Post by MADMIKE on Sept 24, 2006 19:21:30 GMT -5
Oscar Cichlid
Scientific Name: Astronotus ocellatus
Home Range: South America
Max Size: 13+"
Minimum Tank Size: 75 Gallons for a pair
Temperament: Semi-Aggressive
Temperature: 74-80°F
pH: Neutral
Diet: Omnivorous
Swimming Zone: Middle
Oscar Cichlid
General Information
The oscar is probably the most popular of all the cichlids on the market today. The oscar's unique character and personality draws people in like moth's to a flame. These fish are not only beautiful, but also very intelligent. This combination of attributes is what makes this fish so attractive, however it is also the cause for their biggest problem. When new fish keepers see these little, one or two inch fish begging for food and being so adorable at their local pet store it is very hard for someone to walk out without buying one. The problem with this is that not everyone knows what those little fish will quickly grow into. It is not very uncommon for oscars to reach lengths over 15" in the home aquarium and live up to ten years or longer. Before buying your oscars first take a second to make sure you are ready for the commitment that these fish require.
Aquarium Set Up
The first thing you will need to think about when starting your plunge into the world of oscars will be buying a suitable tank. Now, as I said above, these fish grow quite large and do so in a very short period of time. For a pair of oscars a standard 75g (48"x18"x23") tank is the bare minimum you will need to keep them. Now, I know what you're thinking..."Hey the man at the pet store said I could put two oscars in a 30g tank without any problem at all"! Well, I'm sorry to say this is untrue. When thinking about this try imagining a 13+ inch fish trying to move around in there! Not a pretty sight eh?
Another common myth you may of heard is, "a fish will grow to the size of its environment." This also is untrue. Oscars will not stop growing to fit into a small tank. They will continue to grow, only with deformities and defects. Now you wouldn't want that would ya? An oscar, like all fish, needs room to swim and in the oscars case play. For a little extra money now you will be providing your future favorite pet with what it needs. Oh and trust me, it is a lot cheaper to buy the big tank first instead of upgrading as they grow.
Now that we got that out of the way lets talk about all the wonderful accessories you will need for your tank. The most important thing you have got to provide your new oscar with is good water quality. We accomplish this by plenty of filtration and good tank husbandry. The filters you buy for your tank should cycle through your water at a rate of ten times per hour. For example, a 75g tank would need a turn over rate of 750 gallons per hour filtration. It may seem like a lot but oscars are big messy fish that WILL NOT stand for foul water. You should also be prepared to do weekly/biweekly water changes and gravel sweepings to keep the water in good shape. This is accomplished with the aid of a gravel sweeper that is readily available at your local pet store. Between the two of those you should be able to keep the mess your fish make to a minimum which in turn will help keep your fish happy and healthy. Keeping an oscar will take a similar amount of care and attention as a dog, oscars are not a "buy and forget" kind of pet, they do require consistent attention from their owner. Another accessory you will need to get will be a suitable heater. Oscars enjoy a water temperature between 76-80 degrees. Oscars have been known to break heaters so you may also need to buy a guard for it. Okay, I think we covered the major accessories so lets move onto decorating your new set up.
Once again I have got some bad news. If you had your heart set on a planted aquarium hold the phone and prepare for a kick in the pants. Oscars absolutely LOVE to destroy plants and dig, dig, dig! While some people can get their oscar to accept a plant or two in their tank, most cannot. If you are dead set on some green I would suggest sturdy plastic plants. Even then you will have to cover the base with large rocks or actually glue it down so as not to let the oscars get to it and move it across the tank. Your best bet for decor is gonna be a think layer of pea size gravel, large rocks, driftwood, and a nice looking background.
Compatibility
The Oscar, not unlike most of their cichlid brotheren, are territorial fish. With this in mind, before picking out tankmates for your fish think ahead and judge just how many fish you should aquire by thier potential size. Keeping large cichlids in a cramped aquarium will definatly lead to problems down the road. While oscars are a very lively and outspoken fish they are by no stretch of the imagination a highly aggressive cichlid and tankmates such as Red Devils, Jaguars and Dovii should be avoided. In my opinion the best tankmate for an oscar is another oscar but if you are looking for a variety for your tank their are some other species that share the oscars terperment and do fairly well housed with them. The Severum, Earth Eater, Firemouth and Convict would all be good choices. Plecos are also a very popular tankmate for oscars. The pleco is usually completely ignored by the oscar and will also aid in eating some of the uneaten food your oscar will let fall to the aquarium bottom. On that note it is a good idea to add all your fish while they are still juveniles. Oscars seem to tolerate tankmates much better when they grow up together. Bear in mind that each fish is differnt in mood and temperment so what will sometimes with one fish won't with another.
Feeding
Okay, now on to feeding. NO FEEDERS! NO FEEDERS! NO FEEDERS! I can't say this enough. While some people may find it fun to watch a fish eat another fish it is in no way healthy! Feeder goldfish are kept in absolutely disgusting enclosures and in way to high of numbers. In these conditions these feeders become infested with disease and parasites that will only serve to cause your prize oscar to come down with the same thing. On top of that feeders provide little to no nourishment for your fish. Half the time feeder goldfish aren't even fed after they arrive at the stock tank at the pet store. In stead of this try to feed your oscars a steady supply of pellets designed to give them the vitamins and minerals they need. You should also try and vary the diet by giving your fish treats. Some smart ideas for treats are krill, beefheart, red worms, crickets, and crayfish. Remember you wouldn't want to eat hamburgers everyday and like you a boring diet of only one kind of food comes very boring, very fast.
Personal Experience
In closing I just want to say that even though keeping an oscar can seem difficult at first, the end result will leave you very satisfied. I've kept oscars for a long time and not once regretted the time and money spent on them. They really are the dog of the fish world and will bring you many years of enjoyment.
Sexing & Breeding Information
Sexing oscars is really a hit or miss venture. Juvenile oscars are near impossible to sex and even adults can be very difficult. This poses a big problem to you if you are planning to try breeding them. The best way to get a pair is to let nature choose for us. When you start off what is recommended to do is to buy 6-8 juvenile oscars and let them pair off naturally. This may take a while to accomplish so be sure to ask your local pet store on there return policy to make sure you will have a place to take the other fish once you pick out your pair. When a pair starts to form you will probably notice the two of them spending lots of time together. Swimming, fanning each other, and general signs of affection are all things to look out for. After this is achieved go ahead and remove the other fish from the tank. While aggression is probably not showing up now at this young age in the future a breeding pair of oscars will not co-exist with others very well. The perfect tank size for a breeding pair of oscars is 75 gallons or more. Decorate the tank with large rocks, driftwood, and if you are daring a few plastic plants. You will also need to provide your pair with a flat and smooth piece of slate. The female will use this to lay her eggs on. Nothing is really set in stone as whether or not to angle the slate, but I have found digging a small pit in the gravel and placing the slate horizontal at the bottom works well. Be sure you keep the water clean with good filtration and frequent gravel sweepings/water changes. Oscars will not spawn in foul, unclean water.
Now that the pair is formed and the tank is set up the next thing to do is wait for that first spawn. Generally oscars won't spawn until they are about one too two years of age. At that time the pair will start the courting ritual of tail splapping, liplocking, ect. After that they will begin clearing off the slate and preparing for the upcoming brood. The female will swoop across the top of the slate and deposit her eggs. Afterwards the male will go back over the eggs and fertilize them. The eggs are white when and will turn a pale amber color once fertilised by the male. It is not uncommon for a large oscar to produce as many as one thousand or more eggs per spawn so be prepared!
Sometimes oscars will breed all on their own without you doing anything different. This is not always the case though. Sometime we, as the keepers, need to set the mood for them. The first thing you need to do is a 30% water change. During this time also adjust the temperature to 74F and manipulate the pH down to around 6.8 - 7. Also if you have it, or can get it, now would be a good time to add in some Blackwater extract. Its made by tetra and contains trace minerals and peat extract found in the amazon. The peat extract in the solution should also help reduce your pH. It also will stain your water to mimic the water found in the region. You should be able to find this product at your local pet store or online. Now for the next 10 days you need to give your oscars the royal treatment so to speak. This involves heavy feeding of foods containing a lot of protein. You can't go wrong with things like beefheart, krill, red worms, crickets, and crayfish. Feed them until they won't eat any more and even then drop in another piece. After the ten days are up and your oscars are basking in all the attention and food that they have received, it's time for another water change. Change about 40% of their water. When refilling the tank use cool water. This should simulate a rain. After the tank is full bump your heater up to 83F and hike up the pH to 8. Since you did such a large change in water the pH will have already raised some so be sure you check too see what it is at again before you start to raise it. Now dim the lights in the aquarium and let nature take its course. During the next 3-4 days try to have as little contact with the fish as you can. This includes no feeding! We wouldn't want food getting in the way of their mating ritual, which was the reason for the 10 days of heavy gorging. If all went well you should be pleasantly surprised to find a newly laid clutch. If for some reason this process fails to induce a spawn you can wait a couple weeks and go through the steps again.
When the oscars finally do lay eggs you will need to be ready to care for the new babies. For the first few days the fry will be what is called a wriggler. In this stage they will still be eating off the yolk sacs and will not need any outside source of nourishment. Afterwards the fry will become free swimmers and will need you to supply them with the food they need. The fry should be fed baby brine shrimp and or crushed flake food. Its also a good idea to cover your filter intakes now that there are fry in the tank. Fry are not that strong and a filter can easily become a death trap to them. Pantyhose work very well for this, just dont let your wife find out what you used them for.
By www.cichliddepot.com/library/american/index2.php
Scientific Name: Astronotus ocellatus
Home Range: South America
Max Size: 13+"
Minimum Tank Size: 75 Gallons for a pair
Temperament: Semi-Aggressive
Temperature: 74-80°F
pH: Neutral
Diet: Omnivorous
Swimming Zone: Middle
Oscar Cichlid
General Information
The oscar is probably the most popular of all the cichlids on the market today. The oscar's unique character and personality draws people in like moth's to a flame. These fish are not only beautiful, but also very intelligent. This combination of attributes is what makes this fish so attractive, however it is also the cause for their biggest problem. When new fish keepers see these little, one or two inch fish begging for food and being so adorable at their local pet store it is very hard for someone to walk out without buying one. The problem with this is that not everyone knows what those little fish will quickly grow into. It is not very uncommon for oscars to reach lengths over 15" in the home aquarium and live up to ten years or longer. Before buying your oscars first take a second to make sure you are ready for the commitment that these fish require.
Aquarium Set Up
The first thing you will need to think about when starting your plunge into the world of oscars will be buying a suitable tank. Now, as I said above, these fish grow quite large and do so in a very short period of time. For a pair of oscars a standard 75g (48"x18"x23") tank is the bare minimum you will need to keep them. Now, I know what you're thinking..."Hey the man at the pet store said I could put two oscars in a 30g tank without any problem at all"! Well, I'm sorry to say this is untrue. When thinking about this try imagining a 13+ inch fish trying to move around in there! Not a pretty sight eh?
Another common myth you may of heard is, "a fish will grow to the size of its environment." This also is untrue. Oscars will not stop growing to fit into a small tank. They will continue to grow, only with deformities and defects. Now you wouldn't want that would ya? An oscar, like all fish, needs room to swim and in the oscars case play. For a little extra money now you will be providing your future favorite pet with what it needs. Oh and trust me, it is a lot cheaper to buy the big tank first instead of upgrading as they grow.Now that we got that out of the way lets talk about all the wonderful accessories you will need for your tank. The most important thing you have got to provide your new oscar with is good water quality. We accomplish this by plenty of filtration and good tank husbandry. The filters you buy for your tank should cycle through your water at a rate of ten times per hour. For example, a 75g tank would need a turn over rate of 750 gallons per hour filtration. It may seem like a lot but oscars are big messy fish that WILL NOT stand for foul water. You should also be prepared to do weekly/biweekly water changes and gravel sweepings to keep the water in good shape. This is accomplished with the aid of a gravel sweeper that is readily available at your local pet store. Between the two of those you should be able to keep the mess your fish make to a minimum which in turn will help keep your fish happy and healthy. Keeping an oscar will take a similar amount of care and attention as a dog, oscars are not a "buy and forget" kind of pet, they do require consistent attention from their owner. Another accessory you will need to get will be a suitable heater. Oscars enjoy a water temperature between 76-80 degrees. Oscars have been known to break heaters so you may also need to buy a guard for it. Okay, I think we covered the major accessories so lets move onto decorating your new set up.
Once again I have got some bad news. If you had your heart set on a planted aquarium hold the phone and prepare for a kick in the pants. Oscars absolutely LOVE to destroy plants and dig, dig, dig! While some people can get their oscar to accept a plant or two in their tank, most cannot. If you are dead set on some green I would suggest sturdy plastic plants. Even then you will have to cover the base with large rocks or actually glue it down so as not to let the oscars get to it and move it across the tank. Your best bet for decor is gonna be a think layer of pea size gravel, large rocks, driftwood, and a nice looking background.
Compatibility
The Oscar, not unlike most of their cichlid brotheren, are territorial fish. With this in mind, before picking out tankmates for your fish think ahead and judge just how many fish you should aquire by thier potential size. Keeping large cichlids in a cramped aquarium will definatly lead to problems down the road. While oscars are a very lively and outspoken fish they are by no stretch of the imagination a highly aggressive cichlid and tankmates such as Red Devils, Jaguars and Dovii should be avoided. In my opinion the best tankmate for an oscar is another oscar but if you are looking for a variety for your tank their are some other species that share the oscars terperment and do fairly well housed with them. The Severum, Earth Eater, Firemouth and Convict would all be good choices. Plecos are also a very popular tankmate for oscars. The pleco is usually completely ignored by the oscar and will also aid in eating some of the uneaten food your oscar will let fall to the aquarium bottom. On that note it is a good idea to add all your fish while they are still juveniles. Oscars seem to tolerate tankmates much better when they grow up together. Bear in mind that each fish is differnt in mood and temperment so what will sometimes with one fish won't with another.
Feeding
Okay, now on to feeding. NO FEEDERS! NO FEEDERS! NO FEEDERS! I can't say this enough. While some people may find it fun to watch a fish eat another fish it is in no way healthy! Feeder goldfish are kept in absolutely disgusting enclosures and in way to high of numbers. In these conditions these feeders become infested with disease and parasites that will only serve to cause your prize oscar to come down with the same thing. On top of that feeders provide little to no nourishment for your fish. Half the time feeder goldfish aren't even fed after they arrive at the stock tank at the pet store. In stead of this try to feed your oscars a steady supply of pellets designed to give them the vitamins and minerals they need. You should also try and vary the diet by giving your fish treats. Some smart ideas for treats are krill, beefheart, red worms, crickets, and crayfish. Remember you wouldn't want to eat hamburgers everyday and like you a boring diet of only one kind of food comes very boring, very fast.
Personal Experience
In closing I just want to say that even though keeping an oscar can seem difficult at first, the end result will leave you very satisfied. I've kept oscars for a long time and not once regretted the time and money spent on them. They really are the dog of the fish world and will bring you many years of enjoyment.
Sexing & Breeding Information
Sexing oscars is really a hit or miss venture. Juvenile oscars are near impossible to sex and even adults can be very difficult. This poses a big problem to you if you are planning to try breeding them. The best way to get a pair is to let nature choose for us. When you start off what is recommended to do is to buy 6-8 juvenile oscars and let them pair off naturally. This may take a while to accomplish so be sure to ask your local pet store on there return policy to make sure you will have a place to take the other fish once you pick out your pair. When a pair starts to form you will probably notice the two of them spending lots of time together. Swimming, fanning each other, and general signs of affection are all things to look out for. After this is achieved go ahead and remove the other fish from the tank. While aggression is probably not showing up now at this young age in the future a breeding pair of oscars will not co-exist with others very well. The perfect tank size for a breeding pair of oscars is 75 gallons or more. Decorate the tank with large rocks, driftwood, and if you are daring a few plastic plants. You will also need to provide your pair with a flat and smooth piece of slate. The female will use this to lay her eggs on. Nothing is really set in stone as whether or not to angle the slate, but I have found digging a small pit in the gravel and placing the slate horizontal at the bottom works well. Be sure you keep the water clean with good filtration and frequent gravel sweepings/water changes. Oscars will not spawn in foul, unclean water.
Now that the pair is formed and the tank is set up the next thing to do is wait for that first spawn. Generally oscars won't spawn until they are about one too two years of age. At that time the pair will start the courting ritual of tail splapping, liplocking, ect. After that they will begin clearing off the slate and preparing for the upcoming brood. The female will swoop across the top of the slate and deposit her eggs. Afterwards the male will go back over the eggs and fertilize them. The eggs are white when and will turn a pale amber color once fertilised by the male. It is not uncommon for a large oscar to produce as many as one thousand or more eggs per spawn so be prepared!
Sometimes oscars will breed all on their own without you doing anything different. This is not always the case though. Sometime we, as the keepers, need to set the mood for them. The first thing you need to do is a 30% water change. During this time also adjust the temperature to 74F and manipulate the pH down to around 6.8 - 7. Also if you have it, or can get it, now would be a good time to add in some Blackwater extract. Its made by tetra and contains trace minerals and peat extract found in the amazon. The peat extract in the solution should also help reduce your pH. It also will stain your water to mimic the water found in the region. You should be able to find this product at your local pet store or online. Now for the next 10 days you need to give your oscars the royal treatment so to speak. This involves heavy feeding of foods containing a lot of protein. You can't go wrong with things like beefheart, krill, red worms, crickets, and crayfish. Feed them until they won't eat any more and even then drop in another piece. After the ten days are up and your oscars are basking in all the attention and food that they have received, it's time for another water change. Change about 40% of their water. When refilling the tank use cool water. This should simulate a rain. After the tank is full bump your heater up to 83F and hike up the pH to 8. Since you did such a large change in water the pH will have already raised some so be sure you check too see what it is at again before you start to raise it. Now dim the lights in the aquarium and let nature take its course. During the next 3-4 days try to have as little contact with the fish as you can. This includes no feeding! We wouldn't want food getting in the way of their mating ritual, which was the reason for the 10 days of heavy gorging. If all went well you should be pleasantly surprised to find a newly laid clutch. If for some reason this process fails to induce a spawn you can wait a couple weeks and go through the steps again.
When the oscars finally do lay eggs you will need to be ready to care for the new babies. For the first few days the fry will be what is called a wriggler. In this stage they will still be eating off the yolk sacs and will not need any outside source of nourishment. Afterwards the fry will become free swimmers and will need you to supply them with the food they need. The fry should be fed baby brine shrimp and or crushed flake food. Its also a good idea to cover your filter intakes now that there are fry in the tank. Fry are not that strong and a filter can easily become a death trap to them. Pantyhose work very well for this, just dont let your wife find out what you used them for.
By www.cichliddepot.com/library/american/index2.php