Aquarium
Oscar
Astronotus ocellatus
Part fish, part puppy: an oscar learns your face, rearranges its own decor, and outgrows every tank you thought was big.
- Difficulty
- demanding
Care tips
- Plan for 285 L+ per adult; they reach 30 cm or more
- Keep 23-27 °C with heavy, oversized filtration
- Change 40-50% of the water weekly; the bioload is huge
- Feed quality cichlid pellets with occasional whole foods
- Secure the lid and anchor decor — oscars redecorate
Common questions
What should I know about caring for an oscar? +
Part fish, part puppy: an oscar learns your face, rearranges its own decor, and outgrows every tank you thought was big.
Typical guidance for a healthy oscar — your own conditions (and your vet, for animals) come first.
Related guides
- African Dwarf Frog A fully aquatic frog with terrible eyesight and great enthusiasm — mealtimes work best hand-delivered to its nose.
- Amano Shrimp The workhorse of algae control — bigger and bolder than cherries, and famous for eating hair algae others refuse.
- Angelfish Graceful until breeding season, when this tall-finned cichlid remembers exactly what family it belongs to.
- Axolotl A permanently smiling salamander that never grows up, asks for chilly water, and repays you with a decade of company.
- Betta Fish A hardy, personable fish that still needs a heated, filtered, CYCLED tank — not a bowl.
- Bristlenose Pleco The sensible pleco choice: stays under 15 cm, mows algae diligently, and wears a mustache of tentacles while doing it.