Tag Archives: ocellatus

Astronotus ocellatus Oscars 12-15 cm Mixed Colour

4. December 2019

Why the Oscar is called the Oscar? Honestly, we don’t know that for sure. But what is certain is that the name originated in the USA. In 1936, an essay by E. W. Clarke about Astrontus appeared in the journal “The Aquarium”. In 1949 Gene Wolfsheimer reported in „The Aquarium Journal“ that the aquarists in California called Astronotus cichlids Oscars (Wayne Leibel, Aquarium USA Annual 2001). But it is also conceivable that the word “Oscar” is a corruption of the scientific name (Astronotus) or the Tupi word for all possible larger cichlids “Acara”. Tupi is the language of the people living in Brazil before the Europeans arrived in America.

The Oscar is despite its stately size – it can become over 45 cm long and 1,5 kg heavy, although such giants are very rare; usually, Oscars become 25-30 cm long – a popular aquarium-fish. Only few species of fish unite so splendid colors and so much charisma, besides, Oscars, at least for fish-continuances, are rather intelligent and are clearly more pet than aquarium-fish sometime.

We have just some very beautiful, 12-15 cm big Oscars of different colors in the stock, that spent their youth in a garden-pond in Southern France and grew up to powerful adolescents. We have no information whether they became special friends of the film “Oscar” with Luis des Funes during their time in France.

For our customers: the animals have code 632906 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Dichotomyctere ocellatus (formerly: Tetraodon biocellatus)

29. March 2019

The green pufferfish (genus Dichotomyctere) are the best known aquarium pufferfish. They are brackish water animals, which, in case they should be cared for in fresh water, paying special attention to their pH value. A pH below 8 does not get them in the long run and the water should be as hard as possible. The easiest way to care for them is in brackish water, 5-10 grams of sea salt/litre are enough.

Dichotomyctere species can sometimes become quarrelsome and then bite off the fins of other fish. One must therefore be a little careful when keeping them in a community tank. It is best to care for them in groups, 6-10 specimens are ideal.

The smallest Dichotomyctere species is D. ocellatus; it becomes only 8 cm long and is extremely pretty. Very early it was confused with the dragon pufferfish (Pao palembangensis) and therefore it can be found in the older literature under the name Tetraodon palembangensis. Of this the common name Palembang puffer remained, but it is also often called „Figure Eight Puffer“ due to the pattern on the back. 

We currently have very nice specimens in different sizes in stock.

For our customers: the animals have code 262504 (4-5 cm) and 262505 (5-6 cm, these are the photographed specimens) on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Astronotus ocellatus Colombia

24. August 2018

We obtained very nice juveniles of the Oscar from Colombia. In contrast to the adults the juveniles are strictly schooling fish. In case of a real or imaginary danger the fish school performs a kind of globe. This behaviour also explains the otherwise illogical attractive pattern. In a school this pattern works as a camouflage, comparable to the wear of militairs.

However, one should not be fooled by the large innocent looking eyes of these fish, which are, by the way, real personalities. Oscars are predators and 5-6 cm long ones will readily take a guppy as snack. So the oscar is suited for community tanks only under certain circumstances. Tankmates must be large enough that they are not taken for food. In case this preference is fulfilled the oscar is on its best behaviour. Compared with other large species of cichlid, members of the genus Astronotus are rather peaceful creatures.

For our customers: the fish have code 632501 (4-6 cm) and 632502 (4-7 cm) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer