Do you want to keep oscar fish and are you concerned about how much do oscar fish cost? Also, what will be the total approximate cost for a year?
On average, oscar fish is sold at around $10-$15. However, the price may increase manyfold based on the species, color, and rarity. The estimated yearly cost for keeping an oscar for one year is about 700-800$.
Basic Information About Oscar Fish & Care Requirements
| Scientific Name | Astronotus Ocellatus |
| Care Level | Moderate |
| Temperament | Terriotorial/Aggressive |
| Diet | Omnivorous |
| Maximum Size | 20 inches |
| Expected Lifespan | 20 years |
| Ideal Tank Size (Minimum) | 55-gallon |
| Compatibility | Large passive fish |
| Water Temperature | 77-82 degrees Fahrenheit |
| pH Level | 6-8 |
| Water Hardness | 12-15 DH |
What Are The Cost Of A baby Oscar fish?
There are different types of oscar fish, Tankarium describes 15 types, however, there are many more varieties.
The most common types of oscar fish are tiger oscar and albino oscar. They are almost readily available in most pet shops at a price of $10-$15, and the size is approximately 6 cm.
But as I said there are some color divergences of both types and some are more costly than others.
Also, the price will increase if the breed of the oscar fish is rare. Some oscar fish are rare like the bumblebee oscar fish, super chilly red oscar, etc.
The 6″ bumblebee oscar fish is being sold at online pet stores at $135., and the super chilly red oscar price is $67.
Here, I have listed the prices of a few oscar fish species below in the table. All the prices have been taken based on the oscar fish size of 1.75-3″, unless otherwise mentioned.
| Name of Oscar Fish Species | Cost |
|---|---|
| Red Tiger Oscar | $9 |
| Albino Tiger Oscar Cichlid | $9 |
| Super Chilli Red Oscar | $67 |
| Veil Tail Oscar | $24 |
| Lemon Oscar | $18 |
| Black Oscar | $25 |
| Leopard Oscar | $20 |
| Wild Oscar | $35 |
| Copper Oscar | $10 |
| Golden Oscar | $35 |
| Black Tiger Oscar | $20 |
| Bumblebee Oscar (6") | $135 |
Where You Can Buy Oscar?
You can buy oscar fish from online shops or local fish stores.
Buying online can be tricky because you can’t see them live. It requires transportation probably from a long distance causes stress to your fish.
It’s one of the most common reasons for oscar’s death in the aquarium. Also, often you can get a sick fish.
On the other hand, if you buy from a local fish store, you can see the fish by yourself.
Also, before the final buy, you can check if the oscar is healthy. In addition, you will get some free tips for raising oscar.
Cost of Keeping Oscar Fish
What is the cost of upbringing oscar? Is it costly to raise oscar fish? Let’s see, I have bucketed out the different costs for keeping oscar.
Tank
Oscar fish can live alone & a single adult oscar fish requires at least 55 gallons to live happily.
When the oscar fish is small you can keep them in a smaller aquarium, but you should consider the adult size of the fish.
Oscar fish grow at a fast rate and can reach 10-12 inches in the first year.
Therefore, you need to buy a 55-gallon aquarium for a single oscar. And, if you want to keep two oscar fish in the tank you’ll need a 75-gallon tank.
The cost of a 55-gallon tank is almost $150-$200 dollar, whereas a 75-gallon tank costs around $250-$300.
Also, you need to buy or make a stand for the tank to put on. It will also take around another $100.
Filtration System
For a tank over 55 gallons, a canister filter is the best filtration system. You can also go for a HOB filter, but buying a canister filter will give you more flexibility in terms of filtration and maintenance.
A decent canister filter will cost around $100-$150 for a 55-gallon or 75-gallon tank.
Heater
Oscar fish are tropical fish, and they do well in the temperature range of 77-82 degrees Fahrenheit. Unless you live in a tropical country, you’ll definitely need a heater.
The heater you’ll need for a 55-gallon aquarium is 150W-200W depending on the room temperature.
The heater price will be near about $30-$50.
Food Expense
You can buy high-quality cichlid pellets for only 20$-30$ a month. In addition, you can also feed your oscar fish some human food to supplement the diet. Also, garden insects like cricket, grasshopper, etc. you can feed.
As they grow the food demand will also grow. So, probably after one year, you’ll need to spend a little extra to ensure a proper diet and nutrition for oscar.
Miscellaneous Cost
There is some cost associated with routine maintenance like water change, filter media change, etc. In every water change, you’ll require water conditioners.
Although, the cost of those items is not so high the accumulated costs for one year are significant.
Yearly Cost Of Keeping Oscar Fish
| Segment | Only One Oscar Fish Yearly Cost ($) | Two Oscar Fish Yearly Cost ($) |
| Tank | 150 | 200 |
| Stand | 100 | 150 |
| Filter | 100 | 150 |
| Heater | 30 | 50 |
| Food | 250 | 500 |
| Substrate, decor | 200 | 250 |
| Miscellaneous | 200 | 250 |
| Total | 1030 | 1550 |
Cost of Breeding Oscar Fish & Profitability
What is the cost of breeding oscar fish? Breeding oscar fish requires no additional cost other than upbringing the oscar to the maturity age for breeding.
On average, it takes around 2-3 years for the oscar fish to breed. So, if you want to breed an oscar and if you buy baby oscar pair, you need to nurture those until they reach their breeding age.
Therefore, keeping the oscar fish pair for that time frame will cost you around $2000-$3000.
But there’s another way. You can buy an already established pair for breeding. Depending on the species you can get such a pair from the pet store at $200-$500.
Now add the cost of setting up the tank and other gadgets. The cost will be another $700-$800.
So, from the cost study, it’s evident that you can breed oscar fish with less money by buying an established breeding pair. However, breeding oscar fish is not for beginners.
As you gather experience in fish keeping and especially raising oscar, over time you’ll find it easier to breed oscar.
Can you make money by breeding oscar fish? Yes, you can make a profit, but as you know there are a lot of variations of oscar species. You need to find a profitable species to breed in order to make money.
Bottom Line
In this article, I have tried to provide some ideas on oscar fish buying and upbringing price. The price may differ from one region to another.
But, as a whole, you can visualize the large picture in terms of the price of oscar keeping. Thanks, for reading.
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