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Astronotus ocellatus
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Species Summary
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Common Name/s
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Oscar; Velvet Cichlid; Marbled Cichlid
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Origin
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South America
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Size
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13"
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Tank Parameters
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Tank Size
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50 gallons
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Temperature
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71 - 79 F.
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Water pH
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Neutral
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Aquarium Care
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Aquarium Setup
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Astronotus ocellatus,
or Oscar, loves to dig in the sand, so there should
be no plants as they will be constantly uprooted.
Electrical devices inside the aquarium, such as
heater must be protected. The Oscar is a curious
fish, figuring out what are those things inside its
tank which can result to broken heaters, filter
intakes, etc. Powerful filtration is a must because
Oscar is a very messy eater. Oscar claim territories
over a flat surface.
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Feeding
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A. ocellatus is carnivorous
so meat-base food are required. This fish will take
live food such as feeder fish, shrimp and earthworms.
Prepared food that can also be taken are beefhearts,
cichlid pellets and sticks. This fish will over-eat
if given the change.
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Compatibility
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Typical cichlid, Oscar need space. This fish's
tankmates should be large enough for them to swallow
or at least half their size. Oscar can be aggressive
when breeding.
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