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Oscar fish - Astronotus ocellatus

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Oscar fish ( common name )

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Astronotus ocellatus ( fish name )
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Information about care
Food
The Oscar will eat anything that will fit in its mouth; they are not very picky eaters. They are mostly carnivorous and will eat fish, insects, crustaceans and worms, but they will accept veggie matter as well.

Sexing
Males grow at a more rapid pace than females. A more reliable way to tell them apart is to observe a pair during the spawning process.

Breeding
Oscars will reproduce for up to 10 years under the proper conditions. Both parents exhibit highly developed parental care. Both Parents prepare a spawning site by cleaning a smooth, flat surface. The female will lay up to 2000 eggs. The eggs will take up to 4 days to hatch and up to another 6 days to become free swimming.

Lifespan
This fish can live as long as 18 years.

Origin
This fish is native to South America including but not limited to countries such as Peru, Columbia and Brazil. It has also been introduced to bodies of water in China and Northern Australia.

Short Description
The Oscar Fish is used for food in some of the South American countries that it is native to. This fish is not grown on aquaculture farms like tilapia but it is a popular aquarium species. There are many different varieties available in the aquarium industry. The Oscar Fish is a messy eater that produces a lot of waste so they require a well filtrated aquarium with plenty of partial water changes.

This fish has many common names. Some of them are: Tiger oscar, Red tiger oscar, Velvet cichlid, Red Oscar, Albino Oscar, ...

Oscars should be kept with fish of similar size.

More details can be found within this article.

Feel free to visit Oscar Care Basics at firsttankguide.net too!

Pictures
Special thanks to Abel Guerrero for his picture. Other pictures were bought from jjphoto.dk. Also thanks to Ramar! Some pictures were provided by Damian, Amy and other contributors.

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Oscar fish

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Contributed by: David»1313»
On: November 21, 2006, 10:06 pm
I would like to know how to sex my oscar.
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: November 22, 2006, 12:05 am
Sexing Oscars if quite difficult. You need to look underneath each fish in order to determine if it’s male of female. The sex organ is placed near the fish’s anus. Females have small hole there.
Contributed by: Ackerz»1313»
On: January 13, 2007, 8:25 pm
General info on the Oscar.

Origin
- Amazon River basin

Maximum Size
- 14 inches

Housing
- Needs 30 gallons. Prefers more.

Security
- Not necessary

Planting
- Tears live plants to shreds .

Temperature
- 75 to 80°

Attitude
- Eager eater

Foods
- Loves all foods – especially fish

Toys
- Likes heaters, snails, and ping pong balls (You’ll see).

Water
- Needs frequent water changes

Spawning Area
- 55-gallon minimum

Spawning Substrate
- Flat piece of slate

Sex Differences
- Discernible only during spawning
Contributed by: Misty»11»
On: January 14, 2007, 3:39 pm
I need info about hole in the head disease. My oscar has this and I’m not exactly sure what all i should be doing to make him better. HELP!!!
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: January 15, 2007, 12:32 am
Hi Misty,

Check the link at the end of this comment. There is a section named "Hole in the Head Syndrome". Treatment techniques included (link).
Contributed by: Salshrif»11»
On: January 26, 2007, 1:24 pm
The Pattern on it's body means Allah (God) in the Arabic language.
Contributed by: Bhanu»11»
On: January 29, 2007, 10:07 pm
Hi,

I have 19 Oscar (Tiger & Red) in one tank. Each is close to 6 / 7 inches. The tank size is 6 feet x 2 feet x 3 feet. I would like to confirm the following:

1. Is it possible to confirm the sex of the fish at this moment.
2. When will they start Breeding.

Thanks,
Bhanu Devgan
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: January 30, 2007, 12:16 am
Sexing the Oscar fish: Males are longer, more colourful, have longer fins.

They should start breeding once they reach the adult size, which is about 30 cm. Of course, they will grow to such dimensions if kept in large tanks only.
Contributed by: Rohit»11»
On: March 26, 2007, 4:48 am
Male oscars have a more pointed anal fin than a female while the female has a blunt anal fin.
Contributed by: SteveChee»11»
On: April 22, 2007, 11:29 am
Can I know how to differ the sex of Oscars since they’re young (or in size about 3 inches long)?
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: April 23, 2007, 4:18 am
Hello SteveChee.

Please check the description and discussion above. It is not possible to sex Oscars when they're juveniles. Even when they're adults, it's very difficult.

Further questions which are already answered will be deleted.
Contributed by: Lynda»22»
On: June 21, 2007, 5:02 pm
I have a 110 gallon aquarium. Is it possible to get a small oscar and not have it eat all my other fish? It says above they have a peaceful temperament towards others. I always thought they ate other fish.
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: June 22, 2007, 12:15 am
Hi Lynda. Yes, it is possible to keep Oscars with other species. However, they should be of similar size like Oscars are. I just updated the description.
Contributed by: allison»55»
On: July 5, 2007, 12:25 am
I have two oscars, one is a tiger and is 6-7 inches long. The other is gray-blue with a tan veiny pattern, 2-3 inches long and I don’t have a clue what it's called. But they both act like dogs and follow me when I pass the tank. Does any one else’s oscar’s do this and is this normal?
Contributed by: allison»55»
On: July 11, 2007, 5:29 pm
It's me again. My two oscars (which I forgot to mention I love them to death) just love to eat and I give them pellets. There are about twelve other little fish in the tank with them and the only reason why they haven’t been eaten is the big oscar, mercades is missing an eye! So when I feed the fish I give them flakes and pellets but the little oscar, tao eats as much as mercades. Then she has food hanging out of her mouth, she coughs and like seven pellets come out. So is there any way I can feed them with out tao gorging out on pellets?
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: July 12, 2007, 5:59 am
Hi Allison.

Your question from July the 5-th:

It is normal. I don’t keep Oscars in my fish tanks, but whatever fish do it is probably OK. I have even seen a Betta jumping for food!:)

Your second question:

How big are the pellets? Have you tried to use smaller or divide them into smaller pieces? In my opinion it’s nothing bad. When I feed my Panda Cories bloodworms they eat it very fast and it is not unusual that some bloodworms are "filtered" from their bodies through gills:D. They just act as that food was the last food they will ever eat:D.
Contributed by: allison»55»
On: July 12, 2007, 4:00 pm
The pellets are the right size for her, she’s just a pig=). Thanks for the info!
Contributed by: Bob»44»
On: July 19, 2007, 9:33 am
How many large oscars could I put in a 75gallon aquarium?
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: July 19, 2007, 10:15 am
Hi Bob. 5-6 max. However, I would keep max. 3 specimens in such tank because I like it when fish have enough space for swimming.
Contributed by: Allison»55»
On: July 28, 2007, 8:21 pm
How's it going Bob (that's an awesome name). Yes, I agree with admin. Oscars need there space man, they're free spirits ya know, like they need to spread their wings (or fin's). WoW, I sound like a hippie. But I'm not, I promise!

Comment was slightly modified by admin. If the original meaning was changed let us know, please.
Contributed by: Tommy»11»
On: August 13, 2007, 2:44 am
How can you tell apart from a male and a female oscar? People say that the male oscar has a longer anal and the dorsal fin is longer. But when I look it up, it look the same to me! So I’m confused! I need some help. Like a picture of a female and a male dorsal fin or the anal! Thanks!
Contributed by: Tyler»44»
On: August 27, 2007, 12:59 pm
Hi, I just wanted to know if it was possible to keep two jack dempseys (1 1/2 inches so far) an oscar (2 1/2 inches so far) and 3 electric blue haps (1/2 inch so far) in a 46gallon tank w/ heater, filter and all?
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: August 27, 2007, 1:20 pm
Tyler, I wouldn’t do so. 46 Gallon tank isn’t large enough for such large specimens.

I was in the ZOO 3 weeks ago where I saw about 10 Oscars in 924 Gallon aquarium! I can tell you that they were looking like sardines there.

Species which you mentioned grow into large sizes and I would recommend you 100 Gallons per 1 fish (Jack Dempsey or Oscar) and 50 Gallons per 1 Electric Blue Hap. Otherwise you risk aggressivity.

In addition, Jacks and Electric Blue Haps are aggressive.
Contributed by: Danielle»11»
On: September 8, 2007, 4:56 am
There are two oscars, a small blue fish and two algae eaters in my tank. The yellow oscar and small blue fish are constantly fighting with the tiger fish, is this normal?
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: September 8, 2007, 9:19 am
Danielle, fights are normal. If fishes were impassive towards each other, then it would be abnormal. Each fish community has a leader. If there are more than one fish willing to be the leader, then they start to fight.

Even Bristlenose Catfish fight towards each other (fights within their own species) if you introduce new specimens into the tank. Bristlenose Catfish are known to be very peaceful.
Contributed by: Jay»55»
On: September 10, 2007, 8:48 am
I have a young oscar 5 months old (black and red) and he has been very greedy and eat 10 feeder fish within 4 hours. Now he is very slow and still. Not his usual self at all.

Do fish know when they’ve had enough to eat or do they just eat for the sake of it? Do they suffer from eating too much and what can I do to make him feel better?

Please help.
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: September 11, 2007, 8:30 am
Hi Jay,

Not all fishes know when they have enough. However, Oscars should know so.

Anyway maybe you could try a diet for him. Try different foods for instance. Here is a link to one article which should help you: link.

Just as example, I keep two YoYo loaches. The first one is in larger aquarium with many Bristlenose Catfish and other fish. The second one is in a tank with Panda Cories and few Apple snails only. Naturally, the second one is more lazy and more fat than the first one. Everything due to more food.
Contributed by: Amanda»77»
On: September 11, 2007, 6:56 pm
My friend has got an Oscar fish which is orange and black. We are not sure if it's a male of female.

But when it is hungry, it does something like a little dance. Is that normal? A couple of days ago a weird thing happened; The fish was doing something like building a nest (I am not sure). It seemed like doing a mess in the tank.

Sincerely, Amanda.
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: September 13, 2007, 7:42 am
Amanda, please check my post made on November 22, 2006, 2:05 am which says something about sexing.

Regarding nest and breeding: Oscars clean rock(s) where they lay eggs later. So making a mess shouldn’t be considered as building a nest.
Contributed by: Nakita»44»
On: September 26, 2007, 7:20 am
I have one oscar fish. He (I think) is almost 20cm. I don't know his age but he goes through 250g medium sized pellets in about 2 weeks. Everytime I walk near his tank he beggs for food. I am giving him 10-12 pellets at a time, he is a very active fish and not fat at all. So my question is: If he is not growing much, why does he eat so much? I've tried cutting him down but he seems to get lazy and tired when I do so.
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: September 27, 2007, 2:08 am
Hi Nakita,

How large is your aquarium? What dimensions does it have?

In general, the fish grows during it’s lifespan continuously. But growth can be affected by low pressure in your fish tank. If the depth is 1m at least, then it should grow up to 30-40cm. If course, the remaining two dimensions are imporant as well. If your aquarium is 4x2x1.5m big at least, then it OK for future growth. In any smaller aquarium Oscars may (but it’s not guaranteed) grow up to 30cm.

Personally I don’t think that the size is any problem. If the fish is healthy and active, then it is good for it’s raiser.
Contributed by: Nakita»44»
On: October 2, 2007, 10:56 am
Hi, it's me again. My tank is 60cm x 30cm x 36cm. It is about 11 Gallons. His friends are 4 neon tetras which are about 2 inches, so too big for him to eat and a discus fish which I got recently from my friend. Also there are 3 clown loaches about 3".
Contributed by: ladyt»11»
On: October 12, 2007, 1:08 pm
I have a 55 gal. tank and need to know if my oscar needs a heater? And if so, what size?
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: October 12, 2007, 2:23 pm
Hi ladyt,

For such questions we have an aquarium calculator right here. It is called the "Advanced calculator for the number of fish in an aquarium".

Just enter the dimensions of your fish tank and you will know what to do:).

BTW, I would definitely use a heater if the temperature lowers to 22°C or less.
Contributed by: Darty»33»
On: October 17, 2007, 6:17 am
I have a 134 litre aquarium; How many oscars can I have in it?

And, could I keep electric blue cichlids and electric yellow cichlid in a tank with an oscar?
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: October 17, 2007, 2:41 pm
Hi Darty,

I’d keep max. 1 Oscar specimen in your 134 L fish tank.

And if you’re looking for tank mates, electric yellow cichlids should be fine. However, I think that the tank would be overpopulated in this case.
Contributed by: Darty»33»
On: October 18, 2007, 3:25 am
Hey, it’s me again.

I’m wondering what the ph of the water should be if I get an oscar and a couple of electric yellow cichlids? And could I put electric blue cichlids in with an oscar?
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: October 18, 2007, 1:03 pm
Hi:),

The pH should be somewhere between 7.0 - 7.5.

I personally would not keep Oscars and Electric Blue Cichlids together due to potential aggressivity from these cichlids. Of course, Oscars grow bigger.
Contributed by: zain merchant»11»
On: October 19, 2007, 4:39 am
Hi,

I have 8 oscars. What should I feed them? And they are sitting at one place only. Is it normal?
Contributed by: Laura»55»
On: October 19, 2007, 9:37 am
Hi,

If I have a small red tiger oscar in a 5 gallon tank, will it grow much (?), since they say the bigger the tank the faster it grows. Not sure how that works for oscars, what's the smallest size tank I can get if I have a red tiger oscar? I'm not planning on putting any other fish in the tank.
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: October 20, 2007, 12:39 pm
Oscars should be fed pellets, granules, worms and basically every other "ordinary" fish food.

And why do they sit at a one only? They may be stressed. Try to test your water first, please. Standard dKH, dGH, pH and NO2 tests. If everything is within acceptable borders, try to change the food a little. Your questions is too general and without more details I can’t give you satisfactory answer.
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: October 20, 2007, 12:45 pm
@Laura: Well, people usually say such things, but it is not true at all. You can make the growth slower, but you can’t stop it. This is my personal experience.

If I had an Oscar I’d keep it in a 45 Gallon aquarium at least. Naturally, bigger the tank is, happier the fish is.
Contributed by: Jessy»11»
On: October 29, 2007, 7:23 pm
I have a 29 gallon tank and I wanted to know if it would be OK to get a small oscar and jack dempsey to put in together and keep them in that tank without having to upgrade to a larger tank.
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: October 30, 2007, 1:29 am
Hi Jessy,

29 G aquarium is small even for 1 of them.
Contributed by: John»88»
On: October 31, 2007, 12:55 am
These are great cichlids very owner responsive.

The MINIMUM tank size sholud be 55 gallons for ONE oscar and at least a 120 gallon for a pair.
Contributed by: Josh»44»
On: November 5, 2007, 2:36 am
Hey,

Could I keep a jack dempsey and an oscar in a 55 gallon tank? And if I had a 3 inch oscar, what is the smallest size of jack dempsey which could be it kept with?

Thanks.
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: November 5, 2007, 4:44 am
@Josh: I don’t recommend you to keep these species. Jack’s may be aggressive towards Oscars. Moreover, a 55 G aquarium is small for two such big cichlids.
Contributed by: J.D»11»
On: November 8, 2007, 2:32 am
What other fish could i keep with a oscar in a 55 gallon aquarium?
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: November 8, 2007, 11:29 pm
@J.D: Big pleco’s for example.
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: December 11, 2007, 11:45 pm
Ashleigh8’s questions was moved to another page since it is related to Goldfish. It can be found here.
Contributed by: richard»33»
On: December 19, 2007, 12:08 pm
I was wondering how do yo tell the difference between a male and a female tiger oscars?
Contributed by: matt»88»
On: December 24, 2007, 3:36 am
Does java fern go well with oscars? And does an arowana go well with an oscar in a 40 G tank?
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: December 26, 2007, 2:36 pm
@Matt: I would not keep Arowana and Oscar in one 40 G aquarium. It’s too small especially for Arowanas.

Regarding Java Fern: Although I expect an Oscar to eat it, I’d definitely try it; Such plant is not expensive.
Contributed by: shinsta»1515»
On: December 26, 2007, 6:56 pm
How big should a feeder fish be if I'm feeding it to a 5 inch tiger oscar? Also how many should I feed it at once? And, if my tiger oscar does not seem aggressive towards it's tankmates and seems more scared of them, does it mean a problem? The tankmates are a little catfish and a common pleco.
Contributed by: matt»88»
On: December 26, 2007, 10:46 pm
How will an oscar do in a 37 US gallons aquarium? Thanks!
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: December 28, 2007, 9:10 am
@shinsta: A feeder fish should be max. 2 cm long (0.78 inch) in order to be eaten by a 5 inch fish. This is my personal experience. You may try longer specimens, but I am not sure if they’ll be eaten completely.

Regarding your second question, feed your oscar 2 feeder fish at once.

Your third question: The oscar is not big enough yet in order to be very aggressive. I wouldn’t worry about it now.

@matt: I recommend you to use 66 US Gallons aquarium at least. 37 US G will be small once the fish reaches the adult size.
Contributed by: shinsta»1515»
On: December 28, 2007, 6:47 pm
Would it be OK for me to feed my 5" tiger Oscar worms? If so, what kind?
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: December 29, 2007, 12:09 am
Besides ordinary worms which you can buy in aquatic shops (blood worms, larvae), feel free to feed them earthworms. I personally haven’t heard of other worms as fish food yet. Just don’t overfeed your Oscar fish.
Contributed by: shinsta»1515»
On: December 29, 2007, 11:20 am
Hello again! I have noticed that my tiger Oscar has a faded colour on the top of a couple of his fins. I'm not exactly what it is. Thanks!
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: December 31, 2007, 1:14 pm
@shinsta: Colours changes are usually caused by stress or absence of vitamins. Try to feed your fish more types of food and focus on their quality. Maybe you’re already doing so, and in this case you don’t have to worry.
Contributed by: Alaska»11»
On: January 2, 2008, 2:13 pm
I just got 2 small oscars (2 1/2 in or so); I currently have them in a 20 gal tank but plan on upgrading as soon as I find the right tank. Are they OK for right now, or should I hurry up in finding a bigger tank? They seem to have enough swimming room for the time and the only tank mates are 2 small barbs, which I don’t think will be around long, and a bristlenose pleco.

Also, a friend of mine used to feed his larger oscars imitation crab, is this an OK food to through in with pellets (for variety)?
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: January 3, 2008, 1:34 pm
@Alaska: Regarding your first question, it is OK to keep such small specimens in a 20 G aquarium. There is no need to hurry, I count on that you’ll need a new aquarium in about 2 months. It’s just my tip.

Regarding your second question: Yes, imitation crab is normal food and if combined with other kinds of food, fishes will be healthy and will feel fine.
Contributed by: Johno»11»
On: January 6, 2008, 6:35 pm
Hey there,

I am considering buying Oscars but have a couple of questions..

Firstly, I have a 50 gallon tank (which will have no other occupants if I do buy Oscars), would it be possible to have 2 or more Oscars in this tank?

Secondly, during summer my tank temperature can sometimes reach 90 degrees Fahrenheit, will the Oscars survive in this heat? (There is no option to cool the tank other than buying a chiller)

Cheers!
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: January 7, 2008, 2:59 am
@Johno: A 50 G aquarium is not suitable for 2 or more Oscars. I recommend at least 100 G per 1 specimen. See the post left on August 27, 2007, 9:20 pm, please.

Regarding your second question: They can survive 90°F for a short period. However, I’d not risk it if such period lasts more than 1 week.
Contributed by: nubby»11»
On: January 30, 2008, 5:21 pm
I've had an Oscar before. He lived four years in his 20 gallon tank and I loved him but he passed last year. Now I got a new one but when I let him out of the bag he acted real sick; I had thought he died and my dad got me a new one.

Right as we let the new one go, the old one gets up and is fine. I don't have a bigger tank (this is a 15 but my fish are only about an inch), they're not fighting, but I'm afraid they may start.
Contributed by: bob»44»
On: October 31, 2008, 11:37 am
I purchased a 110 gallon tank to raise Oscars. 5feet x 18inches x 25inches high. I have 3x 3inch Cscars, 1x 12 inch Pleco, and 1x 6 inch Goldfish. Will this work as they grow? Someone stated that Oscars do not need shelter. Is this correct? Can the Oscars eat dog food occasionally?
Contributed by: pat»44»
On: November 5, 2008, 7:50 pm
Hi, I have 2 red tiger Oscars, about 2 inches each and I also keep 3 jewel fish, in an 40 litres tank. Somehow my Oscars' fins look roughed up as if some fish has eaten some... I checked on net before keeping Jewel with Oscars and I was told that they go well together. I also have one african cichlid and one other fish in the tank. However Tiger Oscars are the biggest one in there. And they jump out of tank for food during their feeding time. Is this normal?
Contributed by: santiago»11»
On: November 13, 2008, 2:49 pm
Hi, I have a tiger Oscar and it is an adult one and has beautiful colours. But it start having some white dry skin or dead skin, do you think it could be the water or some bacteria?
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: November 14, 2008, 6:46 am
@bob: Oscars do need food and shelters just like other fish. Of course, it is possible to keep fishes in a tank with no decoration, and no other objects. But it is not recommended at all.

Regarding your question if Oscars can eat dog food: I don’t recommend you to feed Oscars dog food. Dogs and fish have different digestion systems. It is just like humans and dogs. Humans can eat dog food and vice-versa, but human stomach is accustomed to other substances than dogs. All in all, something is missing in such a case for both, humans and dogs. And now imagine a situation when a dog would eat algae and fish would eat a Pedigree can. That doesn’t make any sense.

Regarding your first question: No, a 110 G tank will not be big enough to house 3 oscars, and 1 Goldfish. They’ll look like in a sardines can.

@pat: It is completely OK to see Oscars jumping fro food. However, it is not normal to keep such number of fish in a 40 litres fish tank. This naturally causes aggression between inhabitants. This aggression doesn't have to be of high levels, however it results in nipping fins. Be sure that you need a much bigger aquarium to house specimens you mentioned. In addition, African cichlids usually need hard water, and Oscars do need the opposite, eventually neutral water. Of course, not all cichlids come from lake Tanganyika or Malawi, thus it depends on particular species.

@santiago: It is hard to tell, but I suppose it's inadequate water chemistry which caused the problem. Did you test pH and hardness? Make sure that everything is as it should be. If the problem remains, use medicaments. Without pictures I cannot help you more.
Contributed by: ricardo»11»
On: November 25, 2008, 12:30 am
I have a red belly piranha in a 80-90 cm tank per 40X50 or something... I feel she's quite sad sometimes... Shes like 27 cm long and I would love to keep an oscar with her... Do you think they will get along?
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: November 25, 2008, 10:33 pm
@ricardo: You shouldn’t keep Oscars and Piranhas together in such a small tank. Buy a bigger aquarium and be prepared to use a divider if they fight. Otherwise I see no reason to try this. Some Piranhas are peaceful though (especially those which are vegetarian)... But I suppose thta you keep Pygocentrus nattereri. Here are links to Piranhas on our website:

Serrasalmus eigenmanni, Pygocentrus cariba, Pygocentrus piraya, Pygocentrus nattereri.
Contributed by: cjgarmon»11»
On: December 26, 2008, 8:12 pm
I just got 2 Oscars. One is albino and the second one is tiger. When I get home, they get scared when I am near the tank. They do swim at the top levels when I am not near the tank. Also I don't have a heater, however they seem to be doing just fine. I was wondering it that is OK.
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: January 1, 2009, 7:42 pm
@cjgarmon: Heaters aren’t necessary as long as the temperature stays at 24 degrees or more. Fear is normal as you just got the fish. As time goes by they should become more accustomed to new conditions. If they won’t do so, consider moving the tank to another place.
Contributed by: Ian»44»
On: April 1, 2009, 2:11 am
I got 2 oscars (1 lemon, 1 tiger) about 3 months ago. They were about the same size when I got them but now the the lemon oscar is much larger than the tiger. I had read that females grow slower but it seems like my tiger hasn’t grown at all! Is there something wrong or is this normal?
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: April 2, 2009, 3:10 pm
@Ian: It happens sometimes; Oscars aren’t any exceptions. You shouldn’t worry as long as your fish is healthy and eats normally. Occasionally, when you move fish from one tank to another, they get stressed and it takes them longer to acclimatise. Sometime during these two stages fish stops growing (or grows very slowly). I just bought 4 Angelfish about a month ago and one of them is experiencing the same problem like your Oscar; he(or she) is not growing like others do.

Sometimes these slow growing fish live shorter, but yet I haven’t found a way how to make them grow normally.
Contributed by: Anonymous»157157»
On: April 16, 2009, 6:11 am
My oscar is about 3 inches in a 48 gallon tank, he is with 2 silver sharks, 1 green barb who is still OK after 3 months. My tank is settled and gets cleaned every 2-3 weeks. In the last week my oscar is going nuts in the tank. He keeps trying to get out and at times he swims so fast (nitro speed) he bangs off the sides of the tank. Why?
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: April 21, 2009, 9:37 pm
@Anonymous: Your fish probably feels uncomfortable. You could add something new into the tank in order to entertain him, or you could try moving him to another tank (if possible).
Contributed by: Amy»66»
On: April 24, 2009, 7:01 am
I have four Oscars ( 2 albino, 1 tiger, and 1 yellow ) and 3 electric yellow cichlids. The oscars are about 4 inches long so far and cichlids are 2 inches long. They are comfortable right now in a 70 gallon tank but I know soon enough they won’t be. What size of a tank would you recommend I get?
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: April 26, 2009, 5:51 pm
@Amy: I’d choose a 200 Gallon tank at least. I think that they could live in a 150 G too, but the more space they’ve been given, the more happy they’re.
Contributed by: Kelly»88»
On: April 28, 2009, 3:16 am
Will an Oscar and an African Knife fish get along?
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: May 1, 2009, 11:17 pm
@Kelly: Yes, but they must be of similar size, kept in a big tank. Bear in mind that they come from different geographical locations, so their demands on water and aquarium set-up may differ.
Contributed by: Jonathan»2727»
On: May 3, 2009, 6:31 am
Hi, I just bought a small (1-2 inch) oscar and put it in a 30 gallon (US) tank. At this size, would it kill or eat other fish? Also, before anyone says you need at least (insert # here) gallons...I know, when I am older and have my own place, my aunt will give me her 55 gallon and later on, I might earn some money and buy a 100 gal cause at the store I by my fish they have one for 430$.
Contributed by: Admin»783783»
On: May 4, 2009, 3:34 pm
@Jonathan: At such a size they should be peaceful. Of course, if you put a small fish or newborns of size 1cm or less, don’t expect it to survive; However, plenty of other species would eat them too, so it isn’t about Oscars’ behaviour.
Contributed by: Jonathan»2727»
On: May 5, 2009, 11:11 am
Well, I put it with 5 of my larger fish in my community (to afraid cause I have small Cherry Barbs and a beautiful male guppy) and they are great, I just changed the tanks of the fish cause my Oscar had more swimming space in my community so I put the guppys and cherries in the 30 tall and kept 4 Danios and a Rosy Barb in the 30 long and put the oscar with them. He is a shy but very playful oscar. I just fed them the little grubs you find underground and they loved it. I was just throwing the little shrimp food and he loved it, the first time he actually ate with me in the room. I love this guy and hope he grows.
Contributed by: pee_lor»11»
On: July 28, 2009, 2:47 am
I’m an experienced fish keeper (communities, yabbies, angels and puffers) but new to larger cichlids . . .

I have juvenile (1.5 to 2 inch) Oscars (an amelanistic and a normal black and red) and an EBJD in a 55g tank, well planted with swordtail and with many rocks and caves. They are all really happy but I know they will soon outgrow this tank.

I am wondering, how quick will they outgrow it?

I am going to have a new tank built this weekend but right now I live in an appt. and I feel more comfortable with a 100g tank than a 150 or 200g. I won’t be living permanently in my house again for maybe another year, so what size of tank should I buy?

I would be happy to buy a 150 or 200g but I live in Thailand, and I am scared that nearly a tonne of water may crash through my appt. floor! My house has no problem with such a weight but I can not vouch for the integrity of this appt. block . . .

Also, what size of tank, minimum, would you recommend for a breeding pair of convicts?

Thanks for your advice!
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: July 30, 2009, 9:32 pm
@pee_lor:

"How quick will they outgrow it?": In 4 months or sooner.

"What size of tank should I buy?": If you’re not sure about what weight is maximum, choose the smallest one.

"Also, what size of tank, minimum, would you recommend for a breeding pair of convicts?": 50 gallon should be OK. Check the article about convict cichlids to read about breeding.
Contributed by: linston sequeiraAnonymous»11»
On: August 11, 2009, 10:03 pm
Hey, I have albino as well as red tiger oscar. They're about 3 inches. My tank size is 2 by 1 feet. Is this sufficient for them to grow normally?
Contributed by: Katyayini»11»
On: August 31, 2009, 12:01 am
Hi, I just got an oscar for my birthday, I named him spike because he reminds me of a bulldog. He is adorable, his tank is in a place where people keep passing by, family members and servants are constantly passing from infront of his tank, but only when I come in he starts to literally dance up and down if his tank. My mom loves this behavior and she tells me to go out and come back in, its so amazing how a small thing like a fish can bring so much happiness. He’s like a puppy, 4 years old 4 inches, lovely fellow.
Contributed by: Fernando»22»
On: October 5, 2009, 1:45 pm
Is there anything I can do before my two big oscars kill each other? No, I don’t have another tank. I think they are both males. They are alone in a big tank and they are fighting always and some wounds are visible already. Lips and head, skin on the sides. I’ve already changed the position of the decoration rocks. Any ideas? :(
Contributed by: Patrick»55»
On: November 3, 2009, 8:56 am
Hi Guys. I was wondering if I could keep 2 or three Oscars in a 55 gallon tank with a 7in Clown Knife and a 7in Black Ghost Knife? Thanks!
Contributed by: Jim»33»
On: January 16, 2010, 7:54 pm
I have 2 Tiger Oscars in a tank along with some other fish. I do believe that I have 1 male and 1 female Oscar, the only problem I have is I do not think that the male is letting the female eat. I watch them in the morning and the male is sleeping on the bottom and female is mid tank, the light clicks on and male wakes up and comes to mid tank. I drop a few food pellets in and the male comes to the top and the female goes to the bottom to the same corner and just lays there shaking her tail some times. I do not know why they are doing this. The male can get quite big bellied also when I feed, so I watch what I put in now.
Contributed by: Tianna»22»
On: January 24, 2010, 6:23 am
I just recently bought an 3 inch albino oscar. I put him in a 30 gallon tank with a few other fish of the same size. (I plan on upgrading the tank as they get bigger.) I figured the albino oscar would put the fish in their place if they gave him too much trouble, but the other fish have started bullying him & he’s not fighting back. Is this normal?
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: March 8, 2010, 6:39 pm
@Tianna: It’s normal. The oscar has been introduced as the last fish and thus other fish may feel being in danger which results in aggression. If more fish attack a single specimen, it usually won’t have enough energy to make a revenge each time it’s bullied.

@linston sequeiraAnonymous: Your aquarium is not big enough.

@Fernando: You can use a divider. Dark, not transparent glass. Or you can give one specimen to someone else.

@Patrick: Most likely yes.
Contributed by: Jacko68»11»
On: April 29, 2010, 8:48 pm
Hey. I am strongly considering buying two oscars but do not have a tank yet. I was just wondering what is the smallest possible tank that I could have for the 2 fish? And also what plants should I put in the tank and should I go with rocks or sand? Cheers
Contributed by: jon-e»11»
On: July 1, 2010, 2:27 am
I have a baby tiger oscar, about 2 months old and 4"inches long in a 55 gallon tank. The other day I introduced him to baby goldfish and he ate all 12 in a day, now he’s been lying on the bottom of the tank on his side. He barely swims, is something wrong? He acts sluggish and doesn’t eat anymore for a almost two days now. Will he die?
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: July 2, 2010, 8:24 pm
@jon-e: It’s hard to tell if your fish is going to die. It’s overfed, that’s the problem. In my experience there’s nothing to do except for waiting.

@Jacko68: The smallest aquarium for 2 fully grown Oscars is 500 liters in my opinion. Hardy plants such as Anubias species can be suitable for an Oscar tank. Rocks would be fine.
Contributed by: mr.mcdowell»11»
On: July 24, 2010, 2:13 am
I have just went out and bought a oscar. I think he is a tiger cause he's black with the orangeish looking stripes but anyways he's about 2.5 to 3.0 inches long. Well, at the pet shop you know he looked happy, he stayed in the middle of the tank. He was chasing a feeder fish and all that. Now since I have put him in my tank a few days ago I never see him eat. When I put flakes, he looks like he's eating off the bottom of the floor, but I put little like dried shrimp pellets in there on top; he has yet to eat them and I have also even tried to hand feed it, but he just ain't having it. All the pH levels and all are good. In the tank I have a good heater, water maintains around 72 to 75 but he's always going for cover and it looks like he's floating sideways sometimes. If any one can help, please do so!

Thanks in advance!

Oscars are notorious for being moody and may take a while to settle into the tank, try offering him some chopped prawns or chopped mussels, they usually can't resist those. If this fails try soaking the food in garlic extract, fish love garlic! [answered by Mick; fishtankforum.co.uk]
Contributed by: Leigh»11»
On: August 1, 2010, 7:26 pm
I have 2 x 7-8 inch Red Oscars in a 450L tank. I really would like to get a couple bristlenose catfish, obvious large ones. Is this possible, or too late as my Oscars are quite biggish now?Also what is your recommendations on size of catfish? And how many too? Also would I need to put a hiding place in the tank with them as it is very open? Thanks in advance.
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: August 3, 2010, 1:09 am
@Leigh: Instead of Bristlenose catfish, I would rather choose Glyptoperichthys gibbiceps which get quite big. If you’ll go ahead with these, they should be of similar size like Oscars.

A hiding place such a cave, rockwork or driftwood is recommended.
Contributed by: Anonymous»157157»
On: August 9, 2010, 8:12 am
Can an Oscar fish live alone, or would he be sad if he doesn´t get a mate?
Contributed by: admin»783783»
On: August 10, 2010, 1:56 am
@Anonymous: Oscars should be kept in groups, however they can be kept alone too. As long as you arrange the aquarium in order to fit your Oscar’s requirements, as long as you keep feeding the fish properly, as long as you don’t stress the fish, it CAN be kept alone without any problem.
Contributed by: Anonymous»157157»
On: August 24, 2010, 10:24 pm
Hey, can I put 4 Oscars in a !50 gallon tank? It's more wider than long.
Contributed by: Anonymous»157157»
On: August 25, 2010, 2:39 am
@Anonymous: Not sure if ! had to be 1 or if it’s a typo. If your aquarium is of 150 gallons big, then the answer is YES. If it’s only 50 gallon fish tank, then the answer is NO.

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