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Animal profile

Oscar

Astronotus ocellatus

ActinopterygiiSlow, warm, often silty river channels and floodplain lakes with submerged branchesLeast Concern

Field profile

The oscar is a large, heavy-bodied South American cichlid with a dark body, orange marbling and a false eyespot near the tail. It is a substrate-spawning pair breeder popular in aquaria for its responsiveness to people.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2023-02-06

Oscar

The oscar survives water almost without oxygen

Amazon floodplain water can approach anoxia for hours at a time. The oscar endures it by suppressing its metabolism sharply and enlarging the lower lip into a temporary swollen flange that skims the thin oxygenated film at the surface.

Read with evidence →

Oscar | Daily Animal Facts