A minimalist home for a finnicky fish

Oscars are by nature control freaks. They do not like a lot of aquarium decorations getting in their way. When they get big enough, they are known to re-arrange their own surroundings by uprooting plants and using their mouths to move rock from one location to another. Therefore, I have taken a minimalist approach to Chief Brody's aquarium. Black rock. One rather heavy and permanent "Egyptian" wall relief and a simple artificial plant for color. He seems to like inspecting the plant (it catches bits of food from time to time) and has ignored the wall relief altogether. Let's hope that continues through adulthood.

Voracious appetite for such a small mite

Chief Brody has quite an appetite for such a small fish. He makes it clear whenever I am in the room that he expects to be fed immediately, even if his last feeding was just 30 minutes ago. He does a good job of "cleaning his plate," even going so far as to eat food that has become stuck in the vents of the filter.

Chief Brody settling in to new home

Chief Brody had a good first night in his new home and is adapting very well to a new environment. He enjoys exploring all corners of the 29-gallon aquarium that is his home. When tank keeper came home from work, Chief Brody showed he is an avid people-watcher by following tank keeper as he roamed about the apartment.

A smart fish, Chief Brody has already learned that the feeding ring is the place to go for fresh food. He also knows that he can hide by the filter outlet if he wants to avoid being seen. Right now he is dwarfed by the decorations in his tank, but soon he will dwarf everything around him.

Keeping an oscar is no easy task. Frequent partial water changes are necessary to ensure Chief Brody's continued health. A varied diet will ensure he stays healthy, grows steadily and maintains his bright coloration.

First pictures: Chief Brody comes home

Welcome to Oscar Adventures!

This is the story of Chief Brody, an Oscar living in a 29-gallon tropical aquarium. Oscars are the kings of freshwater aquarium fish. They grow quite large and have more personality than any fish known to aquarists. They will follow your movements when you are near. They will flare their gills or change color to let you know when something is bothering them. If they don't like the aquarium decor, they will re-arrange it themselves.

Chief Brody is a Tiger Oscar, the most popular variety of Oscars available on the market today. He was purchased at the PetsMart in Shawnee, Kansas on March 13, 2006. He is about two inches long now, but he will grow to more than 10 inches by the time he's an adult.

Join us for the ongoing adventures of Chief Brody. His continuing mission -- to survive and thrive in an aquarium maintained by his human keeper.