OSCARS IN GENERAL
POPULAR NAMES
The fish most commonly known to American aqua-
rium hobbyists as the oscar is also known to them as the
peacock cichlid and velvet cichlid. The names peacock
cichlid and velvet cichlid are more common in Great
Britain and other present and former members of the
British Commonwealth ichan they are in the United
States， but all three name~ (and a few others， too) have
x
achieved a degree of currency in all English-speaking
lands that harbor aquarists.
The name peacock cichlid is descriptive of the fish in
that the oscar is indeed a cichlid， and adult oscars indeed
bear at least one marking in common with a peacock:
the dark spot， surrounded by a circle of lighter color，
near the base of the oscar s tail is similar tothe \"eye spot\"
on a peacock s tail. The velvet cichlid name， probably
derived from the comparative smallness of the scales，
also is descriptive， but to a much lesser degree; the
velvety look of an adult oscar， although present if you re
inclined to look for such things， is much less evident
than the eye spot. The name oscar is neither descriptive
nor strictly apropos in any other way..， but it has stuck.
I don t believe that anyone knows for sure how a fish
like this one had the name \"oscar\" tagged onto it， but
the name has been around in the aquarium hobby
almost as long as the fish itself， and that s more than
forty years.
6
Probably \"oscar\" is
importer of the specie
own or is a corruptio
local South American ]
SCIENTIFIC NAME
Originally named
Cuvier in the early 18
science as A stronotus
unlikely to change. A
with a star on the back
ocellated marking， or
have a reference to an.
another incorporated il
oscar is by no means ur
so described is Cichla
more noticeable， althol
into a big hassle abo
ocellus， go ahead. Rea]
function of such marki
conclusion has been dr~
that such markings hav~
THE OSCAR S FAM
A stronotus ocellatus
a group of almost cot
mainly in the America，~
sentation in Asia. No
there are， because new
the time， and the geog
and American cichlids i
for new piscine fauna
Cichlids differ widely
temperament and breec
as the peaceful little ra:
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