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Definition of oscar fish

oscar fish

Plural:oscar fish
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oscar fish Lexical Profile

• noun

1

A large, highly intelligent freshwater cichlid fish (Astronotus ocellatus) native to the Amazon basin in South America, popular in the aquarium trade but known for its aggressive and territorial behavior.

Example

"Because the oscar fish grows quite large and tends to eat smaller tank mates, it requires a spacious aquarium and careful species pairing."

Word Origin & Etymology

The common name 'oscar' is of uncertain origin, though it has been used in the aquarium trade since the mid-20th century to refer to the species Astronotus ocellatus, derived from Greek 'astra' (ray) and 'noton' (back).

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Oscar fish. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/oscar fish
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