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384 Featured Specimen
Oscar

Details

Oscar

Astronotus ocellatus

Size
25–45 cm · 1–1.6 kg
Diet
Carnivore
Activity
Diurnal
Sociality
Pair
Lifespan
10–18 years

The oscar is a large South American cichlid with an eyespot near the tail. Pairs defend territories and take fishes, crustaceans, and other animal prey.

Range

Habitat range map
Native range Occasional / Transient
NeotropicalNeotropicalNeotropicalNeotropicalNeotropicalNeotropicalNeotropicalNeotropical

Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)

Details

Habitat

It lives in forest rivers, floodplains, and lakes of the Neotropics. Submerged wood, plants, turbid water, and slow flow are common.

Appearance

Length 25-45 cm; weight 1 kg-1.6 kg. A deep oval body carries dark coloration with red-orange markings. The tail eyespot may divert attacks away from the head.

Behavior

Diurnal adults often act as pairs around breeding sites. They are alert fish that respond quickly to food and changes in their surroundings.

Feeding

A carnivore, it eats small fishes, shrimps, insects, and aquatic invertebrates. It may take fallen fruit, but animal food dominates.

Reproduction

Pairs lay eggs on flat stones or wood and guard them. After hatching, parents continue to collect and defend the fry.

Notes

It is listed as Least Concern, though local populations can still be affected by habitat change, collection, or pollution.