Oscars in the wild/Biotope setups??

[CrunchyLobster123]

I want to revamp my 220 in preparation for when I move my WC Bumblebee Oscars (A. crassipinnus) so I'm curious if anyone has any pictures or hands on experience with wild oscars in South America and what their habitat/waters look like, how planted is it? are there lots of rocks or driftwood? etc. I want to attempt somewhat of a biotope tank so any help is appreciated!

 

[Hybridfish7]

 

[Mazan]

So plenty of submerged wood, with some branches extending close to the surface, sandy substrate and I would add some leaf litter and twigs - they won't last long but provide some enrichment and look natural. I would also probably add some floating plants, water lettuce and/or frogbit.

Your oscars are lucky, I see so many photos of them kept in bare, clinical looking tanks with nothing to explore, no shelter, or hiding places, no environmental enrichment.

 

[Milingu]

Their habitat changes with the season. What you see in the video posted above shows a flooded area after heavy rain/rainy season. During the rest of the year you probably find way less to no green there. And a lot of the area falls dry and the fish migrate to deeper parts without vegetation.

The most important thing is to provide some cover from above. This can be driftwood, or floating plants like lotus or water lily.

 

[fishguy1978]

And oscars will redecorate for you! Make sure they can't knock anything over.

 

[CrunchyLobster123]

So plenty of submerged wood, with some branches extending close to the surface, sandy substrate and I would add some leaf litter and twigs - they won't last long but provide some enrichment and look natural. I would also probably add some floating plants, water lettuce and/or frogbit.

Your oscars are lucky, I see so many photos of them kept in bare, clinical looking tanks with nothing to explore, no shelter, or hiding places, no environmental enrichment.

Currently in their 125 grow out they have a bunch of fake plants a few rock caves for the cactus pleco and small eel and a large piece of driftwood that sticks out of the back of the tank I've been trying to attempt to get them to eat crickets and worms off of it. When they get moved to the 220 I can definitely throw a ton of leaf litter in there as I always have a couple bags lying around from my dart frogs.

 

[Mazan]

Currently in their 125 grow out they have a bunch of fake plants a few rock caves for the cactus pleco and small eel and a large piece of driftwood that sticks out of the back of the tank I've been trying to attempt to get them to eat crickets and worms off of it. When they get moved to the 220 I can definitely throw a ton of leaf litter in there as I always have a couple bags lying around from my dart frogs.

Sounds good!