Monster Cichlid Oscars

   5 Difference between Male & Female Oscar Oscar fish are sexually monomorphic this means the male and female look exactly same and both sexes are virtually identical in appearance. It cannot be determined till they are 12-15 months old. Once the fish is about 4-5 inches long then you will really get the chance to determine the sex.  1 - Sexual Organs -  The best way to identify is by visual inspection of their sex organs. The female egg tubes will protrude approx. 0.5cm from around the same area as her anus, while the male's sexual organ can be best described as resembling a very small spike. 2 - Body Shape -  A second tough less accurate method is that females are generally thicker on the body area above the vent(the pooper), whereas the males are slimmer. 3 - Growth rate -  Males have been suggested to grow more quickly than female and in some naturally occurring strains. 4 - Dorsal Fin -  Male Oscar fishes are noted to posses dark blotches on the base of their dorsal fins.

The Basics The Oscar fish (or simply  Oscar ) is a species from the cichlid family that is commonly kept as a freshwater aquarium species. The Oscar comes from parts of South America – namely the Amazon River basin – though it has been introduced to many areas around the globe. As an aquarium species, there are many different varieties of Oscar fish. The most common variety is the “tiger Oscar,” which is very similar to the wild Oscar fish. There are also albino varieties (mostly white) varieties, and Copper Oscars  has a black head and back but the rest of the body is a bright orange color.   While these varieties are sold under a variety of different trade names, they are still part of the  Astronotus ocellatus  species. Oscar fish naturally defend their territory, chasing off all other fish that come too close and eating anything small enough to fit in their large mouths!