 years old. To enter into the world of keeping the Oscar Fish is to enter into a long-term relationship that will involve commitment and loyalty from yourself for the entirety of the Oscars life. The majority of people who come seeking help on our forums have purchased an Oscar without knowing anything about how to look after it. The last thing you should do is purchase the first Oscar you see. It's very easy to fall for a cute little 2 inch Oscar, take it home and put it in your 20 gallon aquarium, believe me, this happens all the time.

If you are serious about keeping the Oscar Fish then carefully read everything that is included on this website. We have spent considerable time putting together the various articles that will help newcomers understand what it takes to look after the Oscar Fish.


(Article Source: www.oscarfishlover.com)