Identification
The oscar is a large, oval cichlid reaching up to 35 cm. The body is stocky with a large head and broad mouth. Base color is dark brown to olive green with irregular orange to red patches. Characteristic is the striking eyespot on the caudal peduncle: a black spot surrounded by an orange ring. Numerous color variants exist in the aquarium trade.
Ecology
Native to the Amazon basin in South America, living in slow-flowing rivers and lakes. An intelligent, territorial fish that eats small fish, crustaceans, and insects. Requires water temperatures of at least 22°C to survive.
In the Netherlands
A popular aquarium fish sometimes released by hobbyists into Dutch waters. Specimens cannot survive the Dutch winter. Any records always concern released aquarium fish that survive at most one summer. The species cannot reproduce here.
