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When Oscar fish are ready to breed, common signs and behaviors for the mating process can often confuse fish owners into thinking that a fight to the death is taking place. The Oscar fish is a sometimes aggressive breed; it is not uncommon to see quarrelsome behavior. However, there are certain behaviors to watch for that are sure... more »
Oscar fish are monster fish have a reputation of not only growing to a huge size, but also some say they have even had their Oscars to let them be petted. They can be a very interesting and beautiful addition to your home aquarium. more »
Creating a living fish environment is a soothing and relaxing way to add the element of water to your home. Oscars are a relative of the Piranha and eat just as aggressively. Oscars tend to be a dirty fish by nature. These large fish are quite easy to feed and keep the tank clean at the same time. more »
Oscars (also called velvet cichlids) can be hard fish to figure out, especially when their thoughts turn to mating. How can you tell if your Oscars are spawing or fighting? more »
The entire purpose around maintaining a fish aquarium with Oscars is to watch them grow into large carnivorous fish. While these fish grow aggressively on their own, there are tried and true ways to increase an Oscars size more quickly. This easy feat takes a little care to accomplish. more »
Fish can be great pets - they are not noisy, they do not require daily walks, and they don't...
It's a big decision to take on oscars (also called velvet cichlids), because they grow into such big fish, averaging a foot in length. When they... more »
Starting your own aquarium can be a fun and rewarding hobby. Aquariums come in various shapes, sizes and are made from different materials.... more »
Astronotus ocellatus is a species of fish from the cichlid family known under a variety of common names including oscar, tiger oscar, velvet cichlid, or marble cichlid."fishbase"> In South America, where the species naturally resides, A. ocellatus are often found for sale as a food fish in the local markets."kullander"/> The fish can also be found in other areas including China, Australia, and the United States. Although its slow growth limits its potential for aquaculture, it is considered a popular aquarium fish.Keith, P. O-Y. Le Bail & P. Planquette, (2000) Atlas des poissons deau douce de Guyane (tome 2, fascicule I). Publications scientifiques du Muséum national dHistoire naturelle, Paris, France. p.286"amcichlidsII"/>"Loiselle">
Taxonomy
The species was originally described by Louis Agassiz in 1831 as Lobotes ocellatus, as he mistakenly believed the species was marine, later work assigned the species to the genus Astronotus."florida_museum"> The species also has a number of junior synonyms: Acara compressus, Acara hyposticta, Astronotus ocellatus zebra, and Astronotus orbiculatus.
Description
A. ocellatus have been reported to grow into a length of 34 cm (approximately 15 in) and a mass of 1.6 kg (2.6 lb)."fishbase"/> The wild caught forms of the species are typically darkly coloured with orange ringed-spots or ocelli on the caudal peduncle and on the dorsal fin."amcichlidsII"/> It has been suggested that these ocelli function to limit fin-nipping by piranha (Serrasalmus spp.) which co-occur with A. ocellatus in its natural environment."florida_museum"/>"winemiller">Winemiller KO (1990) Caudal eye spots as deterrents against fin predation in the neotropical cichlid Astronotus ocellatus. Copeia 3: 665-673 The species is also able to rapidly alter its colouration, a trait which facilitates ritualised territorial and combat behaviours amongst conspecifics.SC. Beeching (1995) Colour pattern and inhibition of aggression in the cichlid fish read more at » http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar+(fish)
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