Cichlids · Astronotus
Oscar
Astronotus ocellatus · Slow rivers and floodplains of the Amazon
Photo: Jón Helgi Jónsson (Amything), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
Water temperature
22–28 °C 72–82 °F
pH
6–7.5 neutral water
Adult size
33 cm 13 in
Swims
Mid-water and bottom mostly in open water
Keep together
Fine alone
Current
Calm still or slow water
Food
Meaty foods
Temperament
Aggressive
≈ Every value here is an estimate from typical hobby ranges. We're checking them against sources.
Where it comes from
Home water
Slow rivers and floodplains of the Amazon
Lives in flooded forest habitat.
The dot marks where it's collected. Home from iNaturalist native sightings (117). Map: Natural Earth.
Tank mates
Checked against a roomy 300 L planted tank with low flow and plenty of caves. Your own tank may change the answer: try it in Your tanks.
Good together
-
Candy stripe L015
Plecos · 10 cm · bottom -
Leopard frog L134
Plecos · 11 cm · bottom -
Amano shrimp
Shrimp & snails · 5 cm · bottom -
Boeseman's rainbowfish
Rainbowfish · 10 cm · mid-water -
Bolivian ram
Cichlids · 8 cm · bottom -
Bronze corydoras
Corydoras · 7 cm · bottom -
Butterfly hillstream loach
Loaches · 8 cm · bottom -
Cardinal tetra
Tetras · 4 cm · mid-water
Keep apart
-
Small enough to be eaten
Amano shrimpBetta (Siamese fighting fish)Black skirt tetraBoeseman's rainbowfishBolivian ramBronze corydorasCandy stripe L015
-
Want fast, strong current and small enough to be eaten
In the hobby
In stock now
Not in stock at any store we track.
Tanks with this fish
No shared tanks have this fish yet. Share yours from Your tanks.
From keepers
Notes appear here when a keeper shares a tank with this fish and writes about it.
Questions keepers ask
How big does an Oscar get?
About 33 cm (13 in) as an adult.
What temperature does an Oscar need?
22–28 °C (72–82 °F).
What pH does an Oscar need?
pH 6–7.5.
Does an Oscar need to be kept in a group?
No. It can be kept on its own.
Is the Oscar aggressive?
Yes. It is aggressive and needs careful planning.
What does an Oscar eat?
Feed meaty foods: frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp and quality sinking pellets.
Where does the Oscar come from?
Slow rivers and floodplains of the Amazon.
What fish can live with an Oscar?
Good tank mates include Candy stripe (L015), Leopard frog (L134), Amano shrimp, Boeseman's rainbowfish, Bolivian ram.
All the numbers
| Temperature min (°C) | 22 | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature max (°C) | 28 | Estimate |
| pH min | 6 | Estimate |
| pH max | 7.5 | Estimate |
| Adult size (cm) | 33 | Estimate |
| Flow | Low | Estimate |
| Habitat | floodplain | Estimate |
| Smallest happy group | 1 | Estimate |
| Temperament | Aggressive | Estimate |
| Diet | Carnivore | Estimate |
| Behaviour tags | eats_small_fish | Estimate |
| Typical price min (CAD) | 15 | Estimate |
| Typical price max (CAD) | 40 | Estimate |
Some values are estimates from typical hobby ranges and haven't been checked against a source yet.