Wild Oscars

[wildoscars]

Looking for Wild Oscar population in Townsville and surrounding areas can anybody help?

[rando]

I hope not, we've got enough imports >:(

[ssab1]

im with rando thats all we need the bloody things most probably could take on a jack :'( :'( :'( >:(

[devocean]

If you were to catch a wild oscar you would be heavily fined plus the fact I doubt they could live through winter

[familyman]

Pardon this southerner but what the hell is a wild oscar :-?
cheers jon

[Derek_Bullock]

Oscars are aquarium fish. I dont know of any recording of them in the wild in Australia.

http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile16.html


Derek

[theoldlegend]

Thank goodness somebody else asked the question for me.

TOL

[efc]

Oscars are a nasty piece of work and when grown in optimal conditions will be a voracious feeder much like piranas.

[ba229]

I know where you can find a Wildba229 :D

[sf17fisherman]

never meet a good ba229 let alone a wild one

[a]

Wild Oscar, I'd love to see that.
Spent a couple of years growing an Oscar and a Red Devil in the same 4m tank. There was a definate line through the middle that was rarely crossed. Cost me a fortune in gold fish to keep them fed and away from each other. Any other species dropped in to co-habitate never lasted either.
As for the optimum conditions, after 2 years of constant temp/water etc I sold the tank and put the 2 Brutes into the father in laws outside fish pond (which hapenned to be stocked with 12-15cm gold fish) The gold fish lasted a month and the Oscar/Red Devil lasted another 18 months, no heaters/no lights/ just the odd bbq scraps and regular left over bait.... They would be an awesome predator though

[Zeeke]

Be bloody bad if they were found in the wild.. and for those who dont know.. they can handle the cold.. not exceptionally.. but they can and will.. and in the wild of south america and such where they come from.. they grow to 1.5m and are eaten.. but.. also pretty bloody ferocious.. not like pirahna.. but bad enough...

Tim

[thumps]

gawd save us if we get a wild lot of Oscars....i have a pet one...he tries to eat all the rocks/air stones and any other foreign object in his 5 foot tank.......he loves shrimp and mosquito fish though...much to the disgust of the mother in law....whos ponds i raid often...hehe

[fishingnottake]

If you were to catch a wild oscar you would be heavily fined plus the fact I doubt they could live through winter
i don't think you'd be fined for cathcing one, you'd be heavily fined for releasing them.

[Zeeke]

thumps.. he aint eating it.. but probably shifting it in order to create a gravel nest.. to solve the problem, look for where it digs the most and bury a piece of slate under the gravel, once it gets to the slate, it'll spend most of its time keeping it clean

Tim

[Jim_Tait]

Try downstream of Gleeson's Weir (Ross River) - go at night with a spotlight and look in the shallows around the rock edges you'll also see another couple of chichlid species (including Red Devils). Once you know where they are you could target them with worms although the tilapia will beat them to it most times, otherwise use a good dip net at night and try and keep them mesmerised in the spotty beam. - Jim

[thumps]

only slate thats ever gunna be in this house...is under a pool table

let him try and eat it....lol

funny to watch him get agro at the gear in the tank..


(sometimes its an excuse not to talk to the missus... ::))

[Barrymundi]

Thanks Tim,

Mine is always rearranging the tank. I will try the slate.

Al

[A_DIFF_PERSPECTIVE]

IN AMONGST ALL THAT , DID SOME PEOPLE MISS THAT POST in this thread,,,,(sorry for using capitals),, the post by Jim_Tait, about wild oscars living in the Ross River?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?
Go back and have a look if you didn't see it,,,,,,,please! I sure got a shock when read it in both this and the freshwater section!!
I'm sure we would all like to know more!
Johnny M

[rando]

Jeez more vermin!!!
Jim Tait, Do you know if the DPI knows of the presence of those species, if not It might be a good idea to pass the information on to them
rando

[gogecko]

Surely someones mistaken? These fish are related to pirana, both in looks and feeding manner. My mate breeds em and supplies aquariums, and hes never heard of wild oscars in oz.....

[Az]

i saw on the qld fisheries page once that there was a population of oscars up around townsville pier

[Az]

found the link

http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/extra/aquaticinvaders/add_table_2.html

Oscar Cichlidae - Townsville (Aplin Weir) and Cairns (Freshwater Ck)

[Jim_Tait]

Don't know if they're still there but they were when I last looked in about 1998 and they were breeding then. They are not related to pirana but are a chiclid like tilapia only more distantly related - by the way Az is that a peacock bass picture in your post signature?

The diversity of exotic's in Townsville's Ross River has been well communicated to the authorities. Red devils are also there, presumably breeding because they seem to have persisted there for a long time. In central america these are called 'Mohara' and take lures and are good eating!! We don't need more exotics here though.

The aquarium industry has to lift its game in terms of education and self regulation if we are not going to obliterate our natives through additional introductions - especially in the tropics - Jim

[thumps]

well I'll be Bugg**d

some ppl will throw anything away i guess >:(

[Az]

Don't know if they're still there but they were when I last looked in about 1998 and they were breeding then. They are not related to pirana but are a chiclid like tilapia only more distantly related - by the way Az is that a peacock bass picture in your post signature?


Yeh mate its a male peacock bass

[Jim_Tait]

Where did you source the picture?

[Az]

personal photo from my collection

[88fishframe]

Since when have oscars in the Ross River been a secret?????? ;D ;D

[Jim_Tait]

Az,

is that personal collection like... taken in your own tank??

[Az]

yeh mate

[Zeeke]

If you fellas want fish related to Pirahna... go buy some Neon tetras.. they are the closest of the pirahna family, except silver dollers...

I used to breed Red Devils, Oscars (Albino Tiger, Red Tiger, Tiger) and some african species... they are pretty bloody ferocious.. and would do alot of damage if they managed to get into more waterways..

Tim

[Jim_Tait]

Az,
what species of Peacock bass is it? Something that I have always wanted to catch but havn't quite got there. I got too bailed up in Central America on my way to South and missed out. They are now established as a feral population in Florida.

They would go balistic if introduced to Australian waters and would probably make the impacts of Oscars, Tilapia, Red devils etc look like practice given the size they get to and their predatory ways! I assume those whp breed and trade them communicate that well to the punters?

Without sounding like too much of a spoil sport I'd suggest they're exactly the sort of species that the industry should be self regulating against the introduction of (as much as I would love to have one in my tank!!) - Jim

[al_neibling]

Well I'll be you learn something new everyday!! and just to be totally educated I am going to go and try to find these oscars, maybe I could get some pics and post them.

I have to say until I see it for myself I am a bit sceptical............surely I am not alone :P

Al

[Az]

Az,
what species of Peacock bass is it? #Something that I have always wanted to catch but havn't quite got there. I got too bailed up in Central America on my way to South and missed out. #They are now established as a feral population in Florida. #

They would go balistic if introduced to Australian waters and would probably make the impacts of Oscars, Tilapia, Red devils etc look like practice given the size they get to and their predatory ways! I assume those whp breed and trade them communicate that well to the punters?

Without sounding like too much of a spoil sport I'd suggest they're exactly the sort of species that the industry should be self regulating against the introduction of (as much as I would love to have one in my tank!!) - Jim

Its a cichla monoculous, and yes they along with the temesis are a big sportsfish in south america
and will hit poppers hard, its hard not to get wet just feeding the buggers. But yes I do know about the population in the florida canal system as the government introduced them to combat their tilapia problem and provide a local sportsfishing arena. They are restricted to the waters of the canals due to their strict temperature requirements. They actually need very specific water to survive andI don't see them as a threat to australian waterways, and there is only a few breeders in the country (supposedly not able to breed in tanks) and due to the price of them I don't see many owners doing anything stupid like releasing hundreds, as the greater majority of aquarium hobbiests are strongly against releasing ANY fish, even natives that have been held captive... due to introduced diseases etc

[fishingnottake]

Az,
what species of Peacock bass is it? #Something that I have always wanted to catch but havn't quite got there. I got too bailed up in Central America on my way to South and missed out. #They are now established as a feral population in Florida. #

They would go balistic if introduced to Australian waters and would probably make the impacts of Oscars, Tilapia, Red devils etc look like practice given the size they get to and their predatory ways! I assume those whp breed and trade them communicate that well to the punters?

Without sounding like too much of a spoil sport I'd suggest they're exactly the sort of species that the industry should be self regulating against the introduction of (as much as I would love to have one in my tank!!) - Jim
there's a long way from the aquarium to creek.... i don't know a lot about keeping freshwater fish, and restrictions therein, but as far as i know peacock bass aren;t restricted in australia i can;t see them mentioned anywhere as such either. not to forget we have members from all over the world, so for all we know az could be posting from south america,

[fishingnottake]

bugger az beat me to it :|

[Jim_Tait]

I'd suggest that the diversity of aquarium fish now inhabiting Australian streams would tend to suggest that its not that far from 'aquarium to stream' - don't get me wrong I am a aquariast as well (have been for about 35 yrs - includoing keeping and breeding a lot of exotics over the years) but I don't think we can have it both ways i.e. be outraged at the impact of exotics in our native habitats and then claim that we have the god given right to purchase and keep what ever species of fish we want to in our fish tanks - that is called hypocrasy and the concern is xcalled teh precautionary principle.

One leason we have learnt well and good regarding pest management is that it is a lot easier to keep them out inthe first place than try and control them once they're in (near impossible). The desire associated with a having a little pet fishery of Peacock Bass would be just a little too much for some folk to bear - I know I would be vulnerable (just one little dam hey?? - I wouldn't be surprised if some silly bugger already had one!!).

That is the reason attractive spot fishing species like large mouth bass and European Pike are illegal imports - I'd suggest Peacock Bass should be added to it. The terrestrial equivalent would be allowing the keeping of Juguars or Wolverines for pets - just that sound fair enough too?

Love your fish Az just don't trust the broader public having access to them!!

Regards - Jim

[Az]

they can no longer be imported however there was a few imported prior to recent regulations which restricted such practices and are only sold in limited numbers

the mouth brooders such as tilapia and other africans are the problems as they can live in both salt and fresh cold/warm waters and keep the eggs safe in their mouth until they're of size

[MadMongrel]

There are oscar populations in Ross River. However they are there because they have been released by gimps who don't want them in their aqauriums anymore. I have caught 3-4 large oscars in the Ross river freshwater system over the years. There are now many more of them as they luv the conditions in the river and breed like rabits. I caught one that was 28cm and extremely healthy. As to the statement that you will be fined for catching them that is crap. You will be for releasing them. If you do catch one don't release it back because they are hardy voracious predators that over compete with native fish. I reckon they are more aggresive than the Jacks in the River

[rando]

sounds like we need an "oscar busters" similiar to the logan river group,you could even sell them back to the aquarium trade,nice little earner for an enterprizing soul , you should see the price they go for!!!!

[noodlemantra]

They ARE in there. My mate caught one years ago and put it in his fish tank. He was an Oscar nut. His house backs onto the river in Cranbrook and I remember going over there at his parties and watching this brute of a thing swim around. It was god damn wild as sh@#T!. put your finger up to the glass and the thing would ramn it that hard the glass would shake! he grew to be massive, used to feed it.......live goldfish among other things.

[Az]

its a shame they have been released, you can actually buy wild caught oscars still from south america, here are some of mine mostly fed on prawns and whitebait

http://img325.imageshack.us/img325/9535/image2144bg.jpg


http://img471.imageshack.us/img471/7528/image2325sx.jpg

http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/130/image2315bv.jpg

a couple of my little bullrout i caught, beautiful aussie native ;)

http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/8236/image2488rd.jpg

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/4299/image2518vz.jpg

[88fishframe]

Other pest species of oscars we need to be careful of in Australia are oscar dela hoya the boxer and oscar the grouch from seseme street.

[88fishframe]

Other pest species of oscars we need to be careful of in Australia are oscar dela hoya the boxer and oscar the grouch from seseme street. ;D ;D ;D

[Jim_Tait]

Yeah I've seen a few feral ones of them around as well ;D

[grave41]

I would like to know where you got the 1.5 m from. Most of our northern species would kill them off anyway.I dislike any spieces being put in areas that are not there natuaral habitat. This includes natives!Believe it or not Guppies are among the worst . they eat anything and survive anywhere eg fish eggs fry Shrimp and so on and guess who introduced them. The Government!! But then they nearly introduced the nile perch to keep certain groups happy. Luckilly they didnt. Just food for thought .

[Whiley_Whiting]

Has anyone been out and caught any of these yet, picutres would be great

:) :) ;D