(18) Yellow Oscar 3''

The yellow oscar is a captive-bred variant of the common oscar (Astronotus ocellatus), a large and intelligent cichlid from South America. It is more commonly referred to as the Lemon Oscar due to its distinctive and vibrant yellow coloration.

• Coloration: Lemon Oscars have a vivid yellow body that can range in shade from bright lemon to a deeper golden hue. This is a contrast to the typical dark and mottled patterns seen in wild-type oscars.
• Intelligence and Personality: Oscars are well-known for their interactive and bold personalities. They can recognize their owners, "beg" for food, and are sometimes referred to as "wet pets" because of their highly responsive behavior.
• Size: Like other oscar varieties, they can grow quite large, often reaching 12 to 14 inches in length. 

• Tank size: A minimum of a 75-gallon tank is recommended for a single adult oscar. Larger tanks (100 gallons or more) are needed for housing multiple oscars or other large tank mates.
• Water parameters: They are hardy but need stable water conditions.
  • Temperature: 76–82°F (24–28°C).
  • pH: 6.5–7.5.
• Filtration: Oscars are messy eaters and produce a lot of waste, so strong biological and mechanical filtration is essential. Canister filters or sumps are often recommended.
• Aquascaping: Use a sand or fine gravel substrate. Sturdy decorations like large rocks and driftwood are suitable, but avoid anything easily rearranged, as oscars are known to redecorate their tanks. 

• Omnivorous: Oscars are omnivores and should be fed a varied, high-quality diet.
• Recommended foods: High-quality sinking pellets formulated for cichlids, frozen foods like bloodworms and brine shrimp, and some vegetable matter like blanched spinach or spirulina.
• Coloration and food: To maintain the vibrant yellow coloration of a Lemon Oscar, some breeders recommend a color-neutral diet, as some foods containing astaxanthin or carotene (which are often added to enhance red color) could affect their specific yellow tone. 

• Territorial: Oscars can be territorial and semi-aggressive, especially during breeding. They should be housed with similarly sized or larger, robust tank mates that can hold their own.
• Compatible tank mates: Large, non-aggressive fish like large plecos, Jack Dempseys, or severums can make suitable companions.
• Incompatible tank mates: Avoid housing them with fish that are small enough to be eaten, as oscars have a large mouth and a voracious appetite.