Every oscar owner knows why these fish are so popular. If you ever had goldfish everyone is exactly like the other but oscars are all completely different. Some are curious, dosile, energetic, excited, lazy, I even saw an adult in a pet store do a back flip and the guy there told me he does that when he wants food, kind of like a dog rolling over. Its no wonder I started with 1 and now have 6 I am just glad I have the will and the money to take care of them, also this site is a great help. I have never kept fish but will always keep oscars!

i agree ive got seven O's including one with amissing fin and all of them are diffrent,its alomost time for me to split them up into diffrent tanks but i feel to sorry 4 them as they look like one big happy family but soon they will b 2 big to live together.

maybe ill keep them 2gether for one more month

Oscars definitely have tons of personality, never owned any other cichlids, but heard they are a bit similar but not nearly as personal. Maybe an EBJD and regular JD for me one day, but most likely just more Os.

Bettas, when given the correct conditions are also very personal, energetic, and full of energy and 'flare'. You can't mess with their tank without them being curious and investigating your actions, they respond to you much like an O does, and love food more than it is healthy for them just like an O.

I have watched videos of goldfish that are very personal too ... swimming up to the owner's hand to be petted, taking turns getting the attention. I think it shows most fish are much smarter than most people give them credit for.

The livebearers I had were not quite as inspiring. They seemed a bit more instinctual. Fretting at water changes, but otherwise just wanting food and chasing 'tail' Maybe I feel that way more because they multiplied too much for me and I ended up with a crowded tank ... but none of them seemed to really stand out as individuals, even though they didn't school.


I hope to always own an oscar. I just wish I was a bit better off so I could have the tanks I want to have the numbers I want ... preferably in a specially setup tank room (with built in hardware to make water changes and filter cleaning as easy as can be). That is a future dream I hope to make happen


My O is silly, and does the acting quite well. It is a great addition to my life, and consider it family

Glad to see I'm not alone with my 6 Os.

I've had a grand total of 10 over the years and I have to agree they are truly individual. I had a pair that lived for years with various tetras and barbs etc with no problems at all, and yet one of the pairs I have now will not let ANYTHING else in their tank, not even the gravel vac

The rest have all fallen at different points in between: meat eaters, vegetarians, bullies, peaceful but not pushovers etc.

That's part of what makes them so awesome

Ok, you all can stop now, I'm already wanting another!

I basically liked any fish I've kept yet but the Oscar isn't just a fish, it's a real pet, even though mine doesn't like to be petted. Belongs to the family just like the dog does.