Astronotus Ocellatus
Astronotus ocellatus—commonly called "oscars." Anyone owning a mated pair of these fish paid over $100 for them, and anyone who believes he can breed them and successfully rear the young knows enough about the fish not to rely upon popular names. They are vicious, large (up to a foot in length), and very difficult to breed. Though in relatively rare instances they have been successfully bred, they probably did their spawning alone in a 100-gallon tank or larger. This will usually put them out of reach of the ordinary fancier. A 100-gallon tank filled with water weighs close to half a ton, and not many homes have floors that can stand such a concentrated weight. However, many aquarists feel that oscars develop a distinct personality. They recognize their keeper and like to be stroked, facts making them very popular with some hobbyists.
