Tiger Oscars are some of the most popular Cichlids that aquarium hobbyists obtain. Not only are they popular Cichlids, but they are also popular freshwater fish! When you go to your local fish store or Petco, they usually have a ton of them available! However, to the beginner aquarium hobbyist, this fish may ruin your tank. Tiger Oscar Cichlids are one of the most aggressive freshwater fish. If you are thinking about purchasing one, do a ton of research. Read as many articles as you can and study their behavior in a home aquarium. The good news is that we condensed all of the information on this Tiger Oscar in this article! Keep reading to understand their behavior and just how aggressive the Cichlid tends to be in a fish tank.
What do Tiger Oscars Look Like?
If you know what a Tiger Oscar looks like, they are easy to spot! The Cichlid is found with a back body and orange splatters. However, they can be found in a variety of colors such as white, orange, and even clear in color! If you go to your local fish store and are unsure of a specific species, ask them what it is! The Tiger Oscar can grow to be a monster when it comes to size. However, when you purchase them from your local fish store, they are usually relatively small. If you are seeking a larger Tiger Oscar, check out Craigslist, where hobbyists sell a lot of fish that do not fit their aquarium anymore!
Tiger Oscar Aggression
After reading the beginning of this article, you can probably assume the Tiger Oscar is a beast you do not want to mess with within a tank. If you put your hand in the aquarium, they are known to attack. The Tiger Oscar has teeth that can stand out from any fish in the aquarium. The Cichlid’s teeth expand to the jaw and down to the throat area to eliminate prey when swallowing. If eggs are present in the aquarium, you can kiss cleaning the algae goodbye. We recommend using a long cleaning product that requires you to not touch the water. When housing aggressive fish, keep your eyes peeled when you put your hand in the aquarium. The long cleaning product prevents the fish from attacking and causing harm to your hand and arm.
Every fish has a specific personality. I have heard stories of Tiger Oscars being friendly and letting the aquarium owners pet them. However, I have heard of these Cichlids causing blood to spawn from the hand of their owners. Before taking any action, study the behavior and habits of the fish. I would personally not trust any aggressive fish when trying to clean the aquarium. We recommend using a protective material on your hand. This cleaning technique might just save a finger!
Water Parameters for the Tiger Oscar
Tiger Oscar Cichlids are generally hardy fish! However, Oscar has specific water parameters that they like best, which helps them thrive. When these fish thrive in proper water parameters, their color will pop, and it is fantastic to see! The water flow in your aquarium should be moderate to slow. In their natural habitat, there is not much water movement. The pH of the aquarium should be about neutral. A neutral reading should be somewhere between 6.5 – 7.5. Regarding the hardiness of the water, keep the water soft! The Tiger Oscar tends to have more movement when the water is soft.
When using aquarium salt with the Tiger Oscar, I would recommend avoiding it. The Cichlids produce a ton of waste in the home aquarium. Keep that in mind when selecting a filter. Choose a high-quality filter that removes almost all of the free-floating particles and waste in the tank! Investing the money is well worth it for the high-quality conditions of the Oscar. Their color will pop more often, and the bright orange color will reflect on the fish!
Aquarium Decor and Live Plants
When it comes to the substrate of the aquarium, we recommend using sand for the Tiger Oscars! Using substrate such as gravel may harm the Cichlid. This is because of the fish’s natural tendency to dig and move the sand around. Regarding the decor of your aquarium, make sure to have massive caves for the Oscar to swim around. When stressed, these fish enjoy getting alone time and seeking cover. Avoid decor with small holes that the Tiger Oscar can get stuck in!
When getting plants, you are safe placing live plants in the aquarium. Tiger Oscars generally leave live plants alone since they prefer meaty foods over vegetation. However, keep an eye on the fish just in case they decide to nip at plants. The main concern with the Cichlid is the plant’s roots being lifted from the sand. As mentioned above, these fish love to dig. We recommend using pots or mesh to prevent the plants from becoming loose.
For the actual decor of the fish tank, we recommend using driftwood and rocks! These decorations mimic the Tiger Oscar’s natural environment and will reduce stress for the fish! Avoid placing plastic plants in your aquarium with the Tiger Oscar! The rough edges can cause cuts and bacteria to take over the fish’s body! Play the decor safe and purchase live and natural substances. This decoration will make your aquarium look more natural too! Regarding the lighting, keep the brightness low to medium. These fish thrive in shaded areas and do not like direct sunlight. To reduce the rays, we recommend placing plants at the top of your aquarium. Check out floating plants at your local fish store!
Tiger Oscar’s Diet
Tiger Oscars have an open diet consisting of many aquatic flakes and food. When they are young, we recommend feeding them pellets consisting of a meaty diet. However, as they get older, we recommend implementing blood worms and other live food. For added health, we recommend using frozen foods for the Oscar as well! To enhance their growth and color, mix live shrimp in their diet. By live shrimp, we recommend purchasing feeder fish from your local fish store!
Common Behavior
The Cichlid often expresses a variety of studied behavior. The most common form of behavior is the fish’s tendency to chase after other fish in the aquarium. If the Tiger Oscar is known to chase other aggressive fish, what do you think they will do to a community tank? That is why you should always do your research before purchasing a fish for your home aquarium!
These fish are also historically known for nipping at other fish in the aquarium and even your hand! If you have fish with long fins and body dimensions, your Oscar will most likely take a nip with the aggressive personality trait. When other fish are approaching the Tiger Oscar’s territory, the fish is known to extend the fins out to stand their ground. This means that it is an act of territorial behavior, as well as a self-defense mechanism. You do not want to mess with this fish when the fins are displayed. Please note that these fish are usually more aggressive when it comes to mating season. Excessive aggression will appear when eggs or mating is around the corner.
In Conclusion
You now know what the qualities and behaviors are for a Tiger Oscar. The real question is, are you going to purchase one for your aquarium? If so, keep extra precautions for the other fish in your home aquarium. The addition of an aggressive Oscar may destroy all of your fish. When this occurs, you have wasted a ton of money and, unfortunately, lost a pet. To answer your question, yes, Tiger Oscars are Aggressive! If you have any questions or concerns when purchasing a fish, speak with your local fish store. We consider ourselves professional, but you should always confirm with your local fish store. If you ever have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to us and ask questions. We want to see your freshwater home aquariums flourish!
