Editing Oscar (fish) (section)

==In the aquarium==
[[File:Astronotus ocellatus 2.jpg|thumb|The oscar at the [[Särkänniemi|Särkänniemi Aquarium]] in [[Tampere]], Finland]]
Oscar fish can live in the aquarium with almost any type of fish around the same size as it gets, for example any type of cichlids and predatory fish. {{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

===Food===
Oscar fish are omnivores.
Most fish eaten by ''A. ocellatus'' in the wild are relatively sedentary [[catfish]], including ''[[Bunocephalus]]'', ''[[Rineloricaria]]'', and ''[[Ochmacanthus]]'' species.<ref name="winemiller" /> The species uses a suction mechanism to capture prey,<ref>{{cite journal|author=Waltzek,TB and Wainwright, PC|year=2003|title=Functional morphology of extreme jaw protrusion in Neotropical cichlids|journal=Journal of Morphology|volume=257|issue=1|pages=96–106|doi=10.1002/jmor.10111|pmid=12740901|s2cid=15051491 |doi-access=free}}</ref> and has been reported to exhibit "lying-on-side" death mimicry in a similar fashion to ''Parachromis friedrichsthalii'' and ''[[Nimbochromis livingstonii]]''.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Tobler, M.|year=2005|title=Feigning death in the Central American cichlid ''Parachromis friedrichsthalii''|journal=Journal of Fish Biology|volume=66|issue=3|pages=877–881|doi=10.1111/j.0022-1112.2005.00648.x}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author=Gibran,FZ.|year=2004|editor1-last=Armbruster|editor1-first=J. W.|title=Dying or illness feigning: An unreported feeding tactic of the Comb grouper ''Mycteroperca acutirostris'' (Serranidae) from the Southwest Atlantic|journal=Copeia|volume=2004|issue=2|pages=403–405|doi=10.1643/CI-03-200R1|jstor=1448579|s2cid=85758542 }}</ref> Wild oscars also consume shrimp, snails, insects and insect larvae, as well as fruits and nuts on a seasonal basis.<ref>{{cite web|work=[[Tropical Fish Hobbyist]]|date=June 2007|url=http://www.tfhmagazine.com/details/articles/feeding-oscars-in-the-home-aquarium.htm|title=Feeding Oscars in the Home Aquarium}}</ref> The species also has an absolute requirement for [[vitamin C]], and develops health problems in its absence.<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Fracalossi, DM|author2=Allen, ME|author3=Nicholsdagger, DK|author4=Oftedal, OT|name-list-style=amp|year=1998|title=Oscars, ''Astronotus ocellatus'', Have a Dietary Requirement for Vitamin C|journal=The Journal of Nutrition|volume=128|issue=10|pages=1745–1751|pmid=9772145|doi=10.1093/jn/128.10.1745|doi-access=free}}</ref> Captive oscars generally eat fish food designed for large carnivorous fish: [[crayfish]], worms, and insects (such as flies, crickets and grasshoppers).<ref>{{cite web|title=Oscar Fish Diet|url=https://www.aliveaquarium.com/oscar-fish-food/|access-date=31 Jan 2019}}</ref>

===Territorial behavior===
[[File:Felix the partially albino Tiger Oscar.jpg|175px|left|thumb|An albino oscar]]
Oscars will often lay claim to an area of the aquarium and will be very aggressive towards other fish encroaching on their newly established [[territory (animal)|territory]] inside the aquarium or lake. The size of the territory varies depending on the size and aggressiveness of the fish, and its surroundings. Once the oscar establishes a territory, it will vigorously defend it by chasing away other fish.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Life History and Growth Relationships of Cichla ocellaris, a Predatory South American Cichlid|journal = Biotropica|volume = 12|issue = 2|pages = 144–157|last=Zaret|first=Thomas|date=June 1980|publisher=Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation|jstor = 2387730|doi = 10.2307/2387730}}</ref>

===Varieties===
[[File:Long finned oscar.jpg|right|thumb|A [[Leucism|leucistic]] long-finned oscar]]
A number of ornamental varieties of ''A. ocellatus'' have been developed for the [[aquarium]] industry. These include forms with greater intensity and quantities of red marbling across the body, [[albino]], [[Leucism|leucistic]], and [[Xanthochromism|xanthistic]] forms. ''A. ocellatus'' with marbled patches of red pigmentation are sold as red tiger oscars, while those strains with the mainly red colouration of the flanks are frequently sold under the trade name of red oscars.<ref name="tankbusters">{{cite book |last=Sandford |first=Gina |author2=Crow, Richard |title=The Manual of Tank Busters|year=1991 |publisher=Tetra Press |location=USA|isbn=978-3-89356-041-7}}</ref> The patterning of red pigment differs between individuals. In recent years long-finned varieties have also been developed. The species is also occasionally artificially coloured by a process known as [[painted fish|painting]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deathbydyeing.org/colormedead.htm|title= Death by Dyeing – dyed fish list|author=Mike Giangrasso|publisher=Death by Dyeing.org|access-date=2007-03-18}}</ref>
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