Oscar Fish Types: Guide to Oscar Types & Variations

Oscar Fish Types

The Oscar Fish (Astronotus ocellatus), a popular choice among aquarium enthusiasts, is known for its striking patterns and personable demeanor. This article delves into the different types and variants of Oscar fish, exploring their diverse colors, patterns, and characteristics. From the vibrant Tiger Oscar to the captivating Albino Oscar, each type presents a unique blend of beauty and joy.

Different Types of Oscar Fish

There are many different types and variants of Oscar fish. Initially, there were only three major types of Oscar fish: Red, Tiger, and Albino. However, thanks to generations of cross-breeding, you can now find over 40 different types of Oscar fish.

There are approximately 15 popular types of Oscar Fish, along with many lesser known variants.

Here are the types of Oscar fish along with a brief description for each:

• Tiger Oscar: The Tiger Oscar, also sometimes called the Velvet cichlid, Marble cichlid, or Black Tiger Oscar. Tiger Oscars are the most common type of Oscar fish with blue-black body overlaid with a random orange-red pattern.
• Albino Oscar: Albino Oscar fish is a popular Oscar fish variant. It has a white and orange coloration, and irregular blotches similar to the classic Tiger oscar.
• Red Oscar: Red Oscars are another common variant of the species and can be easily identified by their bi-colored appearance. These fish are a mixture of bright scarlet red and black, with both colors merging seamlessly over the fish’s back.
• Veil Tail Oscar: Veil Tail Oscar are also known as Longfin Oscar fish. They have long, almost transparent tails and come in different color morphs, most of which are black with orange markings. The tail is also adorned with bright orange spots, extending up as far as the fish’s head.
• Lemon Oscar: Lemon Oscars feature an opaque, creamy-white body with vibrant lemon yellow coloring.
• Blue Oscar Fish: The Blue Oscar fish is a crossbred variation of the common Oscar fish. It is royal blue in color with many variations of the blue color, often referred to as “majestic” or “princely.” The many shades of blue that line its body seem to breathe on their own when it is under water
• Blueberry Oscar Fish: Blueberry Oscar is a manmade creation, not a natural variant They are made by dying Albino Oscars blue. The fish are fed food containing blue dye, kept in water stained with blue dye, and/or injected with blue dye. Many have questioned the ethics of creating this type of fish.
• Golden Oscar Fish: They have a dark brown or black head like a Red Oscar, but they have a dusky sunset gold color (think 70s gold car paint) on their sides. Their fins and tail usually fade from the gold color to the darker color as they near the trailing edges. Most of the fish’s body is golden in color with a dark gray head and fins. These fish look spectacular when displayed against a dark substrate with clever aquascaping and well-chosen lighting.
• Black Oscar Fish: The Black Oscar Fish, as the name suggests, features mostly black color throughout its body. The body of Oscar Fish is mostly black in color with some grey-black, red, and/or orange shades and the gills and dorsal fins are totally black in color. The color and the pattern differs from fish to fish.
• Green Oscar Fish: The Green Oscar fish is a product of variant cross-breeding between two red Oscar, Albino Oscar, or tiger Oscar. These fish have a primarily green body with yellow and black patternation across the fish. Typical markings include two or three dark green bands across the fish’s body and yellow scales. The primary color that appears on their body is a light green shade. But they sometimes have traces of yellow and dark green hues.
• Black and White Oscar Fish: This variety is known for its distinctive black and white coloration.
• Fire Red Oscar Fish: The Fire Red Oscar Fish, also known as the Red Chili Oscar, is a selectively bred form of the popular Oscar fish. It features a vibrant red to orange color throughout its body, with a white splash on its gills and white lining on the edge of its fins. When Fire Red Oscar Fish are juveniles, you will notice more white color on their body.
• Lutino Oscar Fish: A Lutino Oscar fish is a variety of Oscar fish that is often mistaken for an Albino Oscar due to its light coloration. However, while Albino Oscars have a creamy white body, Lutino Oscars have a body that is tinged with a hint of yellow. They may also have orange mottling and greying around the edges of the fins.
• White Oscar Fish: This is a result of cross-breeding and has a predominantly white coloration.
• Wild Oscar Fish: The wild-caught forms of the species are typically darkly colored with yellow-ringed spots or ocelli on the caudal peduncle and on the dorsal fin.
• Florida Oscar fish: Florida Oscar fish is not exactly a variant, but it points to a nonnative population of Oscars living in the waterways of Florida. They are most abundant in the canals of water conservation areas and Everglades habitats of Collier, western Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. As with all Oscar fish, they are native to the Orinoco, La Plata, and Amazon river basins in South America.
• Bumblebee Oscar: Bumblebee Oscars (Astronotus crassipinnis) are rare, especially in comparison to the well-known common Oscar Fish (Astronotus ocellatus). They are like normal Oscars but smaller and darker in color than standard Oscars. Bumblebee Oscars will only grow up to 10 inches in size, while common Oscar Fish are known to grow to 15 inches or more. These fish aren’t generally sold in pet stores, and finding them is extremely rare.
• Green Oscar Fish: This is the rarest color of all and is extremely prized by breeders. Like the blue variety, they are the result of crossbreeding.
• Snow-White Oscar: These cichlids are some of the rarest you can get.

Most Popular Oscar Type

The Tiger Oscar is the most popular type of Oscar fish. It is sometimes called the Velvet cichlid or Marble cichlid and makes a wonderfully colorful addition to the aquarium. The fish has a blue-black body overlaid with a random orange-red pattern, which gives the fish its common name. These patterns look similar to that of the patterns on the body of a tiger, hence the name “Tiger Oscar”. This fish also features a bright-colored eyespot on its dorsal fin.

Rarest Oscar Type

There are a few types of Oscar Fish that are considered rare:

• Bumblebee Oscar: Bumblebee Oscars (Astronotus crassipinnis) are rare, especially in comparison to the well-known common Oscar Fish (Astronotus ocellatus). They are like normal Oscars but smaller and darker in color than standard Oscars. Bumblebee Oscars will only grow up to 10 inches in size, while common Oscar Fish are known to grow to 15 inches or more. These fish aren’t generally sold in pet stores, and finding them is extremely rare.

• Green Oscar Fish: This is the rarest color of all and is extremely prized by breeders. Like the blue variety, they are the result of crossbreeding.

• Snow-White Oscar: These cichlids are some of the rarest you can get.

Best Oscar Type

The “best” type of Oscar fish really depends on your personal preference, as each type has its own unique characteristics. With that said, Tiger Oscars are most likely the best Oscar type for beginners.

Due to its widespread availability, affordability, and striking appearance, one could argue that the Tiger Oscar is the best type of Oscar fish. In fact, this is evident by its popularity. In addition, it is possible that many Tiger Oscars have strong genetics, since they were one of the variants bred from wild oscars.