About the Signs of Breeding in Oscar Fish

By Kevin Freeman

When Oscar fish are ready to breed, common signs and behaviors for the mating process can often confuse fish owners into thinking that a fight to the death is taking place. The Oscar fish is a sometimes aggressive breed; it is not uncommon to see quarrelsome behavior. However, there are certain behaviors to watch for that are sure signs of breeding rather than fighting. If you are raising or breeding Oscars, this knowledge is essential to avoid any misunderstandings.

The Facts

The Astronotus Oscellatus, also known as the Oscar, is an aggressive species of fish, even the nicest of which will be inclined to get into an occasional scuffle with his or her neighbors. Because the signs of breeding in Oscars are so similar to those of territorial fighting, it can sometimes be difficult to determine if your Oscars are ready to breed.

Risk Factors

Common breeding signs to look for in Oscars include lip locking between mates, frequent chasing of each other through the aquatic environment, shivering or shaking that is usually accompanied by tail lashing, and even nipping and biting that can result in the violent removal of strips of flesh. Mating Oscars have even been known to kill their partner on occasion during the violent mating ritual.

Expert Insight

When breeding Oscar fish, the recommended course of action is to allow six young Oscars to grow together in a shared environment. As they reach sexual maturity, the Oscars will select their mates from among the companions. Oscars can be picky when choosing their mates, so this process will often result in only one pair being formed. Because mating pairs can be overly territorial and aggressive, it is also advisable to remove any companions once a pair has formed.

Identification

Oscar fish tend to prefer large, flat pieces of stone to lay their eggs upon. Granite slabs are a popular choice for egg-laying stones among aquarists because they can provide a smooth, flat surface on which the female can lay her eggs. When such a stone has been chosen, the fish will often clean the stone's surface with his or her mouth in preparation for the laying of the eggs. This behavior is a good indication that the mating ritual is taking place.

Time Frame

The typical gestation period for Oscar fish eggs is typically three to 10 days, depending on water temperature. As a rule of thumb, the warmer an environment's water is, the faster the eggs will hatch. After the eggs have been laid, it is important to remove any other predators from the environment as they will consume the 1,000 to 3,000 eggs, as well as the resulting fry. The parents, however, are protective toward their young and will aggressively defend the tiny offspring.

Expert Insight

If you are considering breeding Oscar fish, be prepared for aggressive behavior or the death of your fish, a picky mating selection, the need for an isolated environment and a great deal of offspring when the young are hatched. Keep in mind through the process that the water temperature and pH level must be very carefully monitored both to ensure that the fish are healthy and happy and to promote the healing of any wounds that are caused by the process.

Recommended read

To learn more on oscar fish care and breeding, download and read the complete ebook guide on oscar fish care at www.oscarfishsecrets.com

About Oscar Fish Breeding Behavior

By Rena Sherwood

Oscars (also called velvet cichlids) can be hard fish to figure out, especially when their thoughts turn to mating. How can you tell if your Oscars are spawing or fighting?

Time Frame

Oscars are hardy fish, but breeding them can be tricky. They choose their own mates. Also, it is very difficult to tell a male from a female. Even the fish get confused. Female Oscar Fish can only be determined when they lay eggs. Male Oscar Fish have a hard time seeing the thorn-shaped organ around their anal opening.

Oscars of both sexes begin mating behavior at a year old but usually can't successfully spawn until they are at least 16 months old. Afterward, they can spawn every month, if tank conditions are right and the fish are healthy enough. The eggs hatch three days after they are laid. The babies need to be taken care of until they are about 2 months old, and then they can be sold or given away.

Function

Oscar males and females need to be of nearly the same size, or they may try to eat each other. They do a very rough courtship dance for a few days, which consists of tail and body-slapping side by side, chasing and lip-locking. The female or male often catches the other's mouth and drags the other fish about. The female then dumps her eggs onto a flat surface such as a rock in periods of a few hundred at a time. She can often lay over 1,000 eggs. The male fertilizes them and both parents guard the eggs and raise the babies, called fry.

Sometimes it will look as if the parents are eating their eggs. They are actually cleaning debris away from the eggs. Sometimes they will place the eggs or newly hatched fry in their mouths but won't eat them. The fry are sperm-shaped but grow quickly. Soon they resemble tadpoles and then miniature versions of their parents by the time they are a month old. You need to remove the parents or the fry when they get to be about an 1 1/2 inches long, or the parents will suddenly think they are dinner.

Misconceptions

You can't tell a male Oscar from a female from the size or color of the fish. There's also no way to tell from fin shape. The male's small organ is about the only hint you'll get. However, Oscars don't like to stay still long enough for you to check out their various openings.

Also, it used to be thought that live fish like feeder goldfish were the best food for breeding Oscars. Now, it's known that the feeder fish can introduce disease to the Oscars. It's best to feed frozen foods, cichlid pellets, feeder crickets for pet reptiles or bait worms.

Another misconception is that there is a very high die-off rate among the eggs. Usually, about 90 percent survive. But even if only 50 percent survive, that means you have about 500 baby Oscars that need homes.

Expert Insight

Oscar breeders state that the hardest part of breeding Oscars is finding a pair that like each other enough to spawn. Some suggest that you either buy a pair that have already successfully spawned or buy six to eight baby Oscars, raise them together and hope that two of them will pair up.

Either way, you are going to need a lot of tanks and a lot of room for these tanks. You need at least three tanks at minimum of 50 gallons each. The fry live off tiny youlk sacks for four days, then they need to eat other food. Feeding the fry can be difficult, but there is now commercially made "fry food." Experts also recommend baby brine shrimp for Oscar fry.

Considerations

There are many types of Oscars, but they all can interbreed. The most common are red Oscars and red tiger Oscars, and the albino versions of those two. But there are now long-finned Oscars, such as the white long-finned Oscar. This white Oscar is called leucistic rather than an albino, because there are still pigment cells and the eyes aren't pink or red. There is also a yellowish Oscar as well, and Oscars that are nearly black but have some small hints of gold or orange. There is also a green Oscar that lives in the Everglades.

If you come across a purple or pink Oscar, that isn't natural. It has that color because it was coated in a mild acid to burn off the protective slime coating and then dyed that color. Eventually, the colors fade. Hopefully, this practice will fade, too.

Geography

The Oscars available in pet stores and hobbyist tanks derive from a carnivorous South American ancestor. They originated in the Amazon rain forest. They are only designed to live in freshwater at about 80 degrees. These are aggressive, intelligent and long-living fish. Please do not release any Oscars into your local rivers, streams and creeks. This could create an ecological disaster, as the Oscars will easily eat up all of the native fish, amphibians and anything else they can get their mouths on.

Recommended read

To learn more on oscar fish care and breeding, read the complete ebook guide on oscar fish care at www.oscarfishsecrets.com