Oscar
Astronotus ocellatus
Photo: Jón Helgi Jónsson (Amything) · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Tank length
- 150 cmabout 5 ft (59 in)
- Start with
- 1
- Temperature
- 22–27 °C72–81 °F
- pH
- 6.4–7.5
- Adult size
- 30 cm12 in
- Lifespan
- 10–20 yrs
Plan for a powerful adult, substantial waste, and swallowed tank mates.Plan for a powerful adult, substantial waste, and swallowed tank mates.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
Neon tetraOscar may eat Neon tetra when small enough to swallowOscar may eat Neon tetra when small enough to swallow
- Acei cichlid
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- African butterfly cichlid
Oscar may eat African butterfly cichlidOscar may eat African butterfly cichlid
- African clawed frog
Oscar may eat African clawed frogOscar may eat African clawed frog
- Agassiz's cory
Oscar may eat Agassiz's coryOscar may eat Agassiz's cory
- Ajamaru rainbowfish
Oscar may eat Ajamaru rainbowfishOscar may eat Ajamaru rainbowfish
Amano shrimpOscar may eat Amano shrimpOscar may eat Amano shrimp
- American flagfish
Oscar may eat American flagfishOscar may eat American flagfish
- Angfa rainbowfish
Oscar may eat Angfa rainbowfishOscar may eat Angfa rainbowfish
- Arfak rainbowfish
Oscar may eat Arfak rainbowfishOscar may eat Arfak rainbowfish
Assassin snailOscar may eat Assassin snailOscar may eat Assassin snail
- Banded gourami
Oscar may eat Banded gouramiOscar may eat Banded gourami
Data used by the planner
| Temperature | 22–27 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.4–7.5 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Hardness (dGH) | 1–15 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · low confidence |
| Origin | Tropical Americas or Africa | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Beginner friendly | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Care level | advanced | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Activity | moderate | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Swimming level | middle | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Temperament | predatory | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Nips fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Long fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Territorial | Yes | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lives in groups | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum group | 1 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Diet | carnivore | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lifespan (years) | 10–20 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Months to adult size | 24 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Safe with plants | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum tank length | 150 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |