{"product_id":"red-tiger-oscar-astronotus-ocellatus","title":"Red Tiger Oscar | Astronotus ocellatus","description":"\u003ch2\u003eDescription\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Oscar is a true \"wet pet\" — it learns its keeper, begs at the glass and develops a big, intelligent personality. The Red Tiger form is boldly marbled in black and fiery red-orange. It grows to around 30–35 cm and is messy, so plan for a serious tank and powerful filtration; in return you get one of the most rewarding cichlids in the hobby.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eNatural Habitat\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eAstronotus ocellatus is native to the slow-moving rivers, flooded forests and backwaters of the Amazon basin in South America, where it lives in warm, soft to neutral water among submerged wood and leaf litter. It is a hardy, adaptable fish that hunts and forages over the bottom.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eAppearance\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA large, deep-bodied cichlid with a broad head and expressive eyes. The Red Tiger variety shows irregular red-orange marbling over a dark base, with a signature ocellus (eye-spot) on the tail base. Colour and pattern vary from fish to fish and intensify with good food, clean water and maturity.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eTemperament and Compatibility\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eOscars are predatory and semi-aggressive rather than malicious — they will eat anything that fits in their mouth and can be pushy at feeding time. They are best kept alone, as a pair, or with other large, robust tank mates in a big aquarium. Do not mix them with small fish, which will be viewed as food.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eFeeding\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA carnivore with a hearty appetite. Feed a good-quality cichlid pellet as the staple and supplement with frozen or fresh meaty foods such as prawn, mussel, earthworm and the occasional bit of white fish. Avoid feeder goldfish, which bring disease and poor nutrition, and avoid too much mammalian meat.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eCare Requirements\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eProvide a minimum of around 280–300 L for a single Oscar, with 450 L or more preferred, adding space for each extra fish. Keep temperature at 23–28 °C, pH 6.0–8.0 and GH soft to moderately hard, around 5–20. These are famously messy fish, so oversized filtration and large, regular water changes are essential. They dig and uproot, so they are not plant safe.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eBreeding\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eOscars pair off from a group and are dedicated open, substrate spawners. A bonded pair cleans a flat rock and both parents guard the eggs and wrigglers attentively. Sexing is difficult outside of breeding, and pairs can be territorial and rough with each other, so provide plenty of space.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eSpecies Information\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003ctable\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eScientific Name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAstronotus ocellatus\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCommon Name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOscar, Red Tiger Oscar, Velvet Cichlid\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOrigin\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSouth America (Amazon basin)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMaximum Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAround 30–35 cm\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLifespan\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e10–15 years or more with good care\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTemperament\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSemi-aggressive and predatory\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDifficulty\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eIntermediate\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMinimum Tank Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e280 L\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRecommended Tank Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e450 L or larger\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDiet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCarnivore: quality pellets, frozen and fresh meaty foods\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWater Temperature\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e23–28 °C\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003epH Range\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e6.0–8.0\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGH Range\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSoft to moderately hard, around 5–20 dGH\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSalinity\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNot applicable (freshwater)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSuitable For\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLarge single-species or big-cichlid aquariums\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eReef Safe\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNot applicable\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePlant Safe\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNo — digs and uproots plants\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003c\/table\u003e \u003ch2\u003eSuitable Tank Mates\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eSuitable tank mates include other large, robust cichlids such as Central American cichlids, Severums and large Geophagus, plus big armoured catfish like Pterygoplichthys and Synodontis, all in a spacious tank.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eAvoid Keeping With\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eAvoid keeping with small community fish, long-finned or slow fish, and delicate species. Anything small enough to swallow will be eaten.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium","offers":[{"title":"Small (1-5cm)","offer_id":55304237646115,"sku":"BA9281","price":19.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Medium (5-10cm)","offer_id":55232808255779,"sku":"BA9167","price":24.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Large (10-15cm)","offer_id":55232808288547,"sku":"AA1582","price":50.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false},{"title":"X-Large (15-40cm)","offer_id":55232808321315,"sku":"BA9233","price":60.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"url":"https:\/\/nicksaquariumoceanariumterrarium.com.au\/products\/red-tiger-oscar-astronotus-ocellatus","provider":"Nicks Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium","version":"1.0","type":"link"}