Tiger Oscar Cichlid
The Tiger Oscar is a color morph developed from the wild type Oscar, Astronatus ocellatus, first described by Cuvier in 1829. Selected from breeding stock that developed the original Tiger Oscar, the Albino is a genetic mutation. In place of the olive green body, they have a pale white body, but still show the red pattern of the Tiger Oscar, with a little black fringe to the fins. They do still have the characteristic “eye spot” on the tail that gives the Oscar its “ocellatus” name. Originally from South America, all Albino Tiger Oscars are farm raised in Florida and SE Asia.
One of the more popular aquarium cichlids, the Oscar can reach a total length of over 12 inches. Despite their size, Oscars are rather peaceful, depending on their size to make potential threats back down. The Oscar can get rough with other Oscars during territorial disputes, but for the most part, get along fairly well. They will require a large aquarium with an excellent filtration system, plus weekly partial water changes. You can try to use plastic plants and rocks for décor, but the Oscars will delight in digging and moving everything around to their own liking. Tankmates should be large enough to not be food, but not too aggressive. Bala Sharks, Iridescent Sharks, Tinfoil Barbs, Silver Dollars, Severums, Lg. Gouramis and Lg. Rainbow Fish can make good tankmates. Being an omnivore, Oscars will eat most foods and can be happily kept on a diet of prepared foods, usually flake for smaller ones, pellets for larger Oscars. You can feed live feeder fish, but this sometimes spoils the Oscars and lessens their desire for prepared foods. It is not unusual to find an Oscar simply lying on its side on the bottom of the tank. While it may look distressed, it is simply resting/bored. Oscars love to interact with their owners, often recognizing the person that feeds them. Their personable nature and size make them a great addition to the large aquarium.
Approximate Arrival Size for Tiger Oscar: Small: 1 to 2 inches; Medium: 2.5 to 4 inches
Detailed Information about this animal.
