Live Aquaria:  Quality Aquatic Life Direct To Your Door
Free Shipping!
FREE SHIPPING: See details >
Red Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus)
Red Oscar
Please Note: Due to variations within species, your item may not look identical to the image provided. Approximate size range may also vary between individual specimen.
Please Note: Due to variations within species, your item may not look identical to the image provided. Approximate size range may also vary between individual specimen.
Red Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus)
Additional locales and sizes may be available!
Additional locales and sizes may be available!

Quick Stats

Care Level Difficult
Temperament Semi-aggressive
Color Form Orange, Red
Diet Carnivore
Water Conditions 72-77° F, KH 5-19, pH 6.0-8.0
Max. Size 1'
Family Cichlidae
Minimum Tank Size 70 gallons
What do these Quick Stats mean? Click here for more information
Care Level Difficult
Temperament Semi-aggressive
Color Form Orange, Red
Diet Carnivore
Water Conditions 72-77° F, KH 5-19, pH 6.0-8.0
Max. Size 1'
Family Cichlidae
Minimum Tank Size 70 gallons
What do these Quick Stats mean? Click here for more information

Overview

The Red Oscar is a color variation of Astronotus ocellatus Oscar. It is also known as the Marble Cichlid or the Velvet Cichlid and is a colorful addition to a large aquarium. The Red Oscar is orange-red with dark gray shading and an eyespot on the dorsal fin. They will form a pair, make a nuclear family and are generally peaceful in nature. It is hard to tell the difference between the male and females, but during spawning the female has obvious genital papilla.

The Red Oscar requires a large aquarium of at least 70 gallons with a deep sand bottom and a few large rocks. They will dig up plants; so any that are in the tank should be potted with the root surfaces covered with rocks. Using floating plants is a good compromise to this problem. Tiny Oscars form a tight cluster for protection and this is normal behavior for juvenile fish. Large Oscars are not as territorial as most other cichlids when full grown but will consume anything they can fit into their mouths.

A large tank should be used for breeding, as much as 100 gallons if possible. The Red Oscar will spawn in soft or hard water as long as it is clean and clear and has a temperature between 79-86°F. The female will lay from 1,000-2,000 eggs on rocks that have been carefully cleaned. The eggs are opaque at first, turning transparent in 24 hours. The brood will be carefully guarded and cared for and the fry will be kept in pits and may even be covered. When they are free-swimming, the fry should be fed Cyclops. Sometimes the fry will cling to their parents.

The Red Oscar is a carnivore that is a predaceous and hearty eater. Oscars will eat a variety of meaty foods, including small fish and earthworms, Cichlid pellets, larger flake food, ocean plankton, bloodworms, and tubifex worms.

Approximate Purchase Size: Small: 1" to 2" ; Medium: 2" to 3"

Customer Testimonials

Frances Z Hohenwald , TN
I bought my Red Oscar when it was 1-1/2 inches long. It is now 9 inches or better and is roughly 18 months old. We recently put a Tiger Oscar in with it and now we have approximately 50-100 fry. The eggs took 2-1/2 days to hatch and another 3-4 days before the fry started swimming freely. As for the Red Oscar being aggressive, I have found that it is all in how they are raised. My Oscar is gentle and loves to be petted, even during the spawning, egg laying, and hatching process. The Tiger Oscar, on the other hand, became more aggressive with the spawning and hatching process.
1-1 of 1 testimonials

Bookmark and Share
LAQ-AZ-WEB-02-P