Details
Astronotus ocellatus
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.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It lives in forest rivers, floodplains, and lakes of the Neotropics. Submerged wood, plants, turbid water, and slow flow are common.
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.
Diurnal adults often act as pairs around breeding sites. They are alert fish that respond quickly to food and changes in their surroundings.
A carnivore, it eats small fishes, shrimps, insects, and aquatic invertebrates. It may take fallen fruit, but animal food dominates.
Pairs lay eggs on flat stones or wood and guard them. After hatching, parents continue to collect and defend the fry.
It is listed as Least Concern, though local populations can still be affected by habitat change, collection, or pollution.
