Animal-World’s Featured Pet of the Week: The Oscar

Animal-World’s Featured Pet for this week is: The Oscar!

When I hear the word ‘Oscar’ in regards to fish, I immediately think back to when I was 7 or 8 and my regular trips to the local pet store with my dad. I loved going to the pet store with him to look at and pick out our newest fish to bring home. I was especially fascinated by the huge black and red Oscars. I continued asking if we could get an Oscar and eventually my dad gave in and let us get one! We had several large spare aquariums at home and we set one up to put our new Oscar in!

Oscars Astronotus ocellatus belong to the cichlid family Cichlidae and are very popular in the aquarium world! They have been in high demand for years and have seemingly intelligent personalities. They are known for becoming feisty and interactive when you come up to say hi to them or feed them. These fish do become quite large, reaching 12 inches in length once full grown. They are easily bred in captivity, which makes a large variation of color patterns available. The Red Oscar is the most popular for its color patterns because it is red with black spots that are not as muddy colored as wild caught Oscars.

Other Oscar types are the Tiger Oscar and the Speckled Red Oscar. The Tiger Oscar looks more like the wild ones but with more red. The Speckled Red Oscar has black fins and has been developed more recently. There are even variations of these types including the Albino Tiger Oscar and the Albino Red Oscar, as well as lutino varieties. Long finned oscars have also been developed which gives them an interesting look. If you are an Oscar lover there are quite a few types to choose from!

Oscar history: The Oscar was first “discovered” or given a name and described in 1831 by Agassiz. They originate in South America, being found in the Amazon River Basin, the Rio Paraguay, the Rio Negro, and the Parana. They usually stick to the slower moving waters and feed on smaller fish and other small creatures. South Americans value Oscars as a food item too. Oscars have been artificially introduced into China, Florida, and Australia. They are bred in captivity in the United States and elsewhere specifically to be kept as aquarium fish.

The care and feeding of Oscars is straight forward but needs to be taken seriously to keep them healthy. They will eat almost any type of frozen, flake, or live foods because they are carnivores. Feeding them chunks of earthworms, beef heart, good quality pellets, and live guppies and/or goldfish will help them grow and stay healthy.

If you purchase juvenile Oscars it is best to start them out in a large aquarium from the beginning to accommodate their growing needs. A 100 gallon tank is ideal for an adult. Frequent water changes and good filtration is a must when keeping Oscars because of how much they consume and dirty their water. Oscars love to play around with their environment and will constantly attempt to move around and dig out any decorations! Rocks are good decorations that are hard for them to move or ruin. Plastic plants are best if you want plants in the aquarium. Try to bury them deep or cover them with rocks so they are harder to uproot.

Oscars are not community fish and because they are carnivorous, they will eventually eat any other types of fish as they grow larger. You can usually keep more than one Oscar together as long as they are of similar size and if they have grown up together. If you want to breed them it is especially helpful to start out with several Oscars and let them pair themselves (because it is difficult to determine their sexes).

The main disease you need to be on the look out for is Head and Lateral Line Erosion (HLLE). This usually looks like a hole is developing on their head and is thought to be caused by poor nutrition and/or poor maintenance of the aquarium environment. Providing proper care should prevent your Oscars from developing this disease.

Read more about Oscars in general and in more detail on Animal-World’s Oscar page!

Jasmine is a team member at Animal-World and has contributed many articles and write-ups.

Acan Lord

Acan Lord
Acanthastrea lordhowensis
“I am considered royalty among corals – hence my name ‘Lord’!”

In aquatics, the Acan Lord is the only creature called ‘Lord’!

The Acan Lord Acanthastrea lordhowensis, also called ‘The Lord’, is extremely colorful in the Acanthastrea genus. Colors include many different combinations, ranging from blue, red, green, purple, orange, brown, rust, pale tan and pale gray. Other names the A. lordhowensis goes by are the Closed Brain Coral, Pineapple Brain Coral, the Acan Lord Howe, the Pineapple Starry Cup Coral, Brain Coral, and Lordhowensis.

The A. lordhowensis has so many color combinations because of how successfully it has been propagated in captivity. Reef farmers have even more names for the Acan Lord, including the Blood Diamond Aussie Lord, the Green Acan Lord, the Watermelon Aussie Lord, etc., which are all based of of their color combinations. In the Acanthastrea species, the A. lordhowensis is one of the two most popular corals. The other one most sought after is the Acan Echinata A. echinata or the Starry Cup Coral… Read More

The iPhone GreenPleco Game App – Proceeds go to Environmental Charities

New iPhone Game Donates Proceeds to Environmental Charities

GreenPleco is a game studio that creates fun mobile games in order to raise awareness for environmental issues. Their latest iPhone and iPad game, GreenPleco: The Sucker Fish, hits the Apple App Store today. 100% of the profit from all sales will be donated to environmental charities.
“Our ultimate goal is to make factory farms illegal and stop all animal cruelty while offering a great, fun game,” says Milton Mariscal, co-founder of GreenPleco. “Many nonprofits have few ways of getting financial support. With each download, we raise money for organizations that care for animals and the environment.”
GreenPleco has already donated to several charities, including Save the Manatee Club, while developing this game.

GreenPleco contains one full game and a series of three mini-games, each of which features a lovable animal helping to rehabilitate the environment. By combining fast-paced action with memorable characters such as The Sucker Fish, Mr. PigBounce, Claudia the Crab, and Gemma the Turtle, the game appeals to both adults and children alike.
“If you like fun games and you care about the environment, this game is for you,” says Milton Mariscal.
GreenPleco: The Sucker Fish is available worldwide in the iTunes App Store for $1.99.

About GreenPleco
GreenPleco is run by Milton and Claudia Mariscal, animal enthusiasts who want to bring awareness to environmental issues in unique ways. GreenPleco’s mission is to support nonprofit organizations in their efforts to protect many different species of animals on our planet. The company’s name and logo is inspired by the algae eater fish “hypostomus plecostomus,” more commonly known as the sucker fish.  

Check out the cool GreenPleco! game app!

Contact Info
Milton & Claudia Mariscal
Founders of GreenPleco Games
greenpleco@hotmail.com

The Giant Sun Polyp

Giant Sun Polyp
Protopalythoa grandis
“I’m the largest button polyp out there, with a small bit of sunshine too!”

The Giant Sun Polyp is the biggest Zoanthid with its large oral disc!

The Giant Sun Polyp Protopalythoa grandis, is also called a Zoanthid. It is one of the very attractive button polyps. Their colors include white, green, and brown mottling. Iridescent coloring is also not uncommon, with occasional striations which look similar to wagon wheels. The Giant Sun Polyp is considered to be one of the largest Zoanthid species, just like most of the other Protopalythoa genus. Because this polyps oral disc can reach up to 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter, this polyp is actually thought to be the largest one of all.

In fact, it is not completely agreed upon as to whether the Giant Sun Polyp belongs to the Protopalythoa genus or the Palythoa genus. Originally they belonged to the Palythoa genus, but were later switched to the Protopalythoa genus because of their growth form. But now there are experts believing they should go back to the Palythoa genus and consider them to be. The scientific community has not yet settled completely on one or the other… Read More

The Flagfin Angelfish or Three-Spot Angelfish

Flagfin Angelfish
Three-spot Angelfish
Apolemichthys trimaculatus
I have a few spots on my bright yellow body – can you find them?

The Flagfin Angelfish is also called the Three-spot Angelfish – because of its three

spots!

The Flagfin Angelfish Apolemichthys trimaculatus is considered a very beautiful angel. Its main color is bright yellow, with an obvious black spot on its forehead and a purple mouth. This angel can grow fairly large – reaching 9.8″ (25 cm)! It has another common name – the Three-spot Angelfish – because of the three spots it has. These are a spot above the eye, the spot on its forehead, and faded spots behind each of its gill covers.

The Apolemichthys genus has eight species within it. The Flagfin Angelfish is the most common and is imported the most frequently. Most of the angels in this genus are considered to be quite hardy, but unfortunately the Flagfin Angelfish is not among the hardy ones. These angelfish are difficult to maintain for a long time in home aquariums. The main reason for this is they have special dietary needs that are hard to mimic in an aquarium… Read More

Animal-World: A Beginners Look At Saltwater Fish

If you are fascinated by saltwater fish… This is going to be fun and exciting.

Under the Sea Radio Show…. Join us!

“A Beginners Look At Saltwater Fish”

Blog/Talk radio show featuring Clarice Brough from Animal-World. Learn about hardy saltwater fish for the beginning marine aquarist. The discussion will be centered around an aquarium the size of 30 gallons, and the hardy fish that are available for beginning saltwater aquarists. Included will be Damselfish, Clownfish, Cardinals and many others.

Keeping marine fish is a wonderful hobby. If you are a beginner about to start your first saltwater aquarium, you are embarking on a grand adventure. Marine fish are some of the most spectacular aquatic animals, and there is a very diverse and magnificent selection to choose from. The benefits of keeping saltwater fish are many. They are entertaining, relaxing, and make an incredibly beautiful show piece for your home.

Saltwater fish keeping is an exciting hobby for anyone interested in learning more about life in our oceans. You can see pictures and information for all sorts of marine species in our World of Saltwater Aquariums atlas too.

Zebra Cichlids

Zebra Cichlids
“Zebra Cichlids are from Lake Malawi and are rock-dwellers! Also called Mbuna Cichlids, here you can find out about their care!”

One of the most popular Lake Malawi Cichlids are the Zebra Cichlids!

Zebra Cichlids, or Mbuna Cichlids, are from Lake Malawi in Africa. These are popular cichlids – and they are known for their aggressiveness and their activeness. There are many species that belong to 12 genera and they are all rock dwelling cichlids. The word “mbuna” is African and means “rockfish.”

Zebra Cichlids are the most popular of the Mbuna group cichlids. All Mbuna Cichlids used to be in the Pseudotropheus genus, but now there are several other genera that many have been moved to. Now Zebra Cichlids include Pseudotropheus, Tropheops, and Maylandia genera. All of these cichlids are very attractive and are often kept in good size community tanks together.

A total of 9 genera are in the Mbuna species and these include many different color morphs as well. They are quite beautiful with several different bright colors and patterns. Usually Mbuna females are yellow and Mbuna males are blue, regardless of genera, however they can be colored with black bars as well… Read More

The Blasto Coral

Blasto Coral
Blastomussa wellsi
“What’s the best way to have a blast?… Consider adding a Blasto Coral to your aquarium!”

The Blasto Coral is a unique coral and is popular among aquarists!

The Blasto Coral is one of the Blastomussa Corals and they have many color variations. The Blasto Coral Blastomussa wellsi is actually one of two Blastomussa corals that many people like. The other one is the Pineapple Coral Blastomussa merleti.

Most people actually prefer the The Blasto Coral B. wellsi over the B. merleti because it can be aquacultured into many colors – such as purple, green, pink, red, yellow and occasionally blue, as well as a many combinations of these colors. But it does have downfalls, such as being more difficult to care for and maintain. This coral also goes by the names Open Brain Coral, Swollen Brain Coral, Wellsi’s Brain Coral, Blastomussa Coral, Big Pipe Blastomussa, Pineapple Coral, and Blastomussa Wellsi… Read More

Large South American Cichlids

Large South American Cichlids
“Large South and Central American Cichlids! Here are tips on keeping large cichlid aquariums, different types of cichlids, their habitats, and their personalities!”

These Large South American Cichlids include some amazing and beautiful looking show

fish!

Many people really enjoy having show aquariums, especially for large American Cichlids. These cichlids tend to have very interesting temperaments, personalities, and along with their sizes – they really make great show specimens! Large South American Cichlids also interact with their owners and other fish/animals in their environment! These great personalities and behaviors really make keeping them as pets enjoyable!

Large South American Cichlids are part of the large cichlid family, which provides many different types of fish for different aquarium environments. They are usually durable fish. Some large cichlid hybrids are also available and they come in many different colors. Some examples are the Flowerhorn Cichlid and the Blood Parrot.

Some of these larger cichlids are better-tempered than most. All cichlids are aggressive fish, but some of the gentler ones include Angelfish, Discus, and the Severum. These ones can often be kept in community aquariums, whereas most others have to be kept singly… Read More

Pet Ownership: Buying a Pet Shark

Sharks are creatures of the deep. They are similar to their prehistoric ancestors in build and purpose. If you are fascinated with this aquatic character, here are some things you need to know about buying a pet shark.

Sharks can be classified as what people call “exotic pets.” They are not the typical type of animal that one takes into their home as a companion. For many pets, there are no special requirements for living environment except comfort. With sharks, you are dealing with a different habitat – the sea.

Most sharks are saltwater fish. This means that you would need to create that same environment within your home if you want your pet to thrive and survive. But this doesn’t need to be your first consideration when deciding on this type of pet. Let’s begin at the beginning.

What to Know before Owning a Pet Shark

1. Research – Just like with any other purchase, research all there is to know about it. When it comes to sharks, this will include but not be limited to: types of sharks kept as pets, housing requirements, expense, breeders, veterinary care and maintenance.

2. Cost – Owning exotic pets often comes with a high price tag. Because sharks need a lot of room to move, this dictates a large aquarium or pool environment for them. If you don’t already own one, you’ll have to construct it. Factor in dietary needs as well.

3. What to expect – Your pet may start off at four inches long but grow to over a foot in length. This may require a larger habitat in no time at all. Also, sharks are aggressive by nature. You don’t want your choice of pet to put you or others at risk.

4. Know the law – There are different regulations in each state that govern the ownership of certain types of pets. The last thing you want is to run afoul of the law.

5. Ask the experts – Find out from breeders how to spot a sick animal so you don’t get “had” your first time out. Learn to recognize if your shark is not well and needs medical attention.

A pet shark can be a wonderful addition to your home if you are ready for the responsibility. If not, you are endangering the life of the animal entrusted to your care. To that end, establish your shark habitat before bringing it home.

Be sure that you have a large enough aquarium with the proper salt content, sandy bottom and aquarium extras (rocks, etc.) to satisfy the needs of your new pet. A minimum aquarium size is about 200 gallons (depending on the type). Your shark will grow quickly and you don’t want to have to upgrade too soon.

Give your new pet shark every advantage by doing your homework first.

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