Albino Tiger Oscar

 Quick Care Facts

• Care Level: Easy   • Temperament: Semi-Aggressive   • Maximum Size: 14"
• Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons   • Water Conditions: 74-85° F, pH 5.0-7.0, KH 2-4
• Diet: Omnivore   • Origin: South America   • Family: Cichlidae
• Species: Oscar Cichlid   • Aquarium Type: New World Cichlid Aquarium

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Albino Tiger Oscars are another selectively bred variant of the original, Wild Oscars of the Amazon. They became extremely popular shortly after their introduction into the hobby and were largely desired as they have the personality Oscars are known for as well as an attractive, white and orange color form that contrasts well with other Oscar variants as well as other Cichlids in general.

They can learn to distinguish their owner(s) from strangers as well as associate them with food; they are also very intelligent and will develop and display unique and interesting personalities. In addition to their constant "begging" for food, they can also be trained to eat from their owner's hand; which is why they are sometimes referred to as river or water dogs.

Albino Tiger Oscars have a base color of cream to snow white with varying orange markings on their body and fins (although their pectoral fins are usually translucent white with no additional colors or markings). They also sometimes have a cream, tan, gray, or more commonly, a white ocellus spot at the beginning of their caudal fin that is bordered with an orange outline.

Albino Tiger Oscars require an aquarium of at least 75 gallons and should be provided with a sand or gravel substrate and multiple places where they can find shelter (driftwood, rock structures, vegetation, etc.). They are known to dig in substrate, which will cause uprooting in regard to live plants; live plants should have strong root systems, be placed in pots within the substrate, or species that will attach to and grow on driftwood and other structures should be used.

Water changes (at least 25%) should be carried out every 2 weeks (or more or less frequently, depending how efficient the aquarium filtration is). Albino Tiger Oscars are very hardy fish, but they are also big and messy eaters and eventually they will have health problems if their water chemistry is not maintained; filthy water is usually where "one-eyed" Albino Tiger Oscars come from as well as Albino Tiger Oscars that have developed HITH (Hole-in-the-Head) disease.

Albino Tiger Oscars are omnivorous (more accurately, facultative piscivores); they love live foods and enjoy the chase (your live plants won't), but will also readily accept many other foods. Albino Tiger Oscars require vitamin C and will develop health problems in its absence.

Ideally, Albino Tiger Oscars should be fed a variety of foods, such as live, frozen or freeze-dried ghost shrimp, minnows, bloodworms, blackworms, mealworms, earthworms, and crickets. To make sure they are getting enough vitamins and nutrition, Albino Tiger Oscars should also be fed some prepared foods such as Cichlid pellets or sticks.

Albino Tiger Oscars are egg-layers that practice brood care; a breeding pair of Albino Tiger Oscars will become very aggressive towards other tank inhabitants. Once a mated pair is established, the female Albino Tiger Oscar will lay around 800 eggs in a carefully cleaned, flat location (driftwood, flat rocks, slate, etc.) within the aquarium.

The eggs will hatch in 3-5 days and the fry will be free-swimming within a week. The newly hatched fry can be fed a diet of baby brine shrimp (and crushed flake food) and moved to other foods as they mature.