Jan 23
Oscars, scientifically known as “Astronotus Ocellatus”, belongs to the Cichlidae family. Some aquarists refer to them as peacock cichlids whilst some refer to them as velvet cichlids, though they are more popularly known simply as Oscars. Compared to other types of pet fishes such as goldfish, koi, barbs or other smaller fishes, the Oscar Fish is a better bet if you wish to have an enjoyable time with your pet fish.
Oscars have beautiful markings on their bodies – usually bright orange spots against a jet black body. The highlight of the orange spots would be the “ocellatus” or “eye spot”, which is a distinctive round rim near the base of the tail. With the right amount of lighting and dark coloured background for the aquarium, this fish would be very striking indeed as they swim from end to end.
The other feature of the Oscars would be its apparent intelligence compared to other fishes. Whilst fishes such as goldfish, koi and barbs swim aimlessly in an aquarium, the Oscar seems to have a greater purposiveness in their actions. They swim in a manner as if they were more aware of what is going around their surroundings. This particular trait is a joy to watch as they seem to be exploring their surroundings with interest.
Oscars are also inexpensive to purchase and quite easy to manage. Just give them enough room to roam and you should be able to grow it to the size of 1 foot given the right conditions. With recorded lifespans of up to 15 years in aquarium conditions, Oscars are truly worth considering as a pet for the home.
Oscars have beautiful markings on their bodies – usually bright orange spots against a jet black body. The highlight of the orange spots would be the “ocellatus” or “eye spot”, which is a distinctive round rim near the base of the tail. With the right amount of lighting and dark coloured background for the aquarium, this fish would be very striking indeed as they swim from end to end.
The other feature of the Oscars would be its apparent intelligence compared to other fishes. Whilst fishes such as goldfish, koi and barbs swim aimlessly in an aquarium, the Oscar seems to have a greater purposiveness in their actions. They swim in a manner as if they were more aware of what is going around their surroundings. This particular trait is a joy to watch as they seem to be exploring their surroundings with interest.
Oscars are also inexpensive to purchase and quite easy to manage. Just give them enough room to roam and you should be able to grow it to the size of 1 foot given the right conditions. With recorded lifespans of up to 15 years in aquarium conditions, Oscars are truly worth considering as a pet for the home.
